A Transformative Summer at the Theatre of Dreams

19/10/2019

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  From left: Muhtasim Istiaq Shifte, Matthew Wu, Sam Wong, Dash Chan, Jacky Cheng and Parker Mak display shirts they’ve received with their names on the back at Old Trafford, Manchester United’s home stadium that is also known as the Theatre of Dreams.

Young people between the ages of 16 and 19 are typically unaware and uncertain about their future. Their lives are full of possibilities; yet perhaps because of this, some of them get lost along the way. This past summer holiday, Parker Mak, Muhtasim Istiaq Shifte, Matthew Wu, Dash Chan, Jacky Cheng and Sam Wong worked hard to gain a reward from the Jockey Club Youth Football Leadership Scheme – an exchange programme to Manchester, England. Through a journey full of memorable experiences, their vision went beyond geographical boundaries; and with a mature outlook, they are on their way to becoming successful young leaders.

Making new friends in spite of geographical and language barriers

To better understand the local culture, the six boys from Hong Kong teamed up with the Manchester United Volunteer Group to organise a football event for the Street Red Programme. In doing so, they not only discovered more about Manchester, but also had the opportunity to be a part of the Theatre of Dreams. Geographical and language barriers melted away; and by exchanging life experiences and their own cultures with each other, they quickly became friends. The highlight of the trip was when they had the chance to work at an English U23 Premier League Division 2 match between Manchester United U23 and West Ham United U23. It was quite the experience witnessing the rising stars of the English Premier League playing right in front of their eyes. Not only was it something they will never forget, but it will undoubtedly have a significant impact on their future lives.

Stepping into Manchester United’s Theatre of Dreams – Old Trafford – is quite the experience. But what the six leaders cherished most were the valuable international friendships that they made during the trip.

Sam’s English ability is a bit weak, but he was the one who dared to actively communicate. He explained: “The local volunteers were very friendly and that gave me the courage to try and understand their culture and lifestyle.”

After the journey, the leaders became ever more daring in expressing themselves. Even Sam, with his poker face, often smiled and joked with the others. The change was very obvious.

Gaining a deep understanding of English football culture

To gain a deeper understanding of English football culture and the origin of modern football, the six leaders visited the National Football Museum of England where they explored more than 140,000 items in their collection and viewed documentary videos. They also visited St. George’s Park, the training base of the English national team. Guided by the English national team coach, they not only had the chance to see the advanced equipment and management of the base, but also experienced the physical and rehabilitative methods the team uses by wading in a warm/cold water pool. These all gave them a deeper understanding of how modern football training is conducted.

After the experience, Matthew said: “St. George’s Park is on par with the world-class standard of Wembley Stadium, home of England’s national team. Not only the stadium condition, but also the daily maintenance schedule. St. George’s maximises the benefits of playing at a home stadium, and they also can intentionally set mock-up conditions by simulating away-pitch conditions, such as mud and potholes, so that the team can adapt as early as possible. It was really eye-opening!”

Applying what has been learnt gains appreciation from UK coaches

The more the young leaders engaged in exchange activities, the deeper their understanding of English football history and culture became. One activity in particular was going into the local community and hosting a football event with a grassroots football club, Fletcher Moss, in Manchester. In working with the young footballers, the six leaders learned to adapt the football coaching knowledge that they had acquired over the past six months to the situation at hand. Taking their pre-event preparation seriously, they first observed, and then communicated their thoughts to the Fletcher Moss coaches with whom they then discussed the situation in detail. Finally, they played the role of coaching assistants to let the young players experience a brand new training model. The Fletcher Moss coaches deeply appreciated their help and insight. Nick, one of the coaches said: “We are so concerned with players’ safety in England, but we always neglect to do stretching exercises. The young guys from Hong Kong gave us – the players and coaches – a very good lesson. We will pay more attention to stretching exercises because this can prevent the players from getting hurt.”

Bringing lessons learnt back to their home communities

Parker and Shifte both said that coaching experiences in England and Hong Kong are completely different. “English coaches and parents encourage the children to play football. Winning or losing is not a focus at the grassroots level. They want to cultivate children’s interests. The players are willing to be courageous in trying, and they make continuous progress when faced with challenges.” The six young leaders will bring what they’ve learnt and the experiences they’ve had back to Hong Kong, to share with their friends and coaches, and apply to local football training. In this way, they hope to encourage more Hong Kong children to enjoy the many benefits of playing football.

Although the memorable trip has ended, the six young leaders have achieved significant progress and are continuing their forward momentum.  After expanding their horizons, they have been inspired and have reaped many rewards. We hope that they will continue to bravely face any challenges as they map out a bright future ahead.