The Education University of Hong Kong Jockey Club Primary School

13/03/2019

Parent-coach collaboration renders students all-round support（13/03/2019）

Creating a harmonious team within the big parent-child football family （Updated on 09/05/2019）

Parents and coaches share same belief in putting children’s best foot forward （Updated on 24/06/2019）

Parent-coach collaboration renders students all-round support（13/03/2019）

Parents play an indispensable role in their children’s journey of growth. The Education University of Hong Kong Jockey Club Primary School (EDUJCPS) has invited parents to take part as coaches for its football team in recent years to assist in training and matches. The joint efforts of Ken Yung, the School’s sports teacher, and Calvin Lau, a parent, in coaching the school team and participating in this year’s JC School Football Development Scheme has strengthened their partnership as they help the students thrive.

The EDUJCPS football team has a remarkable track record, winning the championship six times at the Tai Po inter-school tournament. The team has henceforth expanded into different age groups. As a sports teacher and a coach for ten years, Ken once had to lead three school teams in inter-school competitions at the same time after the assistant coach left the team. The idea of recruiting a parent as a coach then came to his mind, and he invited Calvin, parent of two sons studying at EDUJCPS, to join, and they bonded well together. “As a coach, I am in charge of technical training; while as a parent, Calvin gives guidance on the attitude and sentiments of the young players and also makes sure that they are well hydrated. We have a wonderful partnership and are able to cultivate a harmonious team – we’re just like a big family,” said Ken.

As a parent coach, Calvin is aware of his lack of coaching experience and therefore hopes to further understand the role of football coach through the Scheme, so that he can better assist Ken. “Aside from my capacity as a parent, I would like to see myself being able to teach the children from a professional perspective and to give them my all-round support.” He also hopes to set a good example for other parents, teaching them the appropriate manners and behaviours while they watch their children playing on the field.

The school team’s track record of great performances has not stopped Ken from exploring new ideas and solutions. He is eager to learn the international training system to enhance the motivation of EDUJCPS students. He hopes students are able to cope with different situations, learn to enjoy success, and overcome failures: “They often blame each other when minor failures occur. I want them to learn how to face failures when they are in one; because in games, you lose some, you win some.”

After joining the Scheme, would the parent-coach team led by Ken and Calvin be able to strengthen their partnership and take the students to the next level?

Creating a harmonious team within the big parent-child football family （Updated on 09/05/2019）

Parents will always be their children’s greatest supporters. At the Education University of Hong Kong Jockey Club Primary School (EDUJCPS), parents have to pick up more coaching duties. Ng Tin-lok, a Primary Five student, and his mother, Mrs Ng, think that Coach Ken and parent-coach Calvin are great teaching partners that complement each other well. The Manchester United Soccer Schools (MUSS) training approach promoted by the Scheme has also helped to further enhance the training they provide.

Mrs Ng has known Calvin for a while as both of their sons study in the same grade. She described Calvin and Ken as the “perfect combo”: “Coach Lau (Calvin) loves playing football and has a passion for it. After joining the Scheme, he has acquired more professional coaching skills and is able to encourage and nurture the young players from a coach’s perspective.”

During the second school visit, Mrs Ng witnessed the MUSS-style training which was conducted in a positive and encouraging manner. This reminded her of a contradictory situation she recently faced when supporting Tin-lok at a football game whilst many other parents and coaches reproached the players.  She was grateful that Ken, Calvin and MUSS have brought parents and teachers a very positive message. “Sports should cultivate sportsmanship and the right attitude. Yelling and condemnation only hurts children’s feelings,” she explained. “Christopher O’Brien, the Head Coach of MUSS in Hong Kong, makes students know what they have done right but also points out their mistakes and encourages them to do better. Calvin and Kevin continue to follow O’Brien’s example by sending students positive messages.”

Tin-lok thinks Ken and O’Brien are approachable coaches: “Both of them take good care of us and radiate positive energy to make us perform better.”

The EDUJCPS football team is one big family; and according to Mrs Ng, the culture of parents’ participation is its essence. She thinks that the Scheme has further enhanced the bonding amongst parents, Ken and Calvin, and that both parents and coaches are devoted to assisting the team’s development: “Tin-lok has finally found his interest; and as a parent, I will give him my full support.” She hopes the two coaches will continue to pursue further football studies and share what they have learnt with parents in order to give back to teachers and students at EDUJCPS.

Parents and coaches share same belief in putting children’s best foot forward （Updated on 24/06/2019）

The third school visit to The Education University of Hong Kong Jockey Club Primary School (EDUJCPS) was well received. The event was lively, with the participation of the young leaders of the HKJC Youth Football Leadership Scheme assisting with the training, and the attendance of parents putting the concept of the parent-child football family into action. Coach team Ken and Calvin concluded that they had walked a memorable learning journey together with their students this year.

As an experienced teacher and coach, Ken said that the last time he attended any coach training class was a long while ago. He was glad that the Scheme offered him a chance to return to the classroom and to refresh his teaching approach: “It was a great opportunity to attend a class and to play football with like-minded teachers and coaches, and to exchange views in coaching with them. I have also learnt an interesting and positive coaching approach from Christopher O’Brien, who reminds us to encourage children to learn and solve problems, instead of forcing them to fulfill my requests.” Ken added that the focus of the Scheme is not to sharpen children’s football skills, but their communication skills, which is something more important to consider.

Because of  “faith”, Ken and Calvin, who have been working together for several years, have led the EDUJCPS team to progress continuously. Both of them said after joining the Scheme that they have more trust in each other and in the younger generation. Ken said: "We have faith in each other and in the team; we discuss everything openly; we are also faithful to the same belief, which helps us to achieve our goal together.”

Calvin believes that children have infinite possibilities, and building up their self-confidence is an important cornerstone for continuous improvement. In future, besides assisting Ken as a parent, Calvin will also help him and the students with his coaching skills: “Parents and teachers play a crucial role in children’s development. I will play my role as a ‘parent-coach’ well to inspire more parents and assist the young players to establish self-confidence in their lives and football journey.”

It takes more than a day to grow faith. This ‘coach combo’ hopes to work closely with other parents, not only to connect everyone in the team in achieving good results, but to search for football fun and build self-confidence as they move forward.