Commanders LB Bostic Offers 'Blueprint' to 'Give to the Next Generation'

Washington Commanders linebacker Jon Bostic is proud of a lot of things after 10 seasons in the NFL. 

For starters, when the 2022 season got underway Bostic was not only on the Commanders' roster, he was the only linebacker of the 26 drafted in 2013 that was still active.

But he's not happy just having personal success. He wants to pass on the lessons that were given to him and provide resources to help others achieve what he has and more.

"My father was able to give me the same blueprint his former college coach, and now one of my mentors, Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame offensive lineman Larry Little gave him," Bostic said. "Now it's my chance to give it to the next generation."

The motivation and desire to pave a better path for the growth of future athletes led Bostic to something that has been nine and a half years in the making. 

Founding the Wellington Sports Academy, a first-of-its-kind $38 million facility that will not just train the bodies and sharpen the skills of growing athletes but feed their minds to become the next generation of professionals who thrive on and off the field, court, pitch, or whatever they find themselves competing on.

"I believe if we give these kids the resources, coaches, and the facilities it will help a lot more of these young athletes in south Florida get a chance to go live their dream and play at the next level," says Bostic. "There should be so many more that make it out, but don't because of a lack of resources, knowledge, and guidance."

Settled on 17.2 acres in Wellington, Florida, the training facility will be the biggest in the state and includes a nearly 10,000 square foot baseball and softball complex, seven full basketball courts, a recovery center with the latest technology, and a full-service cafe open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

In total, Wellington Academy will be more than 127,000 square feet of athlete training and performance excellence and provide services to athletes competing in 12 different sports. 

As you'd expect with an NFL linebacker as its founder, there will also be a football field and high-performance gym. 

The appropriately named 'Bostic Sports Performance Gym' will be one of three available to power all academy teams and service high-level athletes and clients who prefer one-on-one training with personal trainers. 

Calling it a one-stop shop might be an understatement. Because all the athletes have to bring is the drive and willingness to be coached.

The facility is scheduled to break ground in late July, just before training camp, with the current timeline aiming to welcome in athletes looking for holistic training opportunities next Summer. 

And while the motivation comes from ensuring future generations have the best resources available, Bostic and Wellington Academy aren't just going to exit the picture once an athlete graduates from high school games and AAU tournaments.

They'll be there for their clients throughout, including when they look to make the jump to professional venues, providing training opportunities focused on getting them ready for a wide array of athletic pursuits. 

Sure, future NFL, NBA, and MLB stars will train at Wellington Academy, but so too will softball, volleyball, lacrosse, and soccer players, and cheerleaders.

If you want to compete in something, there's a good chance Bostic's facility can help you be successful at every level.

Once an athlete has reached the pinnacle of their competitive peer group, they'll then spend the offseason at the same facility treating their bodies and sharpening their skills further. 

In fact, one day, there could be a professional athlete whose journey from youth athlete to Hall of Famer is filled with stops at the Wellington Sports Academy.

"We have a number of venues of this size and scale on this. We are very bullish on this project," says Jim Arnold of Sports Facilities Companies, the management company overseeing the development of this project. "It would be the top dog as far as facility offerings and facility quality up and down the east coast."

Nobody gave Bostic 10 years - and counting - in the NFL. He earned it. And now he's turning that blueprint into brick and mortar, with his sights set on nurturing the aspirations of future athletes.