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SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1976
LEADERS OF THE SO-CALLED +DEFYING YOUTHS+ WERE ASKED TO ACT AS REFEREES DURING THESE MATCHES AND AS COACHES TO THE YOUNGER FOOTBALL PLAYERS.
SOON A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY DEVELOPED AMONG THEM AND THEIR BEHAVIOUR AND ATTITUDE GREATLY IMPROVED.
+THEY WILL NOW APPLY FOR PITCH PERMITS AND EVEN TRY TO RECTIFY THE MISCONDUCT OF MEMBERS OF THE YOUNGER PLAY GROUPS,+ MR. CHENG SAID.
AT PRESENT, AN AVERAGE OF 30 MATCHES ARE ORGANISED EACH MONTH. IN ADDITION, THE PLAY GROUPS TAKE PART IN FOOTBALL MATCHES WITH OTHER DISTRICTS, AND IN THE HONG KONG FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION'S YOUTH LEAGUE.
THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE FOOTBALL ACTIVITIES WAS THE PLAY LEADERSHIP FOOTBALL CUP TOURNAMENT AND THE FORMATION OF A REPRESENTATIVE TEAM WHOSE MEMBERS WERE SELECTED FROM VARIOUS GROUPS.
MR. CHENG REVEALED THAT THEY WERE PLANNING TO HOLD 'FILM SHOWS ON WORLD FOOTBALL MATCHES TO ENABLE THE PLAY GROUPS TO IMPROVE THE IR SKILL, AND ABOVE ALL, TO INSTILL IN THEM A SENSE OF SPORTSMANSHIP.
ALTHOUGH +DEFYING YOUTHS+ PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST IN THE MAPLE STREET REST GARDEN AND THE WONG CHUK STREET CHILDREN PLEASURE GROUND WHERE THE PLAY LEADERSHIP SCHEME ALSO COVERS PLAY LEADERS HAVE TO SPEND GREAT EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT PLAYERS ARE ENGAGED IN MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES.
PLAY EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING CHINESE BILLIARD, FOOTBALL, BASKET- BALL AND BADMINTON SETS ARE AVAILABLE TO VISITORS OF THE TWO PLAYGROUNDS.
UNDER THE PLAY LEADERSHIP SCHEME, GROUP GAMES SUCH AS
STORY-TELLING MODEL-MAKING, PAINTING, PAPER CRAFT, KNOWLEDGE GAMES AND HANDICRAFT ARE ALSO HELD REGULARLY. THEY ALSO ATTRACT GOOD ATTENDANCE.
COMMENTING ON THE SCHEME, MR. CHENG SAID, THERE ARE NO HARD AND FAST RULES. ALL THAT THE CHILDREN HAVE TO DO IS COME TO THE YOUTH CENTRE, SIGN THEIR NAMES AND THEN TAKE THE PLAY EQUIPMENT AWAY.+ THERE HAS BEEN ONLY ONE CASE IN WHICH A CHILD FAILED TO BRING THE PLAY EQUIPMENT BACK.
+TO KEEP ADULT INTERFERENCE TO THE MINIMAL CHILDREN ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS ARE GIVEN THE TASKS OF TAKING DOWN ORDERS, BRINGING THE PLAY EQUIPMENT TO THE PLAYGROUND AND KEEPING THEM IN GOOD CONDITION.+ SAID MR. CHENG.
MR. CHENG NOTED THAT IT IS GRATIFYING TO SEE PARENTS WHO ONCE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO GO TO PLAYGROUNDS BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR FUNCTIONS.
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