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Outstanding sports coaches honoured at Jockey Club Coaching Awards

04/17/2016

A total of 135 outstanding coaches were honoured at the Jockey Club Hong Kong Coaching Awards  Presentation Ceremony today (17 April), recognising them for their contribution to helping the city’s athletes shine in the international sporting arena.

The Jockey Club Hong Kong Coaching Awards, a citywide programme to recognise the achievements of coaches from community to elite levels, covers seven categories: Coach of the Year Awards, Coaching Excellence Awards, Best Team Sport Coach Award, Distinguished Services Award for Coaching, Coach Education Award, Community Coach Recognition Awards and School Coach Recognition Awards and the newly-added School Coach Recognition Awards, designed to pay tribute to full-time teachers who have made a special contribution to school sports.

Officiating at today’s ceremony at the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) were the Club’s Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung; Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah; President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, Timothy Fok; HKSI Vice-Chairman Matthias Li; and Chairman of the Hong Kong Coaching Committee Adam Koo.

Mr Cheung congratulated the award-winning coaches, who trained and inspired athletes to achieve outstanding results. “The Club believes sports can help Hong Kong people lead healthier lives and develop lifelong positive attitudes and values. Through developing the concept of ‘Sports and Innovation’ to promote sports for all over the next few years, we would like to use innovation in sports to motivate individuals at all levels to take part, ranging from children to young people, adults, the disabled and elderly,” he said. “By injecting various new elements, our intention is to arouse people’s interest in taking up physical activities, so as to make exercise a regular habit.”

The coaching awards are part of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Coach Education Programme, a four-year initiative funded by a donation of some HK$9.7 million from the Club’s Charities Trust. Apart from recognising prominent coaches, it includes a partnership agreement with Beijing Sports University to offer a Bachelor of Education degree programme in Sports Training to local coaches and elite athletes.  In addition it provides an academic platform for coaching knowledge exchange between local and overseas coaches. Another important element is a qualifications framework and accreditation programmes to enhance public recognition of the coaching profession and support coach training and development. 

The Club has donated more than HK$700 million to support the hardware and software development of the HKSI since the early 1970s and to help Hong Kong’s elite athletes perform on the world stage. Other recent examples include the Hong Kong Jockey Club Elite Athletes Fund and Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme, which provide comprehensive support for elite athletes; and the redevelopment of the former athletes’ hostel into the Jockey Club Sports Building with funding of over HK$103 million.

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.

The Cluba£į?s Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung congratulates the award-winning coaches, who trained and inspired athletes to achieve outstanding results.
The Cluba£į?s Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung congratulates the award-winning coaches, who trained and inspired athletes to achieve outstanding results.

Pictured with some of the award-winning coaches are the Cluba£į?s Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung (front row, 2nd left); Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah (front row, centre); President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, Timothy Fok (front row, 2nd right); HKSI Vice-Chairman Matthias Li (front row, 1st left) and Chairman of the Hong Kong Coaching Committee Adam Koo (front row, 1st right).
Pictured with some of the award-winning coaches are the Cluba£į?s Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung (front row, 2nd left); Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah (front row, centre); President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, Timothy Fok (front row, 2nd right); HKSI Vice-Chairman Matthias Li (front row, 1st left) and Chairman of the Hong Kong Coaching Committee Adam Koo (front row, 1st right).

Athletes share their experiences with coaches.
Athletes share their experiences with coaches.

The Cluba£į?s Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung (centre), Hong Kong snooker player Ng On-yee (2nd right), squash players Ho Tze-lok and Lui Hiu-lam (1st and 2nd left) and Wushu athlete Zhuang Jiahong (1st right).
The Cluba£į?s Executive Director, Charities and Community, Leong Cheung (centre), Hong Kong snooker player Ng On-yee (2nd right), squash players Ho Tze-lok and Lui Hiu-lam (1st and 2nd left) and Wushu athlete Zhuang Jiahong (1st right).

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