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To enhance the development and accreditation of coaches as well as encourage the continuing education of coaches in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Coaching Committee (HKCC), has recently introduced a new course, “Foundation Certificate in Sports Coaching Theory”, to replace the Sports-General Theory Course (Part A) under the Coach Accreditation Programme (CAP). The first class started in late June at the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) Main Building.

The new course has been accredited by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic & Vocational Qualifications and is recognised as equivalent to Level 2 under the Qualifications Framework (QF). The first intake had attracted 30 enrolments including coaches, in-service personnel from sports sector and ex-elite athletes.

Professor Frank Fu MH JP, Chairman of The Hong Kong Coaching Committee, welcomes the first batch of students, “I am very happy to see all of you sitting here today because it means that more professional coaches will be born after the completion of this course. Hong Kong athletes are doing incredibly stunning in the past decade, but the athlete alone cannot make this happen. Coaches are the beacon for the athlete to achieve higher goal in the sporting arena. I hope all of you enjoy your learning here and make good use of your knowledge to help boost the Hong Kong sporting results.”

Registered basketball coach Chan Wing-chuen currently works as the Sports Executive at the Hong Kong Basketball Association. He admires how the foreign teams are trained - applying scientific theories to team training in order to cultivate basketball elites in a systematic way, and the achievements are notable. He said: “In addition to teaching the basic skills, coaches should be able to master a wide range of sports knowledge, which can help the players fully utilize their talent during the competition. For example, coaches need to arrange effective warm-up exercises to assist players to quickly getting ready for the game.” Chan found the psychological skills in sports module most interesting to him. He believes that as long as the players can control their mental condition, they will be able to seize every single opportunity in the court and can possibly reverse the situation when they are falling behind.

Yu Kwok-see, a part-time table tennis player at the HKSI, hopes to contribute to the fostering of a new generation of elite athletes after completing the certificate course. She said, “Hong Kong table tennis has progressive achievements over the past few years and I am eager to contribute my expertise by helping to identify and nurture young athletes.” Having been tormented by wrist and ankle injuries, Yu pointed out that it was vey important for athletes to learn to deal with injuries, in order to enjoy a longer athletic career.

Chan Kong-wah, Head Table Tennis Coach at the HKSI, was also invited to share his experience with the participants. He expressed, “Many athletes consider becoming a coach in the future, and this QF accredited foundation certificate provides exactly what they need to know about. It equips them with comprehensive knowledge in sports and thus, allowing them to provide scientific training to athletes.”

The Programme is a half-year course which consists of 10 modules, comprising Coaching Principles, Anatomy and Human Body, Learning Principles, Physiological Adaptations to Exercise, Prevention and Management of Sports Injuries, Skill Acquisition, Event Planning and Sports Administration, Psychological Skills in Sports, Movement Principles, and Fitness Tests and Assessments. In addition, students are required to undergo 30-hour practicum plus 2 hours of pre-practicum briefing. Module exemption is granted to students who have acquired accredited qualifications by the HKCC.

The HKCC, a joint committee of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and the Hong Kong Sports Institute, 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. Throughout the years, over 85,000 coaches have benefited from the HKCC’s training and recognition programmes. In addition to the Coach Accreditation Programme, the Coach Education Programme also includes the Continuing Coach Education Programme, School Coach Accreditation Programme and the Coaching Awards.