Mission
Our mission at HKFC Junior Soccer is to introduce to children the game of football as an enjoyable, fun and healthy sports activity, to coach them in the laws and skills of the game, to develop their interest and abilities to their full potential and ultimately to enable them to gain long-term benefit from either playing or watching the world’s most popular sport.
Although we seek to develop our most talented players to a level where they can represent the HKFC at senior level and beyond, our core mission is simply to bring the game of football to as many young people as we are able.
Organisation
Within the Soccer Section of the HKFC a committee of volunteers (mainly players’ parents) manage the programme, and the Junior Soccer Chairman has representation on the Soccer Section committee. The committee volunteers, who give their time freely, each focus on key aspects of Junior Soccer such as Kit & Equipment, IT, Finance, Child Welfare, Communications, Social, League representation, as well as Head Coaches for each of the playing groups.
Structure
The Soccer Section runs four distinct junior or youth programmes:
Our Junior Soccer (or “Saturday”) programme focuses on players from 5 to 14 with the goal of providing training and matches for as many players as we can, and ensuring that players of all levels have fun and develop in line with their abilities and aspirations. We have 800 players in this programme including 185 girls. Coaching sessions are held on Saturday mornings from 7.30am – 1.00pm, with week day training options available for players. Our Saturday teams regularly compete in local leagues and competitions (Hong Kong Junior Football League for U7-U14 and HKFA Golden Generation League for U10 and U12) as well as touring to tournaments in the region. The season normally runs from September to May.
Our Youth Development Pathway (or “Academy”) programme was established to attract and develop the most talented youth footballers in Hong Kong. The Youth Pathway bridges the gap between youth football and adult football. We have programmes for Under 13, Under 14, Under 15, Under 16 and Under 18, including Under 15 Girls and Under 18 Girls Teams. These squads are selected by trial at the beginning of the season with players coming from our own Saturday programme and elsewhere. The squads train on midweek afternoons and represent the HKFC in the HKFA HK Jockey Club Youth League, as well as other competitions. Each squad has a qualified coach and squad manager, who work with the players to help them reach their full potential and develop them into senior level football, ideally representing HKFC. There are around 220 players in the Youth Pathway.
Academy Selection/Deselection process
Trials will take place in summer. If you have any enquiries please contact academy@hkfcjuniorsoccer.com.
Our Lucky Mile Programme is an extension of our Junior Soccer Saturday programme and was established to ensure that our competitive Saturday players who do not play for our Youth Pathway programme have another avenue to play competitive football, especially when they become too old to participate in the Saturday leagues (which normally stops at U14). Lucky Mile have squads in Under 13, Under 14, Under 15, Under 16 and Under 18 which also compete in the HKFA HK Jockey Club Youth League. Players are selected from the pool of players registered in our Saturday programme. There are around 120 players in the Lucky Mile Programme.
The Crusaders is our programme for players with special needs. Coaching sessions take place throughout the year between 6pm and 7pm on a Monday night on the main HKFC pitch and involve around 50+ players with special needs and conditions, between the ages of 7 and 40 years’ old, male and female, spanning a variety of ability levels. The players receive coaching from Level 1 and Level 2 qualified coaches from the Junior Soccer programme, as well as other willing volunteers. The benefits to the players are significant: the training enhances their motor skills and fitness, as well as greatly enhances their self-esteem and social skills. A squad of selected players play as HKFC Crusaders in friendly competitive against other local special needs clubs, including an annual match at the yearly Operation Santa Claus football event and HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens.
Although we seek to develop our most talented players to a level where they can represent the HKFC at senior level and beyond, our core mission is simply to bring the game of football to as many young people as we are able.