Portraits of National Sports Association

Interview with CHAN Tin-chun, Gary, the Honorary Secretary of the Hong Kong, China Gateball Association

While the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games just past enhanced the public’s understanding of and interest in sports and Japanese culture, there are still many interesting sports worth exploring, with gateball being a notable example. Gateball, a competitive team sport requiring extensive use of strategies, originated in Japan. Inspired by Croquet, a popular game among the nobility in Europe, a Japanese man named Suzuki Kazunobu invented gateball in 1947.

Today, avid fans of gateball are everywhere around the globe, with many seeing the sport as lifelong pursuit. Given the simple rules and ease of learning, gateball is especially well received by the middle aged and elderly. The other benefits of playing gateball include stimulating cognitive functions and promoting physical and mental health.

Establishment of first local gateball association on the back of worldwide popularity

Gateball is a competitive team sport in which players hit the balls through the gates with sticks. While gateball was invented as a recreational activity for youngsters to kill time in the first place, it has gradually gained popularity since then among the elderly on account of its lower requirements on players’ physical strength.

Gateball is thriving across regions and countries, with many international competitions being organised on a frequent basis. The sport was introduced into Hong Kong in 1986. In the subsequent year, the Evergreen Gateball Association, the first gateball association in Hong Kong, was officially established and later renamed the Hong Kong, China Gateball Association (Association) in 1992. The Association has firmly established its presence and developed the sport in Hong Kong for 34 years. CHAN Tin-chun, Gary joined the Association in 2018, currently serving as the Executive Committee Member and Honorary Secretary.

“Hybrid” of golf and snooker

Encountering gateball at the age of eight, Gary, the incumbent Honorary Secretary of the Association, has been playing for uninterrupted years since then. In fact, his enthusiasm for gateball was strongly felt in the interview. A gateball veteran, Gary has represented Hong Kong to compete in various international youth gateball competitions over the years. Interestingly, he drew an analogy between gateball and a “hybrid” of golf and snooker.

Gateball is played with two teams of five players each. One team plays with odd-numbered red balls, while the other one plays with even-numbered white balls. Each player with an assigned number plays the ball of the same number. Players will hit the balls in the order of their numbers. The purpose of the sport is to hit the balls through gates 1, 2 and 3 in sequence, and eventually hit the goal-pole, also known as the centre peg, with the balls. One point will be awarded for passing through a gate, and two points for hitting the goal-pole, meaning a maximum of five points may be scored with each ball. In addition, players will be granted the right to spark for each successful strike, by which they may either send their teammates’ balls to strategic positions or the opponent’s balls out of the court. Gary added that while gateball was less demanding on physical strength, great emphasis was placed upon the use of offensive and defence strategies with close cooperation from teammates. The team scoring more within the time limit of 30 minutes wins.

Solid foundation and excellent results in international competitions

Gateball is easy for beginners but difficult to become an expert in, which was perhaps why Gary has become mesmerised by the sport since very young. The sport requires intensive study and training, in the context of techniques and strategies. Gary pointed out that in addition to the coordination of hands, feet and brain, good muscle control and mind concentration were both indispensable to striking. In addition, in the course of a gateball competition, players are required to interact among teammates and employ various strategies, which will put their teamwork and tacit partnership to test. The Hong Kong gateball team has achieved notable results in international competitions over the years. Since the establishment of the Association, LAU LEE Lai-fong, Catherina and LAI Huck-son, the Life Honorary Chairpersons, have committed to training coaches and judges, and leading Hong Kong players to compete in international events. The duo’s unrelenting effort has put the Hong Kong team on the map with continuous international success, thereby building a strong foundation for the development of gateball in Hong Kong.

Gary mentioned that the Association organised one major and one small international events on an annual basis, including the biennial Asia Youth Gateball Championship. The teams sent by the Association have been yielding remarkable results in such events. The Association has a current membership of 550, with its own training and district teams comprising 64 members in total.

Community wide promotion in nurturing talents for ever brighter future

Playing gateball only requires limited places. Affordable, safe and easy to play, gateball is a sport for all ages. Gary thought it was very suitable for members of the public to play in Hong Kong. The Association therefore strives to promote gateball to various age groups, in the hope of developing it as a sport for all, while encouraging the public to see the sport as lifelong pursuit.

As far as elite athlete training is concerned, there are both the Advanced Level Programme and the Feeder Programme organised by the Association, with the purpose of equipping athletes for international competitions, as well as enhancing the overall standards of the Hong Kong team by means of international exchange. Looking forward, the Association will organise training programmes in nine of its community sports clubs on a regular basis, and promote gateball in schools through the School Sports Programme, in a bid to make the sport more accessible to youngsters and recruit more promising talents, as part of a continuous effort to shape a better future for local gateball players.