I splashed out on a new pair of Nike Zoomair boots, determined to look the part despite my 66 years. New horizons are not often available so late in life and I am grateful to soccer for continuing to sustain my mental and physical wellbeing.

Private companies provide soccer and other sports for kids in Hong Kong. Land is scarce and high-rise living with no home gardens means that parents are willing to pay well to provide recreation for their children.

Grass fields are a rarity and the Academy hires basketball sized hard courts wherever they are available to provide coaching sessions. Most sessions begin after school and a typical day for me would be:

1 pm.	Leave Discovery Bay (Lantau Island) by ferry to Hong Kong. Bus or taxi to Kowloon venue.
Under 5/6
pm	Under 7/8
pm	Under 14
9.30 pm	Arrive home pooped.

The Academy has a coach and a program in a number of HK regions. Each coach has up to 150 players sufficient to form 2/3 teams in each age group. Class sizes vary from around 12 to 20 players and are split as numbers increase. The more players per program the more the coach earns, so it pays to work hard regardless of the number of working hours.

On Saturdays, all coaches bring teams to a single venue to play in leagues. Teams are from 6 aside to 9 aside depending on age. Selection to play in these teams is strictly on merit so not all players will play in the leagues.

The Saturday league games are played on an 80 x 40 yard astro turf field with the youngest players playing across one half of the pitch. The smooth hard surfaces encourage the development of good first touch and accurate fast passing. Training venues usually have low wall surrounds, which are used innovatively to improve techniques.

There are a good number of Japanese and American boys in the programs as well as the Brits. The Japanese are extremely attentive and eager to work hard to improve, or so it seems to me.

My demonstration skills have been severely tested this week coaching an advanced class of Japanese with no English. I learned the Japanese for ‘copy me’ which created much mirth but appeared to work. The old legs are still in good working order but step-overs tend to be shown in slow motion!

Incidentally, my new boots are useless on the hard surfaces and I now own a new pair of $HK230 adidas trainers.

I can recommend the experience to any adventurous coach looking to work hard to reap good rewards in every sense. .

Editor’s Note: Globetrotting Keith, a regular contributor to DTL, originates from England, but now calls Australia his home. We’ll ask Keith for a Hong Kong update in the next DTL. In particular, I’ll ask him to elaborate on his quote above: “There are a good number of Japanese and American boys in the programs…” Does that mean there are no girls? It could be the case in Hong Kong. We’ll find out.

You can reach Keith at this temporary home at fordham or through his Australian Email at tove