You'll assist in the management and running of the school, coaching the children and possibly playing for the teams based at the school.<.P>

You'll work in Sports Administration & Management, Organising Sports Events, and Development and Grounds Management. As well as assisting in the management and running of the school, you'll also coach full time for the underprivileged community and possibly playing for various teams based at the school.

The experience you gain on this internship will be an excellent entry into your CV.

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW:

You'll get involved in a number of different activities during the day. Apart from coaching, there are also aspects of sports administration and management, which the school needs assistance in, including:

  • Monthly sports festivals at the Sports School - schools from around the country come to take part in these festivals!
  • Matches between schools and clubs.
  • Matches for overseas touring sports teams.
  • Sports facility maintenance
  • General paperwork and administration

This Sports School is dedicated to the development programme which it implemented to help the underprivileged children in the community and give them a chance to play sports in an environment just geared for sport with other local children.

You'll coach and play a variety of sports, including: Cricket, Tag Rugby, Hockey and Cycling (biking which is done as an outreach program in nearby Rheenendal). Football, Golf, Bowls and Tennis are also played but to not as large an extent. You can also get involved in a number of different roles:

  • Sports Administration & Management
  • Organising Sports Events
  • Sports Development
  • Grounds Management
  • Maintenance
  • Umpiring and refereeing games.

ABOUT THE SPORTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME:
The Sports School has a well established sports development programme which aims to allow children from the surrounding townships to come to the facility and receive free coaching. They also have children from more affluent backgrounds attending the Sports School so there is a wonderful interaction and benefits for both groups.

There are a number of qualified coaches at the school who you will be assisting, so if you're not a very experienced coach, or you lack confidence in your coaching skills, you can learn and develop your own abilities by working alongside these coaches. you can choose to coach one or more different sports and you can do a placement for any length of time, from two weeks upwards. The sports are divided into seasons as follows:

  • Summer (between October and April, with a long break in the middle from around 1st December to around 15th January) Cricket, Cycling and Golf
  • Winter (April 10th approx to 22nd September approx) Football, Hockey and Tennis
  • Tag Rugby, Golf and Cycling is played throughout the year

Morning coaching is mainly for the pre-primary school children while the afternoon coaching is when the local school children and older learners attend for their coaching. Any administration in attended to in the mornings.

During the start of the school year (February & March) you'll go into the township schools with the coaches to do talent spotting to identify children who have talent in a particular sport. These children are then encouraged to come to the sports school to receive coaching.

PLAYING SPORTS:
As well as coaching sports, you may also have the chance to train (and possibly play) for the sports schools senior/men’s teams, if you're considered good enough. The sports school has teams in a number of sports.

ACCOMODATION:

The volunteer house in Knysna is within walking distance of the town, yet set against a natural green belt. Often the local Vervet monkey troop comes onto the verandahs to visit to entertain the volunteers with their antics. The sunset views from the top balcony of the volunteer house of the Knysna lagoon are beautiful.

The house is large and spacious with free WiFi. Facilities include a kitchen kitted out for cooking, dining area, a few bathrooms, TV, DVD player, free Wi-Fi, garden and several wooden verandahs.

There is an outside courtyard and garden in the secure grounds where you can have a typical South African barbeque known there as a ‘braai’. Make sure you try the local spicy sausage known as ‘boerewors’(my favourite!)

WHAT TO DO NEXT:
If you’d like more information about this or any of our projects, please email or call us! If you’d like to apply for this project, please go to our website and complete the application form. As soon as we receive it, we’ll liaise with you and then start making your travel adventure happen.