DUBBED the most important sports science facility in the region, the David Riley-led Technique Lab summer camp, specifically geared towards honing athletics techniques, began on Monday.

This year’s camp is the first staging of its kind, since the Technique Lab opened its doors last September, though there was a similar camp last year, also put on by the lab.

Renowned track and field analyst and managing director of the Technique Lab David Riley told the Jamaica Observer that “the turnout should be more than last year, but it’s not a camp where we’re looking for a lot of people because we try to help technically, so small class sizes are ideal”.

Riley added that “we don’t want to have too many people that it becomes less beneficial to the campers”. The camp should feature training from coaches among the best in the island, as suggested by Riley.

“We have four renowned coaches who will be working in different areas with the campers to produce the best results and solutions.”

Participants will be divided into four categories — sprinters, jumpers, throwers and distance runners. The sprinters category will be subdivided into the long and short sprints, and hurdles.

The sophisticated wesbite for the lab provides intricate details for potential camp attendees, for their respective disciplines. The July

14-17 camp will concentrate block starts, drills, hurdling techniques, relay exchanges, as well as timed trials.

Jumpers participating in the summer camp will have their particular events broken down for them, whether it be long, triple or high jump.

The focus on these athletes is geared towards improving their jumping competence and skills, which should improve throughout the camp. Video analysis and weight room routine are among what the camp offers to throwers, all of which are designed to enhance throwing technique and overall distance.

Participants in this year’s camp will be under the tutelage of IAAF Level 5 elite throws coach Michael Vassell, Lorna Vernon, Michael McIntosh and spearheaded by Riley.

The camp is being hosted at the Excelsior High School, the training site for the World Junior Championships in 2002.