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Experience in Nurturing Young Gifted Athletes Shared at the International Scientific Symposium

18 March 2008

Guests-of-Honour including Professor Tian Ye (6<sup>th</sup> from

Guests-of-Honour including Professor Tian Ye (6^th from right), President of China Institute of Sport Science, General Administration of Sport of China, Pang Chung (4^th from left), Hon Secretary General of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC), Professor Chan Kai-ming (7^th from left), Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) and Chairman of the Elite Training and Athletes Affairs Committee, Vivien Fung (5^th from right), Vice-President of the SF&OC and Dr Trisha Leahy (6^th from left), Chief Executive of the HKSI are delighted to see the success of the 3^rd International Scientific Symposium. Speakers include Professor Stephen Wong (1^st from left), Professor of the Department of Sports Science and Physical Education at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Jiang Chong-min (2^nd from left) from the China Institute of Sport Science, Susan Chung (3^rd from left), Sport Nutritionist of the HKSI, Professor Bruce Abernethy (5^th from left), Director and Inaugural Chair Professor at the Institute of Human Performance of The University of Hong Kong, Professor Celia Brackenridge (4^th from right), Chair in Sport Sciences (Youth Sport) at the School of Sport and Education in the Brunel University, UK, Professor Robert Malina (3^rd from right), Research Professor in the Tarleton State University, Texas, USA, Dr Yvonne Yuan (2^nd from right), Sport Biochemist of the HKSI and Dr Patrick Yung (1^st from right), Associate Consultant and Deputy Team Head in the Divisions of Orthopaedics Sports Medicine of the Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology at the Prince of Wales Hospital. Read More

A Memorandum on Co-operative Partnership between the HKSI and the China Institute of Sport Science was signed by Dr Trisha Leahy (front row, left), Chief Executive of the HKSI and Professor Tian Ye (front row, right), President of China Institute of Sport Science, General Administration of Sport of China, at the Opening Ceremony of the Symposium, witnessed by Professor Chan Kai-ming (middle), Vice Chairman of the HKSI and Chairman of the Elite Training and Athletes Affairs Committee together with other guests. Read More

The 3^rd International Scientific Symposium was successfully held at the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) last weekend (15-16 March) with a participation of nearly 200 local and overseas sports practitioners, professionals and enthusiasts.

Organised by the HKSI, the Symposium featured keynote speakers from UK, USA, Australia, Mainland China and Hong Kong who shed lights on the theme - "The Elite Young Athletes - Biopsychosocial Approaches to Sporting Excellence". All of the participants found the information presented at the Symposium practical, up-to-date and unique.

"With the announcement of the International Olympic Committee last year that the first Youth Olympic Games would be held in Singapore in 2010, young talented athletes, aged between 14 and 18, from around the world would have the opportunity to participate in the high-level competition. This Symposium is organised with an aim to bring together local and international specialists to exchange the latest knowledge on evidence-based practices in nurturing and empowering young gifted athletes to excel," said Professor Chan Kai-ming, Vice-Chairman of the HKSI and Chairman of Elite Training and Athletes Affairs Committee of the HKSI, in his opening remarks.

In the meantime, a Memorandum on Co-operative Partnership between the HKSI and China Institute of Sport Science aiming at strengthening the co-operation in scientific support to elite training was signed by Dr Trisha Leahy, Chief Executive of the HKSI and Professor Tian Ye at the Opening Ceremony of the Symposium.

In the morning session of 15 March, Vivien Fung, Vice-President of SF&OC unveiled the Symposium by speaking on the development of junior elite athletes - from the Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China perspective. Professor Bruce Abernethy, Director and Inaugural Chair Professor of Institute of Human Performance of The University of Hong Kong, presented the pivotal role that the acquisition of perceptual-motor skill plays in performance; Professor Celia Brackenridge, Chair in Sport Sciences (Youth Sport) of School of Sport and Education of Brunel University, UK, reviewed the evidence about breaches of child welfare in sport around the world and how the sport community can respond positively in both policy and practice.

In the afternoon, Professor Robert Malina, Research Professor of Tarleton State University, Texas, USA reviewed the effects of resistance training programmes on pre- and early-pubertal youth, and its potential influence on growth and maturation and occurrence of injury. Professor Stephen Wong, Professor of Department of Sports Science and Physical Education of The Chinese University of Hong Kong addressed the hydration concerns and strategies for elite young athletes, and Professor Jiang Chong-min from the China Institute of Sport Science presented data on the present and changing trends of anthropometry of Chinese adolescents.

The Symposium on 16 March looked at how psychology, training monitoring, nutrition and preventing overuse injuries may help in preventing burnout in elite young athletes. Speakers included Professor Chris Lonsdale, Assistant Professor and Director of the Master of Arts in Sport Studies Programme from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Dr Patrick Yung, Associate Consultant and Deputy Team Head of the Division of Orthopaedics Sports Medicine of the Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital as well as Dr Yvonne Yuan, Dr Si Gang-yan and Susan Chung from the HKSI scientific team.

The workshops in the afternoon session provided practical tips in establishing boundaries and managing relationship with child athletes, methods for assessing and facilitating skill learning and assessments and evaluation of the growth and maturation of young athletes.

The Symposium is fully supported by Hong Kong Jockey Club Sports Medicine and Health Sciences Centre; CUHK-WHO Collaborating Centre for Sports Medicine and Health Promotion; Hong Kong Association of Sports Medicine and Sports Science; Hong Kong Coaching Committee; and Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong, China.