Don’t be alarmed if you see young men and women throwing each other to the ground at the Activity Centre in the weeks ahead. It’s just the participants in the Rocky Mountain Wrestling Camp, who will invade Jasper for the 18th year running starting July 31.

Regarded as one of the top wrestling camps for high school aged athletes in Western Canada, the Rocky Mountain camp is actually two separate sessions in one week. For the first few days, younger wrestlers will take to the mats before the more advanced competitors take over towards the end of the week.

Camp director Andy Hutchinson knows the ins and outs of the camp better than most. The Calgary man first came to Jasper in 1992, as a participant entering his Grade 12 year. He returned the following summer to be a camp counsellor, and has slowly worked through the ranks of camp organization before taking the top job six years ago. He’s noticed several significant changes since he first came to camp.

“The female participation has just taken off,” he said. “It’s a sport-wide thing, and the overall numbers have grown over time.”

With most participants coming from club teams, Hutchinson and his fellow organizers with Alberta Wrestling have relied largely on word of mouth to promote the Jasper experience.

“A lot of the kids tend to go to the camp for all their high school years,” he said. This year he anticipates more than 100 wrestlers will take part over the course of the week.

The camp boasts an impressive roster of instructing talent. Famed Canadian Olympian Daniel Igali was part of the camp several years ago, and Christine Nordhagen, the women’s world champion several times over, will be visiting the camp again this year. It’s more than the big names that keeps the kids coming back, however.

“I’ve been to lots of camps around the world and what separates Jasper is the seclusion,” said Hutchinson. “Being in the mountains is like being on holidays, the mood is much lighter and the activites that we do outside the wrestling are very unique.”

Many of the camp participants go on to successful careers in the sport, including one instructor this year, national team member Jamie McCarrie.

“I wish I could say it was because of the camp, but it’s just another stepping stone for these guys,” said Hutchinson. “What it does is give people the opportunity to continue wrestling longer throughout the year.”

While the camp is focused entirely on training and as such won’t feature any fan-friendly matches, Hutchinson welcomes spectators throughout the week. The camp participants will be noticeable around Jasper as well.

“We do go out into the town, and I’ve organized something I call the ‘Amazing Jasper Race’, which is a fitness event that gives the kids a chance to explore town and interact with people. So if you see some kids singing O Canada to a bunch of tourists outside the train station, they’re probably part of the camp.”