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The Colony and Start of the Academy 1977 - 1981
| Greg Breunich was attending the University of South Carolina, his father and I grew up in the same town. Nick convinced Greg to leave college and work for him as a tennis coach. Nick told his father that he would take care of him, but his mother was so mad that he left college. Jimmy Arias and his father came to the Colony as Dr. Klauber’s guest. He had a wild forehand. Nick made his entire staff accept it as the new forehand, which changed the power game of tennis. The Academy began to get all sorts of exposure while at the Colony, with features on 60 minutes and articles in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. The Academy grew so much that there were not enough courts to run the programs and accommodate the resort guests, it was necessary to expand to another location. |
1977
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The Colony Beach and Tennis Resort
Moves from Dorado Beach to The Colony Beach and Tennis Resort on Long Boat Key, FL, owned by Dr. Murf Klauber. Murf Klauber wanted the Colony Beach Resort to become the number one resort in the U.S. which it did and still remains the top national tennis resort today. Julio Moros moved from Puerto Rico to Florida and became the Colony’s Director of Tennis. The original staff was: Nick, Julio Moros, Sammy Aviles, Piri Oyola, Edwin Oyola, Pedro Perez and David Brewer. Dr. Klauber wanted his guests happy at all times, so at times the coaches did all sorts of jobs including being waiters, lifeguards, pool and beach maintenance. |
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20 kids come to the Academy from Beaver Dam
In the summer of 1977, Mike DePalmer, Sr. was instrumental in bringing in local students. Started bringing in top students to live in Nick’s house and in another house that he owned. There were 10 students living in the house, including Jimmy Arias, Rodney Harmon, Carling Bassett, Aaron Krickstein, Anne White and Paul Annacone. Steve Shulla was a day student (Who later came to work with Nick and is still with him today!) |
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Divorce #3
Nick and Jeri Sylvester divorce. |
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1978
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The Dormitory
Mr. Marx lent Nick $50,000 to buy a rundown motel to renovate and use as a dormitory. The students slept eight to a room and ate in shifts. They were monitored by Colonel Baxley, a veteran who made them march in a line when they walked from the study hall to the courts. They had a small bus that the Bassetts gave them to transport the students. |
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1979
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West Bradenton
Bought a small club in West Bradenton with nine courts named the DePalmer/Bollettieri Club. |
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Marriage #4
marries Diane Day in |
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Divorce #4
Nick and Diane Day divorce. |
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1980
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The Academy
Mr. Marx lent Nick $1 million to build the Academy on a field of tomatoes on 34th Street. |
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Marriage #5
June 20th, marries Kellie Benefiel in Sarasota, Florida. |
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1981
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Academy opens on 34th Street
The Academy opens with courts, dining hall and library building (donated by Mr. Lenny Solomon), dormitories, the first indoor courts in the state of Florida and a work out center. Students included Rodney Harmon, Chip Hooper, Pam Casale, Mike DePalmer, Jimmy Arias, Carling Bassett, Brad Gilbert, Aaron Krickstein, Monica Seles, Jim Courier, David Wheaton, Martin Blackman and Ann White. Coaches had multiple jobs, including cooking, brooming the courts, dorm duty, traveling coaches, helping with laundry, driving the buses. The entire staff, including Nick, would work 24-hour shifts to ensure that the kids were looked after. |
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1982
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Birth of Third Daughter
October 19th, Kellie gives birth to Nick's third daughter, Nicole Annette Bollettieri, at Sarasota Hospital in Sarasota, Florida. |
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1983
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Hu Nau comes to the Academy
The number one Junior player from China, Hu Nau, defected and came to the Academy. She had to stay in the room with one of Nick’s daughters at all times because they were told people might try to take her back to China. |
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1984
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Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi plays in a Florida junior tournament with long hair, an earring and a wild outfit. Andre started the wild clothes and hair when he was only 14 years of age. Andre was very concerned because they told him he was going to have to cut his hair, but Nick assured him that he would not have to. |
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Dick Vitale
Dick Vitale relocates his entire family to Florida from Detroit so that his daughters, Sherry and Terry can attend the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. |
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1986
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The U.S. Open
The Academy has 27 students in the Main Draw of the U.S. Open |
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