Two ICL Academy Students Star in New Docuseries “UNINTERRUPTED: Top Class Tennis,” About the World of Junior Tennis

ICL Academy, a Virtual School, and the ICL Foundation Facilitate Pursuit of Passions and a Great Education for High Performance Teens

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, July 3, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Ariana Anazagasty-Pursoo, 18, and Joseph Oyebog, 16, are already stars on the court and soon to be on the screen, as two of four young tennis players featured in “UNINTERRUPTED: Top Class Tennis,” a new 4-episode docuseries from Prime Video & Amazon Freevee set to stream on July 18, 2024. They are also academic stars as students at ICL Academy, a virtual private accredited 5th-12th grade school that caters to high performance individuals (e.g. athletes, actors, recording artists) so they can pursue their primary passion while getting an exceptional education.

The advantages that ICL Academy offers these students are an individualized education, flexibility, a virtual classroom, and dedicated teachers who understand high achievers. This enables ICL students to pursue their studies from wherever they are, in between workouts, practices, playing tournaments around the world, and even filming a reality TV series. “Ariana was playing this elite tournament, and in between matches she would sneak over to our shady area and study,” says Top Class Tennis Showrunner Nikki Spetseris. “I remember following Joseph when he attended John McEnroe's Academy in New York. Every time we took a break from an interview or filming his practice, he was studying on the side.”

Anazagasty-Pursoo, a native of Westbury, NY, recently graduated from ICL Academy and is heading to the University of Texas, Austin, in the fall on a full scholarship to play tennis and pursue a college degree. A five-time junior title winner, Anazagasty-Pursoo is one of the top junior players in the world with a career high ranking of No. 38.

“When I went to traditional high school, I noticed a lot of kids don't take things as seriously or are unsure about their future,” she says. “At ICL Academy, we have hundreds of students across the world who are following their passions, and who understand the level of dedication and sacrifice it really takes. Sometimes you can feel alone, like no one understands what you're going through. ICL is unique because all the students have the same goal - to be the best in the world in our chosen pursuit.”

Going into his junior year at ICL Academy, Oyebog, Jr. was born in Cameroon. When his family was displaced by the civil war, they moved to Bridgeport, CT, and he now trains in Bradenton, FL. One of the top-ranked African juniors in the world, Oyebog, Jr. is a 2023 Indian Wells Junior Champion. His father Joseph Oyebog, Sr., is a former Cameroonian tennis champion who started Oyebog Tennis Academy in the town of Souza, Cameroon, for underprivileged young players.

“ICL has helped me in countless ways. I was able to continue my ICL coursework even though I was on the show while traveling and training. I have understanding teachers who help keep me on track,” says Oyebog, Jr. “Going to ICL is definitely beneficial because I have classmates like Ariana, and you see others aspiring for their dreams. You feel like you belong - you push each other. It's a completely different level of positivity and good vibes unlike any other school.”

“The ICL Foundation, the philanthropic arm of ICL Academy, is at the heart of Ariana and Joseph’s journeys,” says ICL Academy founder Kirk Spahn. “The Foundation provides resources which enable them to pursue tennis while getting a great education. Because ICL believes in teaching the whole student, Ariana and Joseph receive leadership training and character development, to support their mental and emotional transition into the world of pro tennis. These two scholar athletes, who both give back to their communities, exemplify ICL’s Impact Learning Model, taking what they learn and putting it into action for others, at the highest level.”

ICL also offers champion mentors who provide coaching and inspiration to ICL students. Ariana and Joseph have been coached by tennis champs like Tommy Haas and Mark Phillapousis. ”Another beautiful benefit of going to ICL academy is the opportunity to train and talk with ICL champions and legends. I was able to hit with Tommy Haas thanks to ICL. It's one of those incredible moments where you look up to someone who has done such great things in tennis, and it gives you that extra mindset that you didn't think you would be able to get, but you got.”

While Top Class Tennis is airing, both players will be training and competing all summer, just as they have since early childhood. “We look forward to following these two superstars as they progress in their academic and athletic careers, inspiring other young athletes along the way,” says Kirk Spahn.

About ICL Foundation
Now in its 23rd year, the ICL Foundation is dedicated to shaping a future where flexible, world-class education becomes economically accessible to all high-achieving students. For students, based on need and merit, the Impact Learning Model™ enables high performing students to emerge as leaders within the global community. This combines elite accredited courses, character and service leadership training, mentorship, mental skills training, and real world application.

About ICL Academy
Born out of the ICL Foundation’s Impact Learning Model™, ICL Academy offers world-class academics in a year-round accredited online school. In 2015, the first incarnation of ICL Academy was founded by educator Kirk Spahn, and accredited as a grade 5-12 hybrid school in Los Angeles, focused on performing arts students. In 2019, ICL Academy became a fully online school, and expanded to meet the needs of driven students across the country. ICL's vibrant community was built on, and continues to revolve around, the foundation of the 6 P's: Passion, Purpose, Process, Perspective, Perseverance, and Personalization.

More about Ariana Anazagasty-Pursoo
Anazagasty-Pursoo played both singles and doubles in all four junior majors in 2023. In singles, she advanced to the round of 32 at Wimbledon and was in the round of 64 at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and the US Open. In doubles, she made the round of 16 at the US Open and was in the round of 32 at the other three. Prior to that, she reached the US Open singles round of 32 in 2022, and the doubles round of 16 in 2021. Additionally, she got to the singles final of the JA Merida in Mexico in 2022. She has won five juniors titles in her career, including doubles at the ITF J300 Pan American Closed in Houston where she paired with Maya Joint, who she also combined with to win the J2 Montreal in 2022. Her other doubles title also came that year at the J1 Guadalajara. Her singles titles came at the J3s in Santo Domingo and Coral Gables in 2022.

More about Joseph Oyebog, Jr.
Joseph Oyebog, Jr., trains full time at IMG Academy in Florida and travels the world competing in ITF tournaments, including in Tunisia, Peru and the Dominican Republic, where he won four matches with partner Abhishek Thorat to earn the J200 doubles title. He won a J300 event at Indian Wells in March 2023 with partner Jagger Leach and a J100 singles title in Calgary, Canada in June 2023. His father Joseph Oyebog, Sr., a former Cameroonian tennis champion, started Oyebog Tennis Academy in Souza, Cameroon, for underprivileged young players, a game changer for the children there. Three younger siblings also play tennis with Lucy, 15, playing competitively while also enrolled at ICL Academy.

About Prime Video & Amazon Freevee “UNINTERRUPTED’s Top Class Tennis”
UNINTERRUPTED’s Top Class Tennis follows four junior tennis players as they make their way to the Orange Bowl, a competition that could make or break their careers as tennis pros.

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Joanna Brody
Brody Public Relations
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