International Volunteer Work as a Sports Coach in South Africa

Children growing up in the townships have few facilities for stimulating sports. Opportunities are severely limited for both playing sports and learning new ones, despite the best efforts of local volunteers and community leaders. Parents are desperate to keep their kids off the streets when school gets out to keep them away from drug usage and peer pressure.

Giving their children the opportunity to participate in sports allows them to learn important lessons in working as a team, anger management and prioritizing a healthy lifestyle.

Volunteers can help create a sporting environment and provide much needed support to local staff. Many schools within the townships are open to after school activities; coaching basketball, football, softball, cricket, rugby – almost every sport you can think of is going on somewhere!

All our sports projects in South Africa require volunteers to dedicate a full day to their placement as they cannot mix and match school and community sports with water sports.

Whichever project you choose, your initiative and enthusiasm can always be put to good use by helping develop sports initiatives and programs in Cape Town. In order for children to get the most out of sports lessons as well as after school clubs, they need to be well thought out with lots of good ideas for lesson plans to get the kids thinking, working as a team, and improving their fitness while having fun.

Volunteering as a Coach in South Africa with Projects Abroad

Cape Town has a wide variety of schools whose facilities and demographic largely mirrors the wealth and background of the areas in which they are based. Projects Abroad volunteers center their efforts on the Cape Flats Townships, working with underprivileged communities in the Vrygrond, Grassy Park and Lavender Hill area.

The schools here are all government run and physical education has regrettably been removed from the curriculum due to budget cutbacks. Government funded schools no longer offer this subject because they cannot afford to pay a sports teacher out of their own small budget. For this reason, volunteers are invaluable to these schools as they can provide the important physical education lessons without the extra costs.

As a Projects Abroad volunteer in South Africa, you don’t need previous coaching experience, but you will need a real passion for sports and the drive and initiative to lead a sports session with a group of children without always having the backup of another teacher. Volunteers will often coach together and have the full support of the teaching staff, though both human and material resources are in short supply.

Don’t worry if you don’t have UEFA – grade soccer coaching skills or aren’t an Olympic athlete – simply organizing a game of rounders or running a circuit training session can help these children improve their fitness levels or ability to work as a team. The program could also combine elements of physical education with other aspects of health, such as nutrition and personal hygiene. You’ve got an almost completely blank canvas and a captive audience of children eager to get involved!

Volunteer ProfileMelissa Kroslak

I organized what in America would be the equivalent of a gym class. Prior to my arrival the only athletic experience the students had was running; mainly around pieces of trash that were utilized as cones. My experience with Projects Abroad was life changing and I am forever grateful for the opportunity I was given. Read more...

Since school takes up the children’s day, after school activities run in the afternoons from 3-5pm. Many community leaders and schools themselves are eager to have volunteers help out with their after school clubs. These present a real challenge for coaches with anywhere from 5 to 30 kids turning up each day with hugely varied skill levels and little regularity. The one thing the children all share is a love for sports and a desire to get involved. Whatever your particular sport may be, by helping keep these clubs going, you’ll be making a real contribution.

Volunteering as a Water Sports Coach in South Africa

Cape Town is famous for its surf spots, attracting many volunteers who can already surf as well as those who are eager to learn. Surfing is also a great way to bring young children into a learning environment by giving them a passion for sports. Children who grow up in the townships may never have been to the beach, despite its close proximity and most certainly won’t be able to swim. By organizing regular trips to the beach with these children and gradually teaching them how to swim and then to surf, you will be giving them an opportunity and new passion that they may never have had access to otherwise. Having fun and learning is the aim and our projects need volunteers to help achieve this.

Projects Abroad volunteers work alongside a program in Muizenberg, not far from where our other teaching and care placements are based. The Surf School aims to bring “at risk” youth groups and street children into the surf culture by providing them with equipment, gradually teaching them to swim, and then surf. Once introduced to this learning environment, the children are also taught vital life skills, decision making and have the opportunity to learn basic numeric and literacy skills.

Volunteers do not need to be experienced surfers, but do need to be strong swimmers. Volunteers will be given the opportunity to learn to surf while working simultaneously with at risk youth from neighboring Cape Town townships. We are looking for volunteers who are eager and enthusiastic to get involved with mentoring and teaching the children. You should also be prepared to help with renting out and maintaining the surfboards and kits as well as all other aspects of this valuable water sports project. Volunteers will normally spend the day working at the surf shop and helping with program logistics before taking sessions with the children from 3-6pm each day.

This project provides the perfect combination of coaching, learning new skills and providing valuable support to a great community project.

Volunteer ProfileEmma Fauquier

There was one child in particular who I taught in 3 hours to paddle properly, turn in for a wave, and actually stand up and ride a wave. This brought tears to my eyes for two reasons; the joy and sense of accomplishment on this boy’s face was beautiful, and I felt like I had made a positive difference in his life Read more...

School Sports and Water Sports projects in South Africa are available for less than a month if you don't have time to join us for a month or more. This project has been selected by our local colleagues as being suitable for shorter durations for both the host community and the volunteer. Although you will gain valuable cultural insight and work intensely within the local community please be aware that you may not be able to make the same impact as someone participating for a longer period.

All volunteers taking part in any of the Cape Town based projects in South Africa have the opportunity to add a 7-Day Conservation Project to the end of their main placement. For more information visit our Conservation in South Africa project page.

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