McGarry (13) follows in the footsteps of Otago players Cameron Howieson and Joel Stevens in joining the academy, which is into its third year of operations, and is based at Lincoln, just outside Christchurch.
The youngest of the three sons of former All White Mike McGarry, James joined the academy last week and will spend the next year training six days a week and attending Lincoln High School.
Howieson was the first Otago player to attend the elite academy which works on individual skills while also making sure the players still get a full education at the local high school.
He has since signed a two-year apprenticeship with English Championship club Burnley while Stevens is back playing for Otago United and hopeful of getting a deal in the United States.
James McGarry is the youngest of the 16 players at the school this year and had impressed academy staff at trials last year.
Mike McGarry said his son was keen to attend the academy and he had signed on initially for one year.
A central midfielder who also played on the left, James played for Otago age grade teams right through the grades and was a member of the Otago 12th grade team which won the South Island tournament in Queenstown last year.
Asia Pacific Football Academy (ASFA) managing director Andy Smith said the academy emphasised teaching young players individual skills, and the players remained registered with their home club.
They do not play for the school football side, and have a full academic workload.
"By putting them into a mixed school we are still letting them have a full education where they can still be boys," Smith said.
"We do not send people out on the pitch and learn as a squad. The players get individual tuition so they can learn how to work on their strengths and also eliminate their weaknesses."
All players were on full scholarships and only had to pay accommodation costs, as they stay with families in Lincoln.
The academy has a relationship with the Chelsea Football Club's Academy in England and some Chelsea coaches had been out to the academy and looked at players.
The academy attracted talent from all round the country and also offshore.
"Next week we've got three players coming from Mexico and two from Australia. Then we are getting some in from Thailand and some from Hong Kong."
Smith said with the way sport is now it was vital players worked hard from even a young age.
"It is a career path for them now and the way the game is now with it being so complicated you need to put the work in. They say 10,000 hours of practice with the ball is now what has to be done if you want to reach the right standard.
"It is a worldwide game, and you are up against hundreds of millions of players. So you have to put the work in."
