News

The hard work and efforts of local coaches will be recognised at the annual Hongkong Bank Foundation Coaching Awards with an overwhelming response of 94 nominations from a wide range of 31 sports entering the selection for 2005.

The premier Awards scheme, presented by the Hong Kong Coaching Committee (HKCC) with funding from the Hongkong Bank Foundation, honours contributions of outstanding and committed coaches who work tirelessly behind the scenes for the promotion of sports development in Hong Kong.

Nominations submitted by various National Sports Associations (NSAs) and Community Sports Clubs will be reviewed by an HKCC appointed awards sub-committee. The results will be announced at an awards presentation ceremony to be held on 23 April 2006 (Sunday).

Professor Frank Fu, Chairman of the HKCC, was delighted that the Awards scheme has been a major event on the local sports calendar with the unfailing support of the sports community over the years.

"The positive response from the sports community over these years has proved that we are moving on the right track. Had it not been the introduction of the Awards, coaches will never get the due recognition they deserve, and the pivotal role they play in helping athletes achieve their targets will never be honoured as it is," said Professor Fu.

"2005 has been another successful year for Hong Kong sport in terms of achievements. Our athletes have obtained outstanding results in major events such as the National Games, the East Asian Games, the Asian Indoor Games, and the Asian and World championships in respective sports. It is a difficult task for the HKCC to select the eventual winners out of such a long list of quality candidates."

"I would also take this opportunity to thank the Hongkong Bank Foundation for their immense support to the coach education programmes in these 14 years and in particular, the annual Coaching Awards. Without their long-term commitment over these years, we would never have been able to reach where we are."

Coaches in five categories - Coach of the Year Awards, Coaching Excellence Awards, Distinguished Services Award for Coaching, Coach Education Award and Community Coach Recognition Awards, will continue to be honoured in the 2005 Awards.

The top honour - Coach of the Year Awards - will be competed by 19 coaches from 13 NSAs in four sub-categories - individual sport and team event in both senior and junior levels. They include past recipients Rene Appel, Chan Chi-choi, Tony Choi, Cui Xiao-yan, He Yi-ming, Poon Kin-lui, Shen Jin-kang, Wang Rui-ji, Wong Tak-sam, Yu Li-guang and Zheng Kang-zhao, and other leading coaches Chan Sau-shun, Ko Chi-hang, Leung Kan-fai, Leung Yim-fan, Li Hui-fen, Liu Zhi-heng, Shing Sau-ping and Wong Chun-fun.

Coaching Excellence Awards will be presented to coaches who have led an athlete or a team to achieve outstanding sports performance at major international competitions such as the Olympics, Asian Games and World Championships. A total of 42 nominations have been received for the Awards.

Nine coaches have been nominated for the Distinguished Services Award for Coaching. The Award will be presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to coaching at the national and international levels for a minimum period of 10 years prior to nomination.

The Coach Education Award will be presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to coach education for a minimum period of five years prior to nomination. Five candidates will be competing for the Award.

Sixteen coaches have been nominated for the Community Coach Recognition Awards that will be presented to coaches who are adjudged to have made a special contribution to the development of athletes and coaches within the community for a period of three consecutive years prior to nomination.

The annual Coaching Awards is a major component of the Hong Kong Coach Education Programme under the HKCC. With the support of the Hongkong Bank Foundation which has committed over HK$16 million since 1992, the Programme nurtures high quality coaches for the development of sports in Hong Kong in different levels.

The HKCC is a joint committee of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and the Hong Kong Sports Institute, with an aim to formulate short-term and long-term strategies for the development of coach education and accreditation programmes in Hong Kong.