Introduction of HKFHY Disabled Sports 香港傷殘青年協會 賽馬會「動‧融」運動計劃

Wheelchair Team of the HKFHY

Founded in 2012, the team has grown from no more than 10 members to over 100 members, organizing different practices and participating in various events, happy runs, sharing activities, etc. every year, including the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, in which over 100 team members have participated since 2012.

In addition, the team has also taken part in the Hong Kong Disneyland Run, Run Our City, Hong Kong Scout Association Run, Hong Kong Games Vitality Run, the Community Chest Walk for Millions, and HKFHY Joy Charity Walk, etc.

The wheelchair is the legs for the disabled. With skilled wheelchair operation, the disabled can start most sports proficiently and confidently. In addition, it is difficult for the disabled who find it inconvenient to move to carry out cardiorespiratory endurance exercises through running, swimming, cycling, etc., but wheelchair-racing exercises can effectively build their cardio-respiratory endurance. However, the disabled who use tools such as prostheses, hand forks, and walking frames are often limited in the places/distances they can reach due to the limitations of the tools. Many people with disabilities who use prostheses/hand forks/canes are trained to do aerobic exercises and capable of using wheelchairs safely to live in the community and walk around the country over the years.

The course includes but is not limited to wheelchair handling knowledge, wheelchair running training program, wheelchair selection and debugging, road safety and handling in daily life, etc.

HKFHY Wheelchair Basketball Team

The HKFHY Wheelchair Basketball Team was established in 2016 and now includes around 50 team members. Some of the team members are current or retired players from the Hong Kong Wheelchair Basketball Team, while the majority of them are a bunch of physically challenged individuals who are full of enthusiasm and want to participate in sports for physical and mental improvement. There are also a few able-bodied team members who contribute to the promotion of wheelchair basketball activities.Wheelchair basketball is a challenging and exciting sport that requires teamwork. Besides weekly training, the team has participated in the wheelchair basketball projects in Hong Kong Games 2017 and 2019, and the Hong Kong Wheelchair Basketball Leagues 2018 and 2020 held by the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled. There was only one team joining the game at the start, while the HKFHY Wheelchair Basketball Team sent 4 teams to participate in the above tournaments in 2020.

Wheelchair Tennis

In 2019, we cooperated with Hong Kong Tennis Association for the first time to promote the “Wheelchair Tennis Development Programme”. Fun Days and pioneer classes have been held, and the one-year wheelchair tennis training class is in progress. We look forward to driving the continuous development of wheelchair tennis. It is one of the popular sports in the world, and we hope that the development programme will encourage more local physically challenged individuals to play wheelchair tennis.The training class will teach you basic tennis sports knowledge, how to make moves with a wheelchair, postures, how to play forehand and backhand, various striking methods, and so forth.

Sitting Light Volleyball

In 2018, we cooperated with the Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health of Hong Kong Baptist University and the Hong Kong Light Volleyball Association, studying and attempting to provide the physically challenged with opportunities to enjoy the fun of participating in team sports, to enhance functional fitness, and to improve physical and mental health.Sitting volleyball belongs to one of the Paralympics sports; however, light volleyball should be promoted to attract more participation from the physically challenged. The light volleyball is more lightweight than the ordinary volleyball and needs less space for playing. It is a slow and less intense sport than volleyball, and thus suitable for the physically challenged to participate. Research has found that playing light volleyball can effectively improve one’s upper body strength, muscular endurance, agility, and aerobic endurance. Research results also show that the physically challenged participating in sports can see significant effects on reducing their body fat, improving their cardio respiratory endurance, and having fun in their physical activities. Moreover, according to a survey, there is an increase in the average scores for social competence and mental health after physically challenged individuals play light volleyball. We and our cooperative units continue the training after the three-month research, offering sitting light volleyball classes in HKFHY and special schools.To date, we continue the cooperation with the Education University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Light Volleyball Association to hold different Experience Days and training classes.

Sitting Darts

Since 2005, in cooperation with the Hong Kong Kam Chuen Tai Kik Boxing Association, Master Wu Kuang-yu has evolved the 108-routine into 30-routine Wu style seated Tai Chi, and it enabled the disabled to get involved, which could promote whole body motor function and provide opportunities to stretch muscles.

In particular, seated Tai Chi is very suitable for daily exercise of the disabled since they can exercise for a long time without special equipment, especially suitable for people with weak physical ability. Among them, ten persons with disabilities have also obtained the qualifications of instructors. In addition to teaching classes to allow the disabled to learn, the disabled can also lead team members to visit schools and senior centres for promotion, which can benefit more people with different abilities.

Wu Style Seated Tai Chi

PHAB Dragon Boat Team

During 2019-2012, HKFHY has teamed up with different groups to practice and participated in Stanley International Dragon Boat Championships and the Tai Po District Dragon Boat Races; afterwards, HKFHY had the opportunity to get sponsorship and technical support from the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association.

In 2016, they formed a team once again to practice in “Guinness 24-Hours Dragon Boat Relay” event and got successful experiences. Since 2017, HKFHY has teamed up with special schools to enhance the ability of the disabled to participate in water sports through practice, and they also participated in International Paradragon Championship of the “Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Regatta” every year.

Dragon boat is a very physically demanding and technical sport. Most of the disabled do not know how to swim, but they can experience and participate in the sport through the participation of the able-bodied. Adding modified equipment, such as dragon boat seats and/or dragon boat paddles, can make different disabled people experience participation.

Wheelchair Rugby

In 2017, the HKFHY and the Hong Kong Rugby Union (“HKRU”) took the lead in organizing the wheelchair rugby experience activities. Later, they held experience days in special schools and among members of the HKFHY.

However, because of the limitations of venue selection and the lack of equipment, the development of wheelchair rugby is difficult. Wheelchair rugby is a team ball game specially designed for people with severe physical disabilities, and athletes with defects in three or four limbs can defend and attack with great freedom on the court.

Therefore, the HKFHY and the HKRU will continue to liaise with each other and jointly study the space for development.

Rouliqiu

Since 2009, the HKFHY has worked with the Hong Kong Rouliqiu Association and cooperated with President Fan Lai-kuen to develop the rouliqiu sport that is more suitable for people with disabilities.

They have explored the wheelchair game routines from the routines of able-bodied people to help people with disabilities participate in the sport. Three people with disabilities have been qualified as mentors and assistant mentors. And apart from teaching in class to enable more disabled people to learn rouliqiu, they have also led members to visit schools and the senior centres for promotion.

Since 2010, they have participated in the Four Regions across the Taiwan Strait Rouliqiu Invitational Tournament in Macau for five years.

Wheelchair Floor Curling

Wheelchair curling, an event of the Winter Paralympic Games, has been around for years. The HKFHY began to offer floor curling classes for people with disabilities in 2017, and it adjusted the original rules for able-bodied people to suit people with disabilities to participate in the sport. And in 2019, it held a joint school floor curling match (four schools for the physically disabled participated) and the HKFHY Cup-Floor Curling Match.Floor curling is a team sport, but it does not have physical collisions with opponent players. In addition to training players in hand throwing strength and precision, it is also a sport to train concentration, communication, teamwork, and adversity intelligence.

Introduction of HKFHY Disabled Sports

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