ST JAMES, Jamaica – A number of student athletes who were engaged at the MVP Track and Field club grassroots athletic training camp at the Montego Bay Sports Complex recently, left the session feeling more competent in their respective events.

Over 115 students from more than 30 schools descended on the facility where they were provided with support in the six technical areas in athletics ranging from middle distance, relays, throws, sprinting, jumping and hurdles.

Dante Chambers, a grade 10 student at Frome Technical High School, said he was able to improve his technique.

“When they said grassroots, I thought it was just about running but we got to build some technique and some field events that I wanted to do. I also learn that I have more options when I am doing a race like for the 800 (metres) now, they tell us how to pass and how to cross over…so I’m kinda thankful for the MVP training,” he told OBSERVER ONLINE.

Similarly, Omelia Jeffrey of the William Knibb Memorial High School in Trelawny, was pleased with the outcome of the clinic.

“It was great, I learnt a lot of new stuff. I liked the technical part of the hurdles with the lead leg and the trail leg and for the middle distance, they showed you how to cut over the line and how not to get trapped in a box,” she remarked.

Petersfield High’s Quewayne Brown, said the day’s activities will certainly contribute to his efforts in competing in the decathlon at next year’s staging of the ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ championship.

President of MVP Track and Field club, Bruce James, said his team was happy to be back assisting the student athletes having had to take a two-year break due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“For seven uninterrupted years from 2013-2019 we had the MVP grassroots athletic training camps across the island. Because of COVID we took a break for 2020 and 2021, we’re now in 2022 and we’re pleased to be back doing our islandwide training camps,” he explained, highlighting that the student athletes are learning from some of the best coaches in the island.

The camp was the first since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Paul Francis, one of the instructors, who was the head coach of the outfit, and technical lead at the training session, explained that the camp contributes to the development of the athletes.

“This is what we do for developmental purposes and we expect that of course, as we have seen in the past, that it will be extremely instrumental in closing the gap between the traditional good schools and those which were not traditionally good schools,” he said.

As part of the day’s activities, students were also provided with financial advice from representatives of long-standing sponsor National Commercial Bank, who spoke on sound money management.