Sports Travel During Your Gap Year Taking part in sports during your gap year is a great way to have a real focus to your trip. Whether you want to train, coach, instruct or volunteer there are plenty of sporty options for you to choose from. You could share your passion with young people throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America in areas that are crying out for enthusiastic coaches to help improve the level of sport. You don’t have to be qualified or experienced, you just need to have a passion for sport and people! Often you will be bringing something totally new to these communities by recognising the kid’s talents and harnessing their skills. Your role is to bring their talents into a team – you never know, you might just discover the next sporting star! Volunteer sports coaches are needed in many destinations. In Africa for example there is a passion for all balls games from football to netball, basketball to hockey. South Africa and Ghana offer some of the best opportunities for volunteer sports coaches to really get stuck in and start making a difference. Alex Bennet recalls his experience whilst in Malawi “One of the children had so much fun playing football that I gave him an old pair of trainers I had. It wasn’t much for me to give, but meant the world to him”. If you want to stun your friends with impressive sports skills, then a sports academy is a great option. You can learn directly from top coaches in some of the world finest sporting facilities. There are sports academies for the most popular sports, such as football, rugby, golf, cricket and tennis, and also some exciting but less mainstream sports – martial arts, scuba diving, Thai boxing, surfing and rock climbing. As Grant Oliver recalls, joining an overseas sports training programme is a cultural experience too “at weekends we would go to the temple to watch members of the family that we train with fight. What an experience. The Thai people are the nicest people in the world and they love Thai boxing. It’s a family event”. If you want to take sport that step further, then consider joining a sports instructor course. Whether you chose to qualify as a PADI dive master, or become a snowboard or ski instructor you will find the experience rewarding and exciting. This can lead to a new career as your become a professional in your field. There are courses to suit all sorts of interests with examples including surf instructor courses, and horse riding instructor courses. Real Gap offers a wealth of opportunity when it comes to sports on your gap year. Choose from trips from two weeks to twelve months. www.realgap.co.uk             Check out Real Gap for great gap year ideas and opportunities.WP Autoblog Plugin

It can be challenging and a lot of hard work or it can be simply just taking some time out. However, if you look at your gap year one thing should be gained from your time out – reward. Developing a skill, learning a language, experience a different way of living – all can be rewarding and mean that your gap year was a fulfilling experience. One gap year experience is to play sport. Are you passionate about sport and feel like you want to share your passion with others? How about sharing this with youngsters in an exciting overseas environment? If these two questions really grab your attention then here is another one – are you going to do something about it? With a gap year sport programme you can develop your coaching skills whilst passing on your knowledge and enthusiasm to the next generation. Sport coaching placements can last for between 10-19 weeks, depending on the sport you coach. Participants coach sport to youngsters in local schools and community teams. On average coaches may also be able to do a part time job and, if desired, it is often possible to supplement this with additional umpiring or refereeing work for your specialist sport. Whilst challenging and demanding (you could be responsible for a whole class of future sporting heroes!) there is no doubt that the experience of working with youngsters over the course of a school term is highly rewarding. Coaching sport is also a fantastic addition to any CV, allowing you to demonstrate initiative, leadership and communication skills. With most programmes, you will live alongside other gap year participants that could be in 4 star city centre accommodation that provides easy access via local transport to your place of work. You would also be assigned a local mentor to be on hand to assist you throughout your programme and you will be guaranteed a minimum number of coaching hours per week. We recommend that people interested in coaching sport obtain suitable coaching and first aid qualifications before departure, as this will assist you in not only getting a job but also giving you assurance of coaching others. It is also beneficial for you to obtain umpiring/refereeing qualifications in your chosen sport in order to take advantage of the full range of work available. If you are unable to obtain a coaching or First Aid qualification prior to your departure then don’t worry. Some schools are happy to employ people provided they have playing and coaching experience. You can also enrol on a coaching and First Aid course upon arrival in your chosen destination. Really keen participants can also join a local sports club should you wish to play as well as coach sport during your programme and really make the most of your time and skill. Sport is a wonderful way to discover a new culture. By combining playing or coaching sport with a gap year, you become integrated into a local community with their sports club or academy and become a second family. Playing or coaching sport provides a framework for your time away. Supplement this with travel, work experience and a whole new group of friends and that’s gap year experience in a nutshell. People that are passionate about sport and travel can really make the most of their time overseas. Many gap year companies can organise regular social events and excursions, which ensure a fantastic experience for all, whilst ensuring you are always in touch with peers and local people alike. Gap year mentors also assist participants in finding work, dealing with any issues that may arise and co-ordinating travel plans – a real commitment to a personal experience. So if you are passionate about sport and travel, then why not spend your Gap Year playing and coaching sport in exotic locations around the world. Sport Lived organise sporting Gap Year programmes in exotic locations around the world. Play or coach your favourite sports and enjoy the excitement of living overseas. www.SportLived.co.uk Managing Director of Sport Lived Ltd, organising sporting gap year programmes in exotic locations around the world. Play rugby in New Zealand, coach sports in Australia or work intensively on your game at one of our academies, Sport Lived can offer the ultimate sporting gap year adventure.Spain mortgages