Audrey-Ann and Khaleann Caron-Goudreau surrounded by hundreds of letters poured in from colleges across the nation looking to sign the talented twins.
Photo courtesy of IMG Academy
It was no surprise when the college offers started piling up from some of the top programs in the nation. Ultimately, the twins signed with the Vanderbilt Commodores to play for head coach Melanie Balcomb who, in her 12th year as the ‘Dores head coach, recently guided the program to its 12th consecutive NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament appearance.
With the tough college decision process behind them, the twins are focused on doing everything they can to get ready for what they will face at the next level. One day in April, as the twins prepared for the prestigious SchollyMe All-World Game in Irvine, Calif., we shadowed them to get a look at what it takes to be a high school student preparing to take the next step.
In the Weight Room
The Caron-Goudreau twins work out daily with teammates and strength coach Uranius Johnson.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
Khaleann and Audrey-Ann's day began bright and early, waking up at 6:30 a.m. for breakfast to fuel up for an intense 8 a.m. weight room session. They typically hit the weights four days per week, and on Wednesdays will take in a performance elective in either mental toughness, leadership or nutrition.
Khaleann spots for Audrey-Ann in the
IMG Academy weight room.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
"I love the IMG Academy weight room," said Khaleann. "It might be my favorite place on campus because it is so big and there are so many exercises you can do. We have an excellent coach (Uranius Johnson). Even if I'm injured, he always finds something for me to do, and I can always push my limits further and further every day."
Khaleann is battling back from a minor ankle injury and has been mostly limited to upper-body exercises in the weight room, but has proven to be an excellent spotter and motivator for sister Audrey-Ann. The two have seen big gains with the helping hand of "Coach UJ," a former football player for the Division I Marshall Thundering Herd.
"There is no specific exercise or piece of equipment that makes the difference. It's really our relationship with coach UJ," said Audrey-Ann. "At the beginning of the year we were stressed because he was new to us, but he makes the weight sessions fun and we trust each other so much that I always know he has us doing the right things."
Following weights, the girls head to the basketball gym to warm up for practice.
At Practice
Audrey-Ann looks to attack the lane after taking a pass from teammate Kavita Akula.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
On this particular day, the entire team was abuzz with excitement on account of a special visitor. One of the breakout stars of the 2012-13 team, LSU freshman point guard Rina Hill, returned to campus during her spring break. Hill recently helped lead the Lady Tigers to the NCAA Women's Sweet 16 and the girls were eager to hear about her experience.
Audrey-Ann hugs her close friend and
former teammate Rina Hill.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
"It was so good to see her again. It's like she never left. Her spirit is always here," Audrey-Ann said of her former teammate Hill. "We cannot play together, but we have her around for this week which is so good."
Approaching the All-World Game, the twins will have to enter new territory — being on separate teams. Audrey-Ann and Khaleann were placed on opposite rosters, and at practice, were challenged by IMG Academy girls head coach Shell Dailey to compete even harder against one another.
"We played against one another a long time ago when we were really young, but it's such a bad idea," said Khaleann, laughing. "We tend to be really aggressive against one another. But in California, if we aren't on the floor at the same time, it's going to be hard not to cheer her on.
"We're still working hard — there's never a ‘light day' for us. We had six games over the weekend with a tournament, but we're still working hard, and we're going to push ourselves as much as we can because a ‘light' day would be a waste of time."
Coach Dailey, a former WNBA and Division I head coach, demands a great deal from her players. After practice, she delivered a stern message to the team about performing under scrutiny, in light of several college coaches in attendance that day.
"Playing for coach Shell is intense, but she is one of the best coaches we've ever had and I am so glad that I've had her the past two years," Khaleann said. "She helped me become so much better, and her presence in the gym makes you feel like you always want to do more. Her attitude makes us want to be better."
On Camera
The Caron-Goudreaus have become quite accustomed to being in front of a camera these days.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
Having achieved so much on the court, the twins have earned a great deal of media attention during their time at IMG Academy. They have appeared in the likes of ESPN, STACK Magazine, TransWorld Sport and, on this day, took on another media interview with a prominent local outlet.
"Being exposed to so much media and doing interviews is fun, and it only helps prepare us even more for college," said Khaleann. "As a college player, you know you're going to have to speak with reporters all the time, so getting the experience now and getting comfortable with it is just one more thing that makes the transition easier."
After their interview, the pair heads to lunch where the IMG Academy cafeteria offers a wide variety of healthy, nutrition-packed meal options. The twins, however, remain partial to the salad bar.
"We only eat healthy, and always eat things like tuna, salmon and salad, so we are able to have all those things every day and we love it," said Audrey-Ann. "For some of the other kids it may be a culture shock with the food because it's not filled with salts and spices, but it's so good for you."
In the Classroom
The twins brush up on the Great Depression for AP U.S. History.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
The Caron-Goudreaus are not shy to admit that they love to study, and consider it fun. After lunch, they like to get to school a half-hour early and find an empty classroom to brush up on their studies and double-check their homework.
"We don't like to keep homework waiting around, so when we have free time we study and get it done so it's not waiting for us the day after," said Audrey-Ann. "We know we're going to have to travel, so it's best just to get it done as soon as possible."
Audrey-Ann and Khaleann both profess that their strongest subjects are math and science, which is beneficial since they aspire to be a veterinarian and pediatrician, respectively. However their favorite subject at IMG Academy is AP American History, on account of their teacher, Mr. John Gubernat.
"I love American History, which is a surprise, because it's new to me and very complicated, but our teacher makes it so much fun," Khaleann said.
Audrey-Ann added, "Mr. Gubernat makes us laugh and we learn so many other things alongside our usual course plan. The highlight has been our research paper assignment. I'm writing about how some people in the South justified slavery in the 19th century."
The twins live at Ascender Hall, a
state-of-the-art residence hall.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
After a long day of weight training, practice and classes, the girls return to their on-campus dorm for another round of studies.
One study hall period a day is just not enough for Audrey-Ann and Khaleann. As soon as they return to the dorm, they immediately go back to hitting the books to make sure they have not missed a single detail.
"I like having great grades and I love school, so it's exciting to read and learn," said Audrey-Ann.
Khaleann interjected, "It's also partly the family we're from. We have two brothers who are likely to be doctors who push us to do well, but we also see the opportunity we have to do well, so why wouldn't we study like we do?"
Before turning in for the day, Audrey-Ann added, "We push ourselves partly because this environment encourages that. It's inspiring. The greatest thing about IMG Academy is learning about different cultures. I know everywhere that I go, whether it's India, Japan; everywhere I go, I have a home. It's opened the world for us with personal connections."
The Caron-Goudreaus are preparing for another big transition — heading to Vanderbilt. They will take their final senior exams early to report for college orientation June 2, fly back to Bradenton later in the week to graduate, then finish moving out of their dorm room and drive to Nashville with their parents.
They will finally get to return to Quebec for a break in August. The schedule might seem grueling, but with this look into one average day in their lives, it is safe to say they are prepared to conquer whatever challenges will face them in this next step.
See more photos from the busy day below.
With a test scheduled for the next history class session, the group was allowed a day to study or work on their research paper assignments.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
Coach Shell Dailey approaches coaching with high-level intensity, expecting her players to play with 100 percent effort from start to finish.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
Audrey-Ann drives the lane against Khaleann days before traveling to California for the All-World Game.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
With plenty of options, the twins like to put together creative salad arrangements for lunch.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
Khaleann chats with teammates Abby Tinsley of the U.S. (Virginia), Kavita Akula of India and Ellie Hill of Japan during pre-practice warm-up.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
The twins love to study, but when they have time they prefer to visit the famed Florida beaches only a short drive from campus.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
After a late-day study session, the twins often take a mental break and watch some television.
Courtesy of IMG Academy
