With the long summer holidays just around the corner, boys and girls aged 4 to 17 are being invited to join this year’s Summer Scheme of the Jockey Club Youth Football Development Programme. Funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust as the Major Partner, and run by the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA), this well-established programme offers systematic training for young players and further development opportunities for those who show talent.
The Summer Scheme is a key component of the Jockey Club HKFA 5-Year Football Development Programme, launched last year with a Trust donation of some HK$120 million to help promote football development at all levels across the city. It is Hong Kong’s first-ever holistic football development programme, covering grassroots training, youth development, women’s football, futsal, sports science support, refereeing and coaching.
Today (31 May), the Club’s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges joined Commissioner for Sports Yeung Tak-keung, Leisure and Cultural Services Department Chief Leisure Manager (Sports Development) Siu Yau-kwong, HKFA Chairman Brian Leung and Chief Executive Officer Mark Sutcliffe at a press conference to launch this year’s programme.
Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said football helps build strength of character, teaches leadership and team building skills and brings people together. Last year, nearly 90% of places were filled within two weeks of the Summer Scheme being advertised. The Club is pleased to support the Youth Football Development Programme until 2020, so that more young footballers will be able to benefit from basic football training.
The Club has been supporting the Summer Scheme since 2010. This year over 10,000 young people will be offered 10 training sessions and mini-games between July and September. To develop their sense of sportsmanship and positive values, professional footballers have been invited to share training tips and life goals with them. Enrolment will begin on 2 June on a first come, first served basis through the HKFA’s website: www.hkfa.com.
Over the past decade, the Club’s total investment in local sports development has exceeded HK$1.6 billion. Among various football-related initiatives, it has introduced a series of innovative youth football projects in partnership with Manchester United Soccer School, with the objective of inspiring young footballers to develop their potential in terms of their sporting, social and leadership skills. Just recently, it has launched the three-year Jockey Club Community Soccer for Hope project, aimed at helping the needy participate in football and encouraging them to live positively and integrate themselves into the community.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class horse racing operator and Hong Kong’s largest community benefactor, as well as one of Asia’s most prestigious membership clubs. Operating as a not-for-profit organisation, the Club allocates its surplus funds for charitable and community projects. In 2014/15, its donations reached a record HK$3.87 billion, and in the last decade alone it supported over 1,300 projects. The Club is also Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer, contributing a record HK$20.05 billion in 2014/15. With about 70% of its revenue given back to society every year through donations and tax contributions, The Hong Kong Jockey Club delivers a significantly higher return to the community than any other racing and/or sports betting organisation in the world. As a socially responsible organisation, the Club helps Government combat illegal betting and advocates responsible gambling. The Club is also one of Hong Kong’s largest employers with over 24,000 full-time and part-time staff. Committed to global excellence and giving back to society, the Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong.
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The Cluba£á?s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges says the Club is pleased to support the Youth Football Development Programme until 2020, so that more young footballers will be able to benefit from basic football training.
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The Cluba£á?s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (back row, 4th left), Commission for Sports Yeung Tak-keung (back row, 4th right), Leisure and Cultural Services Department Chief Leisure Manager (Sports Development) Siu Yau-kwong (back row, 3rd left), HKFA Chairman Brian Leung (back row, 3rd right) and Chief Executive Officer Mark Sutcliffe (back row, 2nd right) join young footballers and the programmea£á?s ambassadors Yapp Hung-fai from Eastern (back row, 1st left), who was recently crowned Hong Kong Footballer of the Year; Tan Chun-lok from Hong Kong Pegasus (back row, 2nd left); and Ip Yuen-tung (back row, 1st right) and Chung Pui-ki (front row, 1st right) from the Hong Kong Womena£á?s Team.
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The Programmea£á?s ambassadors Yapp Hung-fai (1st left), Tan Chun-lok (2nd left), Ip Yuen-tung (2nd right) and Chung Pui-ki (1st right) tell guests about their passion for the sport.
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The Cluba£á?s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (right) and the Programmea£á?s ambassador Yapp Hung-fai (left).
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Young footballer demonstrating her skills at the press conference.
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