Kicking goals: how the PAAF Programme and Guangzhou Camp boost football analysis skills
BSc(SPSC) students, from left second on left to right: Lam Yan-long, Lei Yutian, and Law Kai-kong find the four-day training camp at Guangzhou Evergrande Football School very rewarding as it put theories of sports performance analyses into practice. Mr Zuo Yuxin, left, a HPE technician, coordinates the collaboration between Hong Kong U15 and U16 teams and EdUHK during the camp.
In April 2025, three students in the Bachelor of Science in Sports Science and Coaching (BSc(SPSC)) programme deepened their understanding of the performance analyst’s role by assisting at the Hong Kong Representation Team Training Camp held at Guangzhou Evergrande Football School. This valuable learning opportunity originated from a visit to EdUHK by senior management staff from the Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA) last summer.
In July 2024, Dr Kevin Kam Wai-keung from the Department of Health and Physical Education (HPE) hosted Mr John Morling, the then newly appointed Technical Director of HKFA, and Mr Andy Foster, Head of Coach Education of the association, a visit at EdUHK to explore collaboration. This meeting led to the establishment of the Performance Analysts Academy: Football (PAAF) Programme in September 2024, a joint initiative between EdUHK and HKFA. The programme offers training and internship opportunities for BSc(SPSC) students, focusing on sports science and performance analysis. The collaboration represents a significant step forward in advancing football development and nurturing future professionals in Hong Kong.
Performance analysis, which entails systematic recording and evaluation of athletic performance to inform decision-making, enhance training methods, and improve overall outcomes, is essential in regions with robust sports industry. As part of the PAAF collaboration, HKFA has supplied instructors and learning resources to equip eleven BSc(SPSC) students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills required of sports performance analysts since October 2024. The students participated in the inaugural PAAF workshop on 7 and 8 November 2024.
The collaboration went a step further when BSc(SPSC) students Lam Yan-long, Law Kai-kong and Lei Yutian travelled to Guangzhou to help at the training camp held between 9 and 12 April at the Guangzhou Evergrande Football School. During the four-day camp, Hong Kong’s U15 and U16 Representation Teams competed in friendly matches against teams from the school. The students participated in team meetings with Hong Kong’s youth football teams, completed pre-match setups, filmed training sessions and matches, conducted live-tagging, and carried out post-match analyses. They also learnt how to use video footage and other data collected during matches to evaluate player performance during debriefing sessions with professional coaches from the Hong Kong teams. Additionally, the students took part in team recreational activities.
Lam Yan-long, left, Law Kai-kong film the game and add live tags to the video. The students say they need to solve many technical issues such as power supply, network setup, and cable routing before they can livestream the game. The man in purple is Mr Anson Lee, a football analyst from HKFA.
Mr Anson Lee, performance analyst of the U15 and U16 teams, far left, and Mr Takuro Hosaka, the Head Coach of U16 team, far right, take photo with our students. In the middle from left to right are Lei Yutian, Lam Yan-long, and Law Kai-kong. They say they have gained valuable experience and knowledge about the work of a sports performance analyst from the four-day camp.
Time management was a significant challenge during post-match analysis, as analysts had only a few hours to complete their work due to the tight schedule between the U15 and U16 matches. “In order to work efficiently, analysts must have a thorough understanding of the game and be adept at using a variety of software to increase productivity and complete the match report as quick as possible to provide feedback,” Dr Gary Chow Chi-ching, Associate Head (Learning and Teaching) of HPE who oversees the PAAF programme, said.
Reflecting on the trip, Law Kai-kong said, “I want to thank the department for organising this eye-opening trip that bridged classroom learning with real match application. The experience provided a comprehensive insight into the role of a performance analyst and enlightened me about how football is played nowadays. Football teams increasingly rely on data analytics to inform tactics and training methods. At Evergrande Football School, we honed both our technical and soft skills. The friendly matches put what I learnt from the PAAF programme to the test, bringing theory to life on the pitch.”
During the post-match analysis, Mr Anson Lee teaches our students how to interpret the data collected from the matches.
The three BSc(SPSC) students lead players of the Hong Kong U15 and U16 teams to participate in team-building activities and guide them to reflect on their performance in the friendly matches with teams from Evergrande Football School.
Lei Yutian added, “This four-day exchange changed my perspective on performance analytics. It’s not just about analysing technical skills; it requires precision, preparation, and interpersonal skills. Although a football match may appear chaotic on the surface, there is systematic information to collect. In Guangzhou, I learnt not only how to gather data but also how to transform the match into a compelling narrative. I also observed how analysts, coaches, and players collaborate to improve performance. This experience enhanced my tagging skills and deepened my understanding of the performance analyst’s role.”
Mr Benjamin Cheung, a coach and football analyst of HKFA, provides a pre-camp workshop for BSc(SPSC) students joining the PAAF programme at EdUHK’s Taipo campus.
Mr Benjamin Cheung, HKFA’s representative for PAAF programme aka Ben Sir, expressed his gratitude to HPE for its valuable support during the camp. “I’m sure the camp was an eye-opening experience for your team, enabling your students to gain a deeper understanding of Hong Kong football and the role of football analysts. Your team’s tagging and video analysis have been instrumental in allowing the coaching staff to concentrate on their core responsibilities. Additionally, the three students from HPE excelled in leading the team-building activities,” Ben Sir wrote in a thank-you message to Dr Gary Chow and the Department of Health and Physical Education.
Dr Gary Chow, left, leads students from the BSc(SPSC) programme to attend an onsite training for football performance analysts at the Hong Kong Stadium during a match between Hong Kong football team and its counterparts from the Philippines held on 14 November 2024.
Effective communication using appropriate language, content, and methods is essential for analysts to convey their work and ideas to coaches and players. On-site practice is undoubtedly the best way to develop these communication skills. Dr Chow praised the students’ performance, stating, “During the four-day training, they attended all activities punctually and completed their tasks to a high standard. What’s more, they integrated seamlessly with the Hong Kong U15 and U16 teams, engaged in discussions with other team coaches, and organised recreational activities for the teams. Their efforts exemplify the qualities required of a sports performance analyst.”
To learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Sports Science and Coaching (BSc(SPSC)) programme, please click here.
