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Organised by the Hong Kong Coaching Committee (HKCC), the Hongkong Bank Foundation (HBF) School Coach Accreditation Programme (SCAP) has been a major driving force in lifting the standards of school coaches in Hong Kong. This year, the SCAP continued this initiative with a new series of summer training courses from 24 June to 31 July, which drew a participation of over 160 teachers from local primary and secondary schools. A presentation ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Sports Institute today (31 July), where participating teachers who had completed the course were presented with attendance certificates, and the best performers received the Outstanding Awards.

The year’s training courses were offered in five different sports, including athletics, badminton, basketball, squash and volleyball. Each course comprised two modules, namely Sports-General Theory, and Sports-Specific Theory and Practical. Participants who obtained an attendance rate of 80% and passed the examinations were presented with an attendance certificate, and those who further go through another 30 hours of practicum in their respective sports on a voluntary basis within the next year would be awarded a School Coach Certificate.

Professor Frank Fu, Chairman of the HKCC, said at the ceremony, “We may notice many young faces at the Olympic Games, which shows that nurturing athletes at school level is essential. School coaches, thus, play a crucial role in identifying talented athletes and helping them build a solid foundation. The HKCC will continue organising courses for training more quality school coaches towards this end.”

Professor Fu also acknowledged the support of the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association, Hong Kong Badminton Association, Hong Kong Basketball Association, Hong Kong Squash and Volleyball Association of Hong Kong, China in making the SCAP a success, as well as the HBF for its long-term contribution to the Hong Kong Coach Education Programme (HKCEP).

Initiated by the HKCC, the SCAP is a major component of the HKCEP that aims to enhance the coaching standards of primary and secondary school teachers, especially non-PE teachers who need to work with sports teams and co-curricular activities, by giving them the opportunity to receive formal training and accreditation in sports coaching. Teaching Mathematics and Liberal Studies at Po Leung Kuk Ma Kam Ming College, basketball veteran Fung To-sang only began to lead the girls’ basketball team last year. He said, “Although I have been playing basketball for many years, I am a complete novice in sports coaching. I found the SCAP very useful, particularly the practical part that gave me valuable tips and techniques on practising with my team and pinpointing the insufficiencies of respective members.” Having completed the SCAP, Fung hopes to make use of what he has learnt to help enhance the team’s skills and performance.

Lau Wai-yan, an English teacher at Precious Blood Primary School (Wah Fu Estate), echoed Fung’s view by sharing her first experience in leading the volleyball team since this year. “Our school team was given only two months to prepare for an inter-school competition. Time was definitely insufficient, so we put more focus on skill training. But I found it difficult to communicate the basic skill with primary students in a fun and effective way,” said Lau. But after taking the SCAP, Lau felt more confident and looked forward to leading the team in the coming school year. “The practical part of SCAP has taught me to start with funny small games to build up the students’ volleyball sense while the theory part walked me through the handling technique of students’ relationship outside the court, which is very important in cherishing a better team spirit,” Lau added.

Since its inception, the course has been widely supported by various sectors of the society including the National Sports Associations, principals and teachers, and has offered training courses in 11 different sports, namely athletics, badminton, basketball, football, handball, hockey, sports aerobics, squash, table tennis, tennis and volleyball. Since 1998, 2,400 teachers have completed the course, providing a strong impetus to the development of sports coaching in schools.

The HKCEP has been funded by the HBF since 1992, with a total commitment of over HK$26 million to date. Over the years, more than 80,000 coaches have benefited from the training and recognition programmes under the HKCEP. Apart from the SCAP, other major components of the HKCEP include the Hongkong Bank Foundation Coach Accreditation Programme, the Hongkong Bank Foundation Continuing Coach Education Programme, as well as the Hongkong Bank Foundation Coach Recognition Programme.

Recipient List of the Outstanding Awards (PDF)