Kitchee Academy and Trappist Dairy today announced a new partnership, making Hong Kong’s renowned dairy company Trappist Dairy the Academy’s Official Dairy Partner. Besides providing weekly dairy products including milk and yogurt supplies to Academy players of all ages before and after training, gym sessions, and matches, the two-year deal is also focused on the importance of dairy products for physical development that aim to improve the physical health and total wellness for young athletes, as well as understanding the connection between nutrition and muscle growth. The partnership highlights the commitment of both Kitchee and Trappist Dairy to supporting physical development of youth in Hong Kong.
“Muscle weakness has always been a concern in Hong Kong football as local players are widely recognized of not having the physical strength to compete at the highest level of football,” said Kitchee Academy Founder Mr. Ken K. Ng. “To tackle this issue, we have teamed up with CUHK Faculty of Medicine in recent years to provide support of sports science and sports medicine for Academy players to improve their muscle strength as we believe that a strong foundation is the bedrock of greater success. With that being said, physical development goes equally important as technical development when it comes to developing future elite footballers to compete at the highest level. In addition, the Kitchee Bistro has worked with Club dietitian to design and provide nutritional meals for Academy players from U14, U16, and U18. We have also realized that dairy consumption plays an integral role in muscle growth. This is why we are thrilled to be joining with Trappist Dairy to work on a variety of projects to promote the importance of dairy consumption in adolescence, and “我只想你快高長大” is a public initiative which allows young athletes to understand the impact that nutrition has on youth’s physical development.
“我只想你快高長大” is a public initiative that carries out by both parties to educate and raise awareness about nutrition education on youth development. This special project comes with different school and NGO tours with First Team players featured to provide a broader platform and communication opportunities for youngsters in Hong Kong who are genuinely passionate about football.
“As a local dairy producer, we strive to delight customers with high-quality dairy products,” said Mr. Paul Ko, General Manager of Trappist Dairy. “We also believe that dairy products are the best natural source of nutrition to improve the physical health and total wellness for children in particular. Kitchee Academy is a partner that shares this commitment, particularly in making sure local youth have a chance to learn the importance of physical development and overall wellness so they can build healthy habits, especially to consume the right food and beverages for a lifetime. We look forward to this partnership.”
“Growing up without establishing a foundation for healthy eating habits and nutritional knowledge have affected my body growth and my sporting performance,” said Academy graduate and First Team player Law Tsz Chun. “Professional football requires huge physical
demands, and the experiences from playing for Kitchee and Hong Kong Representative Team have driven me to understand proper nutrition is one of the fundamental pillars for good sporting performance of a professional athlete because we need a continuous supply of nutrients for the growth and formation of our body to reach our full potential.”
Kitchee Academy hopes this partnership can raise awareness about nutrition education, understanding the role of physical development for young athletes in creating a successful pathway for future success, and more importantly, raising the level of Hong Kong football.