Jockey Club launches new phase of school football scheme in collaboration with ManU

11/13/2014

In a further collaboration with top English football club Manchester United, The Hong Kong Jockey Club today (13 November) announced the launch of a new phase of the Jockey Club School Football Development Scheme, aimed at benefiting more students from different social strata through the professional training and positive learning environment provided by Manchester United Soccer Schools (MUSS). The Club also hopes that by bringing international coaching to youth football in the city, the scheme can enhance the long-term standard of the game in Hong Kong.

The Club’s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges observed at today's launch that the value of sports training extended well beyond skills enhancement. “When we support these programmes, it is not only about sport. It is about developing character.   Football is an ideal way of building character and leadership. The participants will benefit from this programme for their whole life,” Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said. He added that from participating schools in last phase, one could see the positive impacts created by the programme and that was why the Club expanded the programme to benefit more people.

Through the five-month training programme provided under the new 2014/15 phase, Head Coach of MUSS in Hong Kong, Christopher O’Brien, will pay regular visits to 13 participating secondary schools to offer guidance and support to their football teams. A four-module course will also be provided to teachers and coaches of the schools.

In the first phase launched last year, 15 local schools benefited from the scheme, which offered their teachers, coaches and school teams the opportunity to learn and experience training in the Manchester United way. The Club also invited United legends like Peter Schmeichel, Phil Neville and Dwight Yorke to visit the participating schools, giving the students a chance to play alongside these top footballers and draw inspiration from their achievements.

Also officiating at the launch was Frans Hoek, Assistant Coach and goalkeeping specialist of Manchester United, who thanked the Club for organising these community projects. Through the partnership with the Club, Hoek saw the influence of United in Hong Kong. “I came here yesterday. I got a taste of what the partnership is about. It is impressive to see the Club putting so much effort in the partnership with the United and being devoted to the community here,” he enthused. “It is fantastic it happens. The game of soccer is connecting the world and the people like this.”

Earlier in the day Hoek gave a three-hour goalkeeping training seminar and workshop to about 40 local coaches.

Three of the outstanding local school coaches in the 2013/14 phase also received accreditation as MUSS coaches at today's ceremony. They are the first batch of coaches outside England to achieve this accreditation – an honour not only for the coaches and their schools, but also for Hong Kong. The qualification will allow them to teach in MUSS establishments anywhere in the world.

The Jockey Club's collaboration with Manchester United began in 2012 and has gradually developed into a series of four programmes with various themes and contents, benefiting young people from different backgrounds.  The Jockey Club Elite Youth Football Camp has provided intensive quality training to around 200 elite young players over the past three summers, while the Jockey Club Youth Football Leadership Scheme has helped more than 50 teenagers gain the unique opportunity to develop their leadership and personal skills through football training, and equip themselves to become potential community leaders.  Meanwhile, more than 380 local young players went through the Jockey Club Youth Football Fitness Assessment last year, enabling a football fitness database for the city's youth players to be established for the first time.

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 for charitable and community projects. In 2013/14, its donations reached a record HK$3.6 billion, and in the last decade alone it has supported over 1,275 projects. The Club is also Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer, contributing a record HK$19.58 billion in 2013/14. 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 24,800 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.