Aldrich Bay Government Primary School

22/06/2018

Get everyone moving – realise students’ potential

At Aldrich Bay Government Primary School (ABGPS) on Hong Kong Island, it has always been a priority to develop students’ sporting potential. To encourage them, the school has invited basketball superstars to promote basketball; held a cycling invitational tournament; and this academic year, participated in the JC School Football Development Scheme. Peter Leung, the school’s football coach for the past eight years, aims to get everyone on the team moving and realising their potential through applying what he has learnt from the Scheme.

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  Peter Leung, the school’s football coach for the past eight years, aims to make students fall in love with football through applying what he has learnt from the Scheme.

Destroy the old and establish the new – explore new ways of thinking

Peter has been a coach for over 12 years. Although he is not a teacher at the school, he shares the school’s ambition – to make students fall in love with football. Looking back at his early days when he had just taken over as coach, the team was in its prime with impeccable results at inter-school tournaments. As time went by, however, he came to realise that the traditional approach, which is result-oriented and suggests that weak players should be eliminated, has become outdated and no longer worked. To enable the school to reclaim its glory, they had to destroy the old mindset and establish a new one. The Manchester United Soccer School’s training approach promoted by the Scheme inspired Peter to review his teaching philosophy. “The Scheme suggests not to focus on the difference in players’ ability but to support every team member, regardless of ability. We should not give up on the less proficient players, but instead to care, instruct and motivate them to improve”, said Peter. Now as both he and the students no longer put the results as the priority, they have less pressure on their shoulders, and Peter was delighted to see the students’ smiling faces again on the field.

Hand-in-hand for better or worse

Cheung Ngo-ching and Or Yi-hin, Primary Four and Six students respectively, became new members of the football team this year. In doing so, they got to know a group of new friends and felt like they were a part of a big family. They learnt about interpersonal skills and teamwork from Christopher O’Brien (OB), Head Coach of Manchester United Soccer Schools Hong Kong. OB also reminded them to remember their original intention of playing football. Ngo-ching said: “Playing football is fun. OB reminded us to celebrate with the whole team when we score a goal, because it is a team effort. The whole team should always stay together, no matter win or lose”. On top of improvements in their football skills, Ngo-ching and Yi-hin have also made good progress in their interpersonal skills. The team is now a more harmonious and stronger family.

Helping students grow nurtures talents for the school

Over the years, Peter has coached many teenagers and children for both the district and ABGS football teams, and is well aware of the problems faced by the younger generation. He thinks they lack independence and tend to rely on their parents for simple tasks; while at the same time, they are afraid of failure. Through participating in sports, the youngsters can be trained to be independent both on and off the football field. They learn how to solve problems as a team, and to achieve goals. This training of their mental and social skills will be most rewarding to their future development.

Peter is proud of his first group of students who are now studying at university, and is glad that they still come back to visit the school. Over the years, instead of being self-complacent, Peter reviews his football teaching theory and strives to ignite students’ passion for football. He will continue to nurture more talents for ABGPS, helping nurture the players so that they realise their full potential.