XN000022-1982-10-09 — Page 8

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1982

YOUTH SOCCER DEVELOPMENT SCHEME

***

A MAJOR PROJECT TO DEVELOP AND TRAIN YOUNG SOCCER PLAYERS HAS ATTRACTED ABOUT 2 000 APPLICATIONS.

THE FIVE-MONTH PROJECT, KNOWN AS THE HONG KONG YOUTH FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME 1982-83. IS JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT, THE HONG KONG FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE.

+AS ONLY 1 280 PLAYERS COULD BE ACCEPTED, SELECTIONS WERE MADE LAST WEEK THROUGH A SERIES OF SKILL TESTS, AND TRAINING HAS STARTED FOR THOSE PICKED, SAID THE RECREATION AND SPORT OFFICER IN CHARGE OF TEAM GAMES, MR THOMSON CHAN, WHO RECENTLY REFERRED AT THE WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT IN SPAIN.

UNDER THE SCHEME, THERE ARE 16 TEAM MANAGERS, EACH RESPONSIBLE FOR 80 PLAYERS.

THE PLAYERS WILL RECEIVE FIVE WEEKS OF ELEMENTARY TRAINING, TO BE FOLLOWED BY SIX WEEKS OF INTERMEDIATE TRAINING AND BY PRACTICE MATCHES.

+AFTER THE BASIC TRAINING, THE 16 GROUPS WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE DISTRICT LEAGUE MATCHES.

*THE WINNING TEAM AND OTHER PLAYERS SHOWING POTENTIAL WILL THEN BE SELECTED FOR FURTHER TRAINING AT THE JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE, + MR CHAN SAID.

THESE BEST PLAYERS WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF BEING CHOSEN TO REPRESENT HONG KONG IN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH MATCHES, HE ADDED.