Track and field Coach Mathue Tapper says the sport is in an era where focus on youth development is more critical than ever.

Tapper, who recently started the Tapp Track Youth Academy, says that this is due to more junior athletes gaining scholarships for overseas universities and colleges, while many are also signing professional contracts straight out of high school.

“The number of student-athletes we have going abroad now to pursue full scholarship opportunities is crazy,” Tapper told the Jamaica Observer.

“The level of track and field is rising around the world, especially at a younger age. We saw Syndey McLaughlin recently [the World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year, from the United States of America], now Erriyon Knighton [another American], Oblique Seville, Kerrica Hill just going professional right out of high school. That means that the foundation is a bit more important.

“I find that even when I’m working with Megan [Tapper], I’m having to correct issues that should have been fixed from that level. If you can set a solid foundation, biomechanically, for our student-athletes at that stage, it would benefit them in the long run for those who want to get scholarships and those who want to go pro, although I hardly advise going that route.”

Tapper started this academy with that view in mind and is focusing on youngsters from lesser-funded primary and preparatory schools in Kingston and St Andrew.

“The idea came about through my working with Richmond Park Prep School,” he said.

“They’re a small school that doesn’t have a field and doesn’t have many students. When I went there, I realised I was able to really build something and I’m getting really good results. I started to look around at where we trained and realised that there are a lot of other small schools that might not have the resources to have a track and field programme.

“Now, we’re offering the programme to anybody, not just schools, but individuals, that are also interested and want that kind of youth development.”

Tapper says he finds fulfilment not only in assisting schools that have fewer resources to work with, but also working with children in which the fundamentals of the sport are easier to get across.

The academy gets going on January 16 with the aim of preparing youngsters for the upcoming preparatory and primary schools track and field championships next spring. They will train at Maxfield Park on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in the 60m hurdles, 100m to 400m, and ball throws. But Tapper says the focus will not be on specialisation at that age (seven to 13), as he wants them to also be able to focus on other extra-curricular activities.

As this is the pilot year for Tapper’s academy, he will be relying on assistance from student-coaches from the University of Technology, Jamaica but he plans on bringing in more established coaches as the programme grows.

“I want the Tapp Track Academy to be known as somewhere that parents can trust to send their kids and that they will get the development they need, and a solid foundation going into high school,” he said.

Tapper then wants to expand to working with students at the secondary school level. This way, he can continue his development with his starting cohort, as they get older. From there, he intends to continue working with them at the tertiary level.

Registration for Tapp Track costs $6,000 and closes on Saturday.

Tapper and Philipp Unfried coached Megan, his wife, to Jamaica’s first-ever women’s Olympic sprint hurdles medal, a bronze, at the Tokyo Games in 2021.