COACHING CRICKET IN KWAZULU-NATAL

COACH, TRAIN, PLAY and RECEIVE ONE-ON-ONE COACHING FROM A FORMER INTERNATIONAL CRICKETER TO IMPROVE YOUR GAME. If you love your cricket and want to get fully involved, then this is the placement for you.

The cricket programme takes place in Pietermaritzburg, capital of the KwaZulu-Natal province which is renowned for developing such international cricket notables as Kevin Pieterson and Jonty Rhodes. This project is diverse in that it covers a number of areas.

• You will gain invaluable coaching experience to improve your skills
• Receive one on one coaching from former Zimbabwean international cricket player Neil Johnson.
• Coach underprivileged children at the indoor cricket school and in local development areas.
• During the South African cricket season (October – March) you will be able to join a local club where you will coach the junior teams, train with the seniors and play during the weekend.

PROJECT OVERVIEW
This project is a full-time, intense cricket project enabling you to become totally emerged in the South African cricket culture. You'll work in a number of areas within cricket which will improve your game and give you a greater understanding of the sport, not only as a player, but also as a coach.  You can expect the following during your placement.  Please note that due to the nature of the game and the impact of weather conditions, a certain amount of flexibility must be expected.

COACHING CRICKET AT UNDERPRIVILEGED SCHOOLS:
During the afternoons you will be working with coaches from the KZN Inland Cricket Program.  You'll coach at the indoor centre and at one of a number of underprivileged schools as part of a development program called “Willow Fountain”. This development program involves 23 schools and 10 clubs in the disadvantaged areas of Pietermaritzburg where the children don't have much exposure to cricket. With the help of local coaches and the equipment they provide, you can really make a difference. Whilst you're gaining coaching confidence, you will have plenty of support from the coaches around you.

You'll also coach at various primary and secondary schools in Pietermaritzburg that have cricket as an extra curriculum activity  and are in need of coaching assistance

COACHING, TRAINING AND PLAYING CLUB CRICKET: SOUTH AFRICAN SUMMER MONTHS ONLY (October to March)

During the late afternoons and early evenings you will be coaching junior teams at a cricket club in Pietermaritzburg, either working alongside a coach or on your own. The club has a large number of junior teams, from under 17s through to younger sides, which are coached on Wednesdays. You will be training with the senior sides of the club on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The club we work with has a number of sides that play at levels from the premiership through to social, so whatever your standard, you will be allocated to a team with which to train.  If you do get selected to play for the team, you will have the opportunity to play club cricket matches over the weekends. The clubs we work with have great cricketing and social facilities and you will be made to feel quite at home.

When you arrive you will be able to discuss the content and hours of the project with your tutors. The project will vary each day in terms of working hours so you really do need to be flexible.

A typical day will consist of the following (the times are purely a guide)

• 9–10am One on one cricket coaching You will also be assisting at the indoor centre with various necessary tasks after your coaching session
• 2–5pm Coaching children from the development programme at the indoor centre (three afternoons a week)
• 2–5pm Coaching in the development areas (two afternoons a week) 

YOUR MAIN COACHES:
As part of the course you will have a certified level 2 cricket coach running the project and looking after you.

Neil Johnson: Neil will be coaching you one-on-one during the morning sessions which will help your cricket game. Neil is a naturally-gifted all-rounder, who made a strong impression during his international career, particularly during the 1999 World Cup where he was influential in Zimbabwe's qualification to the Super 6 stage of the world cup. He won three Man-of-the-Match awards in the tournament. One of those awards came in his side's surprise victory over eventual Semi Finalists South Africa. Opening the batting, he top scored with 76 before dismissing Gary Kirsten with the first ball of the South African chase. He then got rid of Jacques Kallis for a duck and finished with 3 for 27. In the same tournament, he made an unbeaten 132 and took 2/43 against the eventual champions Australia at Lord's. Johnson is notable for having opened both the batting and bowling for his country in this World Cup. Neil played 13 tests and 48 ODIs for Zimbabwe between 1998 and 2000. Throughout his first-class career he spent time in both South Africa and England, playing for Boland, Eastern Province, Natal, Western Province, Leicestershire and Hampshire.   

FREE CRICKET COACHING MANUAL
Travellers provides you with a cricket coaching manual for your placement, as well as a manual for warming up exercises.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO WHILE ON THIS PROJECT:

• SURFING COURSES: In the buzz city of Durban.
• PARAGLIDING COURSE: Soar over the impressively beautiful Drakensburg Mountain. You'll get a licence at the end of the course which qualifies you to do solo paragliding around the world.
• 5-DAY OR 7-DAY SAFARI from Cape Town up the renowned Garden Route: taking in Dolphin and Whale Spotting, visits to many tourist attractions, such as a visit to a brewery(!), the Bloukrantz Bungy Jump (reportedly the highest in the world), and a guided tour of the Cango Caves.
• 1 WEEK WHALES, SHARKS AND DOLPHINS Project: This is an extraordinary and exciting project in a beautiful location, surrounded by white beaches and blue ocean. And two hours from the world's third favourite city - Cape Town. What more could anyone want?

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS