Bradenton, FL - Step onto the IMG Academy’s nearly 500-acre campus and it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed.

Some of the best professional athletes began their career arcs in Bradenton, Florida, training at one of the best facilities in the world. People like the Williams sisters, Tim Howard, Kei Nishikori and Eli Manning all put in time here.

Things have changed quite a bit over the years. The academy founded by tennis coaching legend Nick Bollettieri has grown massively since 1978.

Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley spent their formative years at the IMG Academy while with the U.S. national team’s under-17 residency program.

They returned to Bradenton this week with Toronto FC for the IMG Suncoast Pro preseason tournament and the pair have fond memories of the place that helped them make the jump to the professional ranks.

“Yea, it was a special time for me,” said Altidore on Monday evening.

“I came here with the vision to hopefully one day be where I am today, a professional. I was very fortunate to use everything here at my fingertips at this great facility and fulfil my dreams of becoming a pro.”

“It played a huge role,” said Bradley. “At the time the academy set up wasn’t what it is now. it gave players the opportunity to leave home at pretty young age and start to live a professional lifestyle.”

Leaving home at an early age forced the pair to mature at a faster rate than their friends back home.

“Here you become a young adult,” continued Altidore. “You leave home and learn how to conduct yourself amongst your peers and how to look after yourself as a young professional. It was a great experience for me and I don’t know where I would be without it.”

Indeed the academy system in North America has changed quite a bit in recent years. If a player didn’t receive an invite to the IMG Academy in the past they might be forced to go through the college system or explore options in abroad.

Today a number of academies, including Toronto FC’s, are giving youngsters a variety of options.

Bradley and Altidore serve as role models for the next generation of soccer stars training at the IMG Academy today.

“It’s a source of pride,” Bradley said. “When we were young guys coming through here we looked up to Landon Donovan, DeMarcus Beasley, guys who had come through here before us. To now know that hopefully we’re the ones that some of these guys can look up to is a good feeling. “

For the longtime friends the grounds in Bradenton is also the place where they first met.

“This is where it all started,” Altidore stated. “It’s crazy to look back on what we’ve done and to see how our careers have overlapped and to see what we’ve contributed to U.S. Soccer. It’s nice to see there’s a lot more left to go after.”

That starts with the final preseason tournament before the real games get underway on March 7th in Vancouver.

For Altidore it will be the first time he will get to play with his new teammates in somewhat competitive matches, though these fixtures are more about form than results.

“I’m excited to finally get a game with the guys,” he said. “To get a game now and get familiar with each other is important.”

“Obviously it’s great to have the whole group together now,” said Bradley.” Ideally we can put the starting group on the field a few times.”

Toronto FC plays their first game on Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET against the USL’s Oklahoma City Energy FC.