Root
Iowa Sports Prep — Public Documentation
Welcome to the public docs for Iowa Sports Prep. These pages explain how our program works, written for parents and families.
Contents
| Doc | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| How ISP Works | Overview of the program — academics, athletics, schedule |
| Learning from Menzi | The South African school that inspired our model |
| Academics & Learning | Why 2-hour mastery works, the science behind it |
| Learning Science | The A-B-Z framework — how we guarantee learning happens |
| Meet Your SSC | Your child's Student Success Coach — the 1:100 relationship |
| Life Skills Learning | Learn from legends — persona-based learning & challenges |
| Learn from Legendary Coaches | 35 coaches from every sport — wisdom your child can apply today |
| Learn from Sports Nutritionists | 35 scientists and nutritionists — fuel your body for peak performance |
| Learn from Nutrition Experts | 🆕 Hyman, Greger, Fuhrman, Mackey — whole-person nutrition philosophy |
| Food & Diet Guides | 🆕 9 deep dives on food categories — carbs, fats, vegetables, and more |
| Motivation | The science of motivation — why your kid actually wants to learn here |
| Learn from Elite Athletes' Youth Training | 18 elite athletes — how champions were built before they were famous |
| Champion Mindsets | 🆕 37 athlete mental game profiles — visualization, motivation, and the psychology of excellence |
| Sports Access | Play for your public school team — Iowa HF 189 explained |
| Training Credits | $100/month for training, equipment, and facilities |
| Iowa ESA Guide | How to use Iowa's education savings account |
| MyPath | The gamified progress tracking app |
| Training Philosophy | Our approach to athletic development |
| Transportation Reimbursement | Get transportation help from your local district |
| FAQ | Common questions — enrollment, MyParent, sports, credits |
🆕 Getting Started & Decision Guides
New to ISP? These guides help you understand the enrollment process and decide if ISP is right for your family:
| Doc | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Timeline | 🆕 Key dates for Fall 2026 — ESA windows, enrollment phases, first day prep |
| Parents' Role Guide | 🆕 What ISP expects from parents (hint: you're NOT the teacher) |
| Community & Friends | 🆕 How your kid makes friends at ISP — pods, teams, events |
| Comparison Guide | 🆕 ISP vs. traditional school, homeschool, and other options |
🌾 For Specific Audiences
| Doc | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Rural Iowa | 🆕 For families in the 44 counties with zero private schools — ISP is your first option |
| For Educators | 🆕 Research foundation, referral information for education professionals |
| Mental Health & Wellbeing | 🆕 How ISP supports whole-child wellbeing and prevents burnout |
🔬 Learning Science Deep Dives
Want to understand the research behind our approach? These pages explain each principle in detail:
| Doc | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Learning Science Index | Overview of all learning science principles |
| Cognitive Load Theory | Why your brain can only handle so much — and how we design for it |
| Mastery Learning | Why 80%+ to advance — Bloom's 2 Sigma research |
| Retrieval Practice | Testing IS learning, not just measurement |
| Spaced Practice | Why cramming fails and spreading out works |
| Worked Examples | I Do → We Do → You Do scaffolding |
| Interleaving | Why mixing topics beats practicing one at a time |
| Deliberate Practice | Why 10,000 hours isn't enough without the right practice |
| Desirable Difficulties | Why learning should feel hard (but not impossible) |
| Automaticity | Fast basics free up brainpower for hard stuff |
| Multimedia Learning | How to design videos and visuals that teach |
| Direct Instruction | Why explicit teaching beats discovery for novices |
| Feedback | Immediate, specific corrections that drive improvement |
| Webb's DOK | Depth of Knowledge — why "You Teach" is the deepest learning |
🧠 Flow State & Optimal Experience
The science of being "in the zone" — and how ISP designs for it:
| Doc | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| What is Flow State? | The science behind "the zone" — neurobiology, challenge-skill balance, why athletes chase it |
| Flow at ISP | How we design school for optimal experience — 2-hour morning block, pomodoros, the 4 Es cycle |
🎯 Talent Development Research
The science of how young people become excellent — and why talented kids quit:
| Doc | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Talent Development Overview | Browse all talent development research — Bloom, Csikszentmihalyi, the science of sustaining talent |
| The Bloom Study | The landmark study of 120 world-class achievers |
| Why Talented Kids Quit | 🆕 The "Talented Teenagers" study — dropouts are just as skilled as keepers |
| Three Phases of Development | Romance → Precision → Generalization — the universal path |
| Loving the Grind | 🆕 How to build the "autotelic" mindset that sustains talent |
| Becoming Your Own Coach | 🆕 Self-regulation — the ultimate goal of talent development |
| The Home Environment | How families create achievers — the "complex family" |
| Finding the Right Teacher | Why teacher-phase fit matters more than prestige |
| Domain Differences | How athletes, artists, and academics develop differently |
💰 Personal Finance Deep Dives
Financial literacy is a survival skill for the NIL era. These guides teach your child how to build wealth alongside their athletic career:
| Doc | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Personal Finance Overview | 🆕 The Financial Skill Tree — why financial literacy matters for athletes |
| Banking Basics | 🆕 Savings accounts, checking accounts, and visible compound interest |
| Your First Job | 🆕 Work permits, paychecks, employee vs contractor |
| Filing Your First Tax Return | 🆕 The "Boss Battle" — step-by-step tax filing for teens |
| Building Credit Early | 🆕 Authorized users, credit scores, and the path to your first card |
| Investing for Minors | 🆕 UGMA/UTMA custodial accounts and compound interest |
| Roth IRA for Teens | 🆕 The most powerful wealth-building tool for working teens |
| Saving for College | 🆕 529 plans, FAFSA, and financial aid strategy |
| Starting a Business | 🆕 Entrepreneurship for minors — your brand is your first business |
| Your First Car | 🆕 Auto financing, total cost of ownership, credit impacts |
| Real Estate Basics | 🆕 REITs, mortgages, and long-term wealth building |
| The Priority Stack | 🆕 8 principles that build lifetime wealth |
| NIL & Athlete Income | 🆕 Managing NIL earnings, taxes, and brand building |
Questions?
If you don't find your answer here, reach out at hello@iowasportsprep.com or ask in the parent Facebook group.