IN BRIEF (Page 23)

GOLF

PGA of Australia, CGA launch coach training program

The China Golf Association (CGA) and the Professional Golfers Association of Australia signed a contract on Friday to conduct a coach training program in China.

The partnership marks the second biggest strategic project by the CGA after the China referee training program for which it joined with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews last March. It also demonstrates a healthy development of golf coaching in China.

PGA of Australia boasts one of the world's best golf coach training systems. It will provide materials and tutors for the program while the CGA will be in charge of planning, organization and supervision. The two associations will jointly issue certificates for coaches who pass the assessments.

The program, which starts in March, will include elementary, medium, national and international classes.

Max Garske, CEO of the PGA of Australia said the quality of coaches is very important to the development of golf since good coaches attract fine players and help them enjoy the game of golf.

Zhang Xiaoning, executive vice-chairman of the CGA, said the program will definitely help develop the sport in China.

MISCELLANEOUS

Beijing cheerleading competition ends

The Jinlongyu Cup, the second Beijing civilized cheerleading competition, concluded last Saturday with a demonstration of the winners at the National Olympic Sports Center gymnasium.

The competition, organized by the Beijing Sports Bureau, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education, and the China Communist Youth League Beijing Committee, and sponsored by Kerry Oils and Grains Co Ltd (Shenzhen), was held to raise people's awareness of how to be a civilized fan for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

It enjoyed a wave of popularity as the city attempted to add excitement to the Olympic atmosphere while encouraging more civilized fans during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Since the event began in May, it attracted more than 100,000 Beijing citizens. Businesses, labor unions, colleges, universities and local communities all participated. The fans were grouped into different categories: Kindergarten, Elementary, High School, University, and Social. The cheerleaders had already entertained the spectators and audience during the Good Luck Beijing Olympic test events last year.

Street dance challenge concludes in capital

The Beijing zone of the 2007 National Street Dance Challenge competition ended at the Central University of Nationalities on Monday.

The Beijing competition was the third stop after Zhengzhou and Chengdu events earlier last year.

More than 200 participants between the ages of six and 70 reached the finals in eight categories including men's dancer, men's breaking, fitness street dance, team dancer, team breaking, women's solo, individual fight dance and team fight dance.

The top two in each event will represent the Beijing zone in the nationally televised final from February 10 to 13.

(China Daily 01/03/2008 page23)