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Six outstanding achievers from this year’s Jockey Club Youth Football Leadership Scheme and four elite youth footballers became more confident in giving back to society after a special seven-day trip to Manchester, where they acquired invaluable experience through professional training and community football activities.

This year’s programme was packed with meaningful activities that included the six youth leaders enjoying the fun of football and joining the local volunteers of the Manchester United Foundation in taking leadership training at Old Trafford. After a series of workshops that covered communications, media and refereeing, they joined forces in applying the skills that they had learned to planning and conducting a community football day for about a hundred kids from the neighbourhood.

Meanwhile, the four elite youth players, comprised of two boys and two girls selected from the HKJC Soccer 4 Tournament, first met with football legend Denis Irwin and Head of the Academy Nicky Butt before being coached at Manchester United’s Aon Training Centre by the first team fitness coach. The two girls also joined two training sessions with local girls at Cliff Training Ground. 

In addition, at the training centre at St. George’s Park, which is a 90-minute drive away from town, all 10 youngsters were offered a tour of the national team training base and also a workout session with Michelle Wilcock, a coach of the English Football Association.

“All of the activities designed for the 10 youngsters were centred around one single objective – to bring them out of their comfort zone for continuous development and to give back to society what they have learned and experienced,” said Li Tak Nang, Executive Manager, Corporate Branding of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the leader of the delegation.

The Youth Football Leadership Scheme is jointly organised by The Hong Kong Jockey Club and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals. Young people, aged between 15 and 19, are openly recruited for the three-month leadership training programme. Six of the best performers are then awarded an exchange trip to Manchester. 

The four elite youth players are selected from a class of outstanding players from the HKJC Soccer 4 tournament who then turn in top performances during a subsequent clinic.

The Programme

Learn more about The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Youth Football Development Programmes.