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Some 150 coaches were interested in learning how athletes’ performance can be improved through sports vision training at the seminar on “Sports Vision Training and Sports Performance” under the Hongkong Bank Foundation Continuing Coach Education Programme (CCEP), held at the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) on 13 August. 

Organised by the Hong Kong Coaching Committee (HKCC), the seminar was conducted by Ronnie Huang, Senior Optometrist from the School of Optometry of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.  Huang shared with the audience how proper sports vision training can strengthen athletes’ vision skills and thus help improve their sporting performance. Huang introduced the concept of sports vision, sports vision examination and its related training exercises as well as the importance of eye protection for sports. 

“The Sports Vision Unit under the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sports Medicine and Health Sciences Centre aims to offer comprehensive eye and vision care training services to athletes as well as recreational players.  It’s my pleasure to be invited by the HKCC to share some advice on sports vision training and safety measures in playing sports with the coaches.  I hope the topic can bring to the attention of the coaches on the importance of the sports vision training in sports training,” said Huang.  

Following the first CCEP seminar on “Legal Aspects in Sports Coaching” held in June, this seminar was also well received by coaches from some 30 National Sports Associations (NSAs) including badminton, karatedo, squash, table tennis, wushu, etc.  All seats were fully reserved soon after the first week of enrolment. 

Lee Yiu Fai, an accredited coach of the Hong Kong Table Tennis Association, joined the Accredited Coach Renewal Scheme in January 2009; since then he had attended all the CCEP seminars.  He found the topic of this seminar very interesting and useful to his coaching work.  He said, “Sports vision training is especially important to sports like table tennis, where athletes’ good eye-hand coordination is crucial to winning.  The seminar is very useful and I will definitely include the concept when designing training programmes.”

Coach Leung Po-lin of the Archery Association attended the CCEP seminar for the first time after she joined the Accredited Coach Renewal Scheme.  She said, “This seminar does broaden my scope in coaching.  It is very practical and is also a good platform for exchanges with other coaches.  I look forward to joining the next CCEP seminar.”

Coaches who attended this seminar will gain continuing coach education (CCE) hours.  In the past, accredited coaches are required to participate in coach education activities to accumulate sufficient CCE hours to maintain a valid accreditation status with the HKCC.  With effect from 1 May 2010, three new channels have been offered to accredited coaches for diversely accumulating CCE hours – teaching non Sports-Specific courses, seminars or workshops, serving as coaching committee member in the NSAs, as well as authoring books or peer-reviewed journal articles in non Sports-Specific areas.

Meanwhile, coaches who obtained accreditation in 2005 have been arranged to renew their qualifications free of charge from 1 July to 31 August this year through the Accredited Coach Renewal Scheme.  Coaches should make use of this opportunity to renew their qualification by end of August; all old Sports-General Theory Certificates will become invalid after the respective replacement period.  For details of arrangement, please visit the HKCC website at www.hkcoaching.com.

The Hongkong Bank Foundation has been supporting the Hong Kong Coach Education Programme with over HK$21 million since 1992.  Organised by the HKCC and administered by the HKSI, the Programme aims at providing coaches with the opportunity to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge as well as formal accreditation.  This CCEP is one of the coach training activities of the Programme, aiming to provide opportunities for accredited coaches to update their theoretical knowledge and practical expertise, maintain the quality of accredited coach and provide a channel for coaches to communicate with one another through a series of workshops and seminars.