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Over 140 teachers of different subjects from 113 primary and secondary schools were making a first step towards the attainment of school coach accreditation through participating in the 2007/08 Hongkong Bank Foundation School Coach Accreditation Programme. The response is very encouraging. The participants were presented with attendance certificates at the Certificate Presentation Ceremony today (30 July) after completing a nine-day training course.

Initiated by the Hong Kong Coaching Committee (HKCC), the School Coach Accreditation Programme (SCAP) is one of the four major components of the Hong Kong Coach Education Programme (HKCEP) funded by the Hongkong Bank Foundation (HBF). The Programme aims to improve the coaching standard of teachers through formal training and accreditation. Officiating at today's ceremony were Professor Frank Fu, Chairman of the HKCC and Ms Winnie Shiu, Manager Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited.

Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Frank Fu said, "The Programme provides school teachers with a chance to receive systematic and professional training and accreditation in sports coaching. Over 620 school teachers have obtained accreditation in coaching under school sports development since the establishment of the HKCC in 1998."

Winnie Shiu said, "School coaches play an important role in promoting sport development in Hong Kong. They very often are the ones who inspire athletes at their school days. Through supporting the SCAP, we hope to promote sport culture in schools and raise students' sport standards."

This year, five sports training courses in athletics, football, handball, tennis and volleyball were organised, with football and tennis school coach training course being organised for the first time. Each course comprised two modules - sports general theory as well as sports specific theory and practical. Having completed the course, participants who obtained an average of 80% attendance rate in each module were eligible for an attendance certificate. They would be further awarded a School Coach Certificate after going through another 30 hours of practicum in their respective sports within a year.

At today's ceremony, Leung Man-tat was awarded the Best in Sports General Theory Award while Ho Chit-ming (athletics class), Pang Wai-ho (football class), Leung Kwok-hung (handball class), Cheng Wai-tung, Albert (tennis class) and Tang Chi-ho (volleyball class) earned the Best Performance Awards in their respective sports for their outstanding performances during the course. Four teachers from the course held during Christmas holiday last year were also presented with outstanding awards at the ceremony. Recipients included Cheng Hung-kwan and Lau Chi-leung (Best in Sports General Theory Award), Fu Chung-yu (Best Performance Awards - badminton class) and Ho Ka-kit (Best Performance Awards - basketball class).

The HKCEP has been funded by the HBF with a total commitment of more than HK$21 million since 1992. Throughout the years, over 20,000 coaches have been benefited from the training and recognition programmes in the Programme. Apart from the School Coach Accreditation Programme, other major components of HKCEP include HBF Coach Accreditation Programme, HBF Continuing Coach Education Programme and HBF School Coach Continuing Education Programme, as well as scholarships to outstanding students from the Bachelor of Education in Sports Training, Beijing Sport University in Hong Kong.