For the past five years, Mathue Tapper has been coaching a number of Jamaica’s young developing track and field athletes. Now, armed with a broader vision, he is set to launch the Tap Youth Academy in early 2023.
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Tap Youth Academy will focus on children between the ages of seven and 13, preparing them for all sprints from 50m to 400m, as well as the sprint hurdles and ball throw events for the prep and primary school championships this summer.
As such, the academy will run from January 16 to June 20, 2023. Training sessions have been scheduled for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. at Maxfield Park in Kingston.
Backed by a growing reputation coaching at the youth level, Tapper said the academy is geared towards helping to create opportunities for smaller schools that lack the resources necessary to implement a proper track and field programme.
There is also a much larger picture in view.
“My vision is for the academy to eventually blossom into an all-inclusive youth club to facilitate the development of children from ages seven to 18 years old, preparing them for scholarship opportunities available to them abroad,” said Tapper, who is the husband of Megan Tapper.
While attending the academy that Tapper said will help build a proper foundation for high-school athletics, the children under his care will be called upon to develop characteristics like discipline and dedication, focus and time management.
For those interested in registering for the academy, they will be able to do by expressing interest via the WhatsApp number 876-850-4382.
The deadline for registration is December 30, 2022.