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SPORTS: COACH FOOTBALL

Children in India are wonderful to teach and incredibly enthusiastic about learning sport. The School Principals say that the children have also learned life skills from the team work and gained tremendous confidence in themselves.

You'll work with all age groups, in secondary schools and even colleges in Madurai. You can also choose to coach badminton so your choice is not limited to football alone. If you would like to coach another sport, then you may be able to coach cricket, badminton, tennis or volleyball. However these sports will just be for one hour a day as an extracurricular activity which you'll combine with teaching in the schools

SUMMARY FACTFILE
Start Dates All year round - you choose your start and finish dates! (subject to school holidays – see chart below).
Duration Minimum stay 2 weeks and up to 1 year, subject to visa requirements
Requirements You don't need any qualifications to do this project, just a good knowledge of the game and lots of enthusiasm!
Price From £795 / US$1,195 for 2 weeks, ranging to £1,795 / US$2,695 for 12 weeks. Full Price List and other Currencies
What's included Accommodation Food Meeting you at the Airport Transfer to your accommodation Transport to and from your project Full pre-departure support Local in-country team support and backup 24-hr emergency support Two free T-shirts.
What's not included Flights, Insurance, Cost of Visas (if a visa is required, but we'll provide necessary documents and assistance), Return transfer to airport.
Who can do this Project? All our projects are open to all nationalities.
Unless otherwise stated, you need to be aged between 17 and 70+

Also on this page:

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Coaching Football in South India is a rewarding experience both for you and the children. Kids in India are wonderful to teach and incredibly enthusiastic about learning sport. They turn up for training each day eager to learn new skills and play a game. Coaching has immeasurable indirect benefits for the children, such as health awareness, increased confidence and social skills.

Travellers work with different types of schools and an engineering college which are based in the delightful and bustling city of Madurai in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Most of the schools are well off private schools as they tend to be larger and have playgrounds. However most of the schools have only basic equipment such as a few deflated footballs, no nets or bibs and potholed pitches! Although materials and resources may be scarce, the enthusiasm of the students and colleagues more than makes up for any hardships.

WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:

  • An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into beautiful India and it's fascinating culture.

  • The enormous satisfaction of helping disadvantaged children and knowing that you made a difference to them.

  • New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional development.

  • An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head and shoulders above most others in the job market

  • And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!

WORK CONTENT:
You usually will be coaching for 3 to 5 hours at one school only, however there is a possibility that you may coach in two sessions and at two different venues. You may work in secondary schools and/or colleges and you will normally help out with all age groups. You will be in popular demand wherever you are placed and the children will crowd around you like a celebrity and want your autograph. Keep a pen on you at all times!

The Principal/sports director and/or relevant teachers at the school and colleges will liaise with you about your coaching assignments and our Organiser will also be happy to assist you where necessary.

At the end of the school term in 2007, Tim Roberts, a Travellers volunteer who was coaching football at the time was keen on organising a tournament between two of the schools. With help from another volunteer who was coaching in addition to his teaching English project, they put together the tournament with Travellers sponsoring the event. It was a roaring success with the winning team receiving trophies and medals and the runners up also were handed medals.

Coaching football is only available between June to February as from the beginning of March the children have to concentrate on their academic studies as their exams are just around the corner. However, you may be able to coach during the Summer Holidays (April to May) when Summer Camps are held in some of our schools for approximately 60 children. These Summer Camps actually take place in the school grounds and are an opportunity to give more informal lessons, perhaps combining them with playing a sport or putting together a music concert or play – much more relaxed and not quite so structured. Alternatively, you can use the holidays to tour around the country and sightsee.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS IN THE SOUTH OF INDIA (APPROX):
Please keep in mind that school holidays can change unexpectedly with very little notice given. Although at times this can be quite inconvenient, most of our volunteers use the opportunity to travel around and explore the country.

  • Summer Vacation: 20th April to 2nd June 2010

  • First Term Vacation: 20th to 30th September 2010

  • Pooja Holiday: 27th to 28th September 2010

  • Diwali Holiday: 4th to 6th November 2010

  • Second Term Vacation: 24th December 2010 to 3rd January 2011

  • Pongal Holiday: 13th to 17th January 2011

EXAM PERIODS

  • Quarterly Exams: 9th to 19th September 2010

  • Half yearly Exams: 14th to 23rd December 2010

  • Annual Exams: 17th – 31st March 2010

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO WHILE ON THIS PROJECT:

  • 1-Week Intensive Tamil Language Course prior to starting your project. Learning a little Tamil will enhance your time in India immeasurably, as you’ll find out things about the culture and the way of life that someone without language skills simply wouldn’t have access to!

  • Tamil Language Lessons with a private tutor taken at the same time as your main project. Courses range in length to suit your needs.

  • Yoga and Meditation Lessons: You have the choice of combining the two or focussing on Yoga on its own. These courses vary in length to be done as an optional extra to your main project. Start the day with yoga and meditation – it’ll set you up for the day!

  • Cookery Courses: Cooking is an institution in India. If you’d like to learn how to cook some of the mouth-watering dishes this is the perfect way to do it; you’ll be able to choose from an extensive choice of recipes, visit the market to purchase the fresh produce and then learn how to cook the south Indian style food with your own private chef! Again, this activity runs concurrently with your main project.

FREE COACHING MANUALS:
As a volunteer sports coach with Travellers, you have access to a large number of coaching manuals for each sport - these manuals have been produced in-house by our Sports Manager. These manuals are very useful and will help you to plan coaching sessions for your students.

Everything about my placement coaching football was fantastic - the friendliness of the people in Madurai, the excellent living conditions in the Travellers house and the wonderful support from the in country supervisors. But most of all what really made it for me were the school kids I was coaching - all of them such great characters, extremely dedicated and so grateful for the opportunity to be taught more about football."  Tim Roberts

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Voluntary projects in Madurai in the south of India




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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Volunteer Feedback
Madurai Gallery
Fun in Madurai Gallery
Indian Travels Gallery

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS

1-Week Intensive Tamil Course
Tamil Language Lessons
Yoga & Meditation Lessons
Cookery Classes



ACCOMMODATION AND LIVING IN SOUTH INDIA:

Your accommodation could comprise of either staying with a host family or living in a Travellers flat. In either accommodation you may share a room with another Travellers volunteer. The accommodation you’ll be allocated to will depend on which project you’re doing and the number of volunteers there at the same time as you. However, if you have a preference for either a host family or staying in a flat, we will do our best to accommodate you.

Host Family
For a complete Indian experience we can arrange for you to stay with one of wonderful host families. All of our hosts are very welcoming and not only will be made to feel part of the family you’ll also gain a great insight into Indian culture and customs. Many of our volunteers remain friends with their host families long after they leave India and in some cases they return to the country later especially to visit their family.

You may share a room with one other volunteer; and you may have an en-suite western style bathroom. Most of the showers in our host accommodation are cold water only – however your hosts will boil water for you.

All of our host family houses are close together and just a few minutes’ walk away from internet cafes, banks and snack shops and just a short auto ride into the centre of town. Our staff in Madurai also lives close-by.

All your meals will be provided and prepared for you by the family and it is mainly local fare allowing you to taste a varied selection of delicious south Indian dishes and exotic fruits. You'll also have access to the kitchen if you want to make snacks or drinks.

Volunteer Flat
Our volunteer flat is situated close to all our host families. This option gives you the chance to live within the local community whilst at the same time retaining your independence. This newly built flat is very modern, spacious, light and airy. It has a well kitted out kitchen and large lounge area with satellite TV, DVD and a good selection of DVDs for your entertainment. DVD’s however are extremely cheap to buy in the market at Rs 20 each! There is also a small balcony on which to relax with a cool drink and a book and gets a wonderfully refreshing evening breeze to keep you cool!

You will be provided with a food budget giving you the option to either cook for yourself or sample the local restaurants. Eating out is extremely cheap in Madurai. Opposite the flat is a tasty vegetarian restaurant with excellent south Indian Thali’s and Dosa’s. There is a supermarket just outside the flat selling everything from groceries to clothes and a meat shop below where non vegetarians can stock up on sausages! Many of the hotels in town have roof top restaurants offering incredible views across the town with the dramatic Sri Meenakshi Temple silhouetted on the skyline. Most restaurants are good quality and you can sample north as well as south Indian dishes along with a small selection of western food. Vegetarian food is in abundance! Bakeries and snack shops are on every street and be sure to try the delicious fruit; there is so much choice; mango, pineapple, water melon, custard apples and jack fruit make a very refreshing option and coconut water is also delicious!

To read about the extensive Support & Backup we provide in our countries, please click here.
 

TRAVEL, VISAS, plus SUPPORT & BACKUP:

You will fly into Madurai where you will be met by a representative from our India office. You'll be taken to your accommodation and introduced to the other volunteers before starting your placement.

You have the option to arrange your own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Limited, ATOL No. 6856. Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up before leaving for your placement.

Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get a changeable ticket.

VISAS:. We'll send you all the necessary forms and information and make the process very easy for you.

To read about the excellent Support & Backup we provide before you leave and during your programme, please click here.

We can also arrange your flight dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country!

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Last modified: July 30, 2010