A private soccer academy in the Hudson Valley has managed to continue in-person learning and training during the pandemic.

FC Malaga City New York is a private soccer academy in Dutchess County that is competing against its toughest opponent yet - COVID-19.

"We had no shutdowns, we had no cases," says Colin McComb, director of FC Malaga City New York.

He says they found success in teaching and training in person to about two dozen boys who enrolled this year.

"We put strong protocols in place for our athletes," he says. "We were able to have a full-time classroom environment, where the students came into the class, every day. They were in a small cohort together."

McComb says he is seeing an increased interest from parents and believes enrollment will double in the fall because of opportunities they offer beyond their pandemic precautions and $22,000 tuition.

"We have direct pathways to NCAA programs but also to professional programs in Europe," he says.

Nate Lawrence, from Dutchess County, and Quinn McNutt, from Massachusetts, are in Spain for the next few months as part of the academy's unique overseas partnership. They are getting a chance to learn in a foreign country and show off their skills in front of top-level coaches.

"I feel like they're really giving you the ability and the coaching and all the skills you need to become a professional footballer," says Lawrence.