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The Hongkong Bank Foundation has given a timely boost to the Hong Kong Coaching Committee (HKCC) with renewed support of HK$5 million to the Hong Kong Coach Education Programme (the Programme). It is expected that over 470 training programmes and seminars will be run during the next three years, thus benefited over 10,000 coaches coming from the community, schools and elite levels to get training and accreditation qualification.

The Foundation has been funding the Programme since 1992 and the total funding amounted to over HK$21 million over the years. Organised by the HKCC and administered by the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI), the Programme aims at providing coaches the opportunity to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge as well as formal accreditation. Throughout the years, over 20,000 coaches have been benefited from these training and recognition programmes.

At today's Hongkong Bank Foundation Coach Education Programme 2007-10 Launch Ceremony, which was held at the Leighton Hill Community Hall in Happy Valley, Hong Kong's leading coaches, sports figures and dignitaries joined together to witness the kickoff of the Programme after Teresa Au, Head of Corporate Responsibility Asia Pacific Region of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, presented a giant golden whistle to Dr Eric Li, Chairman of the HKSI.

Dr Li said the Hongkong Bank Foundation's financial support was crucial for the stable growth of Hong Kong sports development since the nurture of world-class athletes relies heavily on the continuous supply of qualified coaches. The launch of the Programme ensures the future supply of qualified coaches at different levels, from school to elite levels. This is particularly important for Hong Kong as the Government is promoting sports development on all fronts.

"The Hongkong Bank Foundation has been a massive contributor to the Hong Kong Coach Education Programme, all coaches at community, school and elite levels are deeply in debt to its generous funding," said Dr Li.

Teresa Au said, "The success of Hong Kong athletes attributed to the nurture by the coaches. And the quality of the coaches has direct bearing to the athletes' performance and results, so the Hongkong Bank Foundation has started supporting the Programme in early 90s, hoping to level up the quality and the professional status of the coaches as well as promoting the development of local sports."

The highlight of the day was a friendly indoor-rowing match held among the senior management of the HKSI, head coaches and the leading athletes from different sports, which were led by Dr Eric Li and Teresa Au. The friendly match symbolised the joint effort from different parties to help enhance the status of local sports at international sports arena. The participants included the HKSI Chief Executive Dr Chung Pak-kwong, head coaches Rene Appel (Windsurfing), Tony Choi (Squash), Ruth Hunt (Triathlon), Chris Perry (Rowing), Wang Ruiji (Fencing) and Yu Liguang (Wushu) and top Hong Kong athletes such as Chan King-yin (Windsurfing), Lynette Cheung (Fencing), Rebecca Chiu (Squash), Hei Zhihong (Wushu), Law Hiu-fung (Rowing), Lee Chi-wo (Triathlon) and Lee Ka-man (Rowing).

The Programme comprises the Hongkong Bank Foundation Coach Accreditation Programme, the Hongkong Bank Foundation Continuing Coach Education Programme, the Hongkong Bank Foundation School Coach Accreditation Programme and the Hongkong Bank Foundation School Coach Continuing Education Programme, the annual Hongkong Bank Foundation Coaching Awards, which is one of the coach recognition programmes, as well as the scholarship given to the outstanding students who attended the Bachelor of Education in Sports Training Programme offered by the Beijing Sport University in Hong Kong.

The HKCC, a joint committee of the HKSI and the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, was established in 1991 with aims of formulating and implementing short-term and long-term strategies for the development of coach education and accreditation programmes in Hong Kong.