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GYC1333 - Tennis [coach,play & teach English] Country: Ghana Cost: £1295.00 Cost Includes: The price includes accommodation, food and pickup from airport but does not include flight, insurance, kit or visas     Duration: 5 weeks Company Rep Nearby: Never 0845 344 7613 or

 

	This placement would suit... enthusiastic individuals with a passion for sports, particularly tennis. You should have a good level of fitness, enjoy working with children and a desire to immerse yourself in the Ghanaian way of life! Organise fun coaching sessions for young players... Work alongside local coaches and help develop self-esteem and raw talent in children... Play against African athletes and teach in schools... What to expect Work in tennis centres in Accra and Winneba, training with talented Ghanaian tennis players, and improving their skills through tennis workshops. Test your coaching and playing abilities with national players, and help establish community tennis programmes to search for new talent. All this, set against the beautiful landscape and friendly atmosphere of Ghana whilst travelling and socialising with locals and other volunteers in the GAP SPORTS Community. NB: No prior coaching experience or qualifications are required, just an ability to get alongside children and organise fun activities. Tennis in Ghana As an emerging sport in the country, Ghanaian tennis has yet to make a strong impact on the international stage. However, the standard is steadily improving and the Ghanaian Tennis Association (GTA) has placed a strong emphasis on the importance of developing the country's young players. A GAP SPORTS tennis placement will allow you to work with young players who are eager to have guidance from a Western coach. And, if you feel confident enough, you will also have access to some of Ghana 's top athletes, enabling you to work alongside the GTA's top coaches whilst gaining first-hand insight into the progression of the sport. Your Placement The tennis placement is ideal for any volunteer who wants to get alongside young people through fun and enjoyable sports activities. The emphasis is on participation and there is no pressure to have any previous coaching knowledge. The players are keen to take part and, with the guidance and support from our GAP SPORTS team and the local coaches, you will soon provide the forum for them to do so. And, if you have the confidence and desire to pursue them, GAP SPORTS has a number of links with the top tennis institutions throughout Ghana. Placements have been secured in the National Tennis Centre and the National Sports College in the capital, Accra. You can be placed alongside the top coaches and national youth squads. Your Role Volunteers will have the chance to coach at a variety of different levels depending on your experience and personal preference. Volunteers start off by being placed alongside the coaches at local clubs. Here you will help run training sessions and organise games amongst the young players. You will also be encouraged to work with players on an individual basis, giving you the chance to introduce some of you own coaching ideas if you wish. Some of your time may also be spent 'spotting' new talent at regular tennis clinics. In addition, you will be able to coach and participate in the training sessions for the Junior National Squads. These 12-16 year-olds are serious about the game and have dreams of becoming the first Ghanaians to make a mark on global tennis. Volunteers with any level of experience are able to make a worthwhile contribution to the game and the GAP SPORTS team and local coaches are there to offer any guidance you need. Rural Sports Camp GAP SPORTS gives its volunteers the opportunity to experience life in 'rural' Africa. Although most of your time will be spent with your city-based players, volunteers are encouraged to take part in sports camps organised in the rural villages and small towns. You will give children the opportunity to get involved with sports activities by organising tournaments, providing decent equipment and giving coaching advice. You will attract a great deal of enthusiasm from aspiring young sports people, which could also provide the chance to find Africa 's next sports star!? Optional Teaching In addition to your coaching role, volunteers have the opportunity to teach classes, or assist in teaching classes, with one of the sports academies or schools based in Accra. This will give you another great experience and allow you to make a difference on, and off, the court. With a Western education you will be able to contribute massively to the standard of tuition that the students receive. Subject areas include English (language and literature), maths, science, journalism, business, IT, RE and a whole variety of extra-curricular activities. Accommodation All volunteers will be provided with a comfortable place to stay. This will either be at one of the sports academies or at a guesthouse nearby. The accommodation is situated in the capital, centrally located to all the placements and has a fun, social atmosphere. This enables volunteers to spend time with each other and some of their players off the court. Close bonds are formed, be it through helping them with homework, or simply by losing at 'kick-up' competitions in the back yard! The GAP SPORTS cooking staff will also provide volunteers with three meals a day and, although there is a variety of local food, a number of Western dishes can also be chosen. GAP SPORTS also has a support team who live in Ghana and is available 24 hours a day to respond to any queries that volunteers may have. This assistance can range from health advice to explaining how the local bus system works. Whatever it may be, there is always someone there who can give you support and guidance. They are also great social organisers! Social Life GAP SPORTS believes it is important to give volunteers the chance to unwind and have fun whilst they are away. The team therefore organises a variety of activities to bring volunteers together, to share their experiences and, above all, have a good time. Some of these activities include trips to Ghana 's best nightspots, All-You-Can-Eat-and-Drink nights, 5-a-side football and volleyball matches. Apeteshi FC If you ever fancy a game of footy, or simply enjoy the social side of football, then GAP SPORTS will encourage you to take part in regular football matches as part of Apeteshi FC - a team made up of volunteers and locals. The team will give you the chance to play with some top players, some of whom even have past international experience. However, although Apeteshi FC has a competitive edge, the emphasis is on the social side of football and is amusingly named after the locally brewed gin! And, if you play in the team or simply join in with the 'supporting', you will soon see why Apeteshi FC is renowned for its unpredictable matches and fiery social life! Travel and Adventure We will encourage you to explore Ghana either independently or in groups and you will have free time to travel the country, sample its breathtaking sights and meet some of Africa 's friendliest people. The capital, Accra, is full of great places to go and you will meet both locals and other travellers at a variety of bars and restaurants that provide authentic African live music and dancing. There are also a large number of Western-style pubs and clubs, including an Irish Bar, an American Sports Bar and a series of dance-venues very close to where you are living. And, if you fancy a football 'experience' to remember, then prepare yourself for watching Hearts of Oak at the National Stadium where the locals wave flags, blow horns and dance on the roofs of the terraces! Beyond Accra, there are countless places to visit. You could take a Sunday pleasure-cruise on Lake Volta (the biggest man-made lake in Africa) or you might want to visit the history-laden slave castles of Cape Coast and Elmina. You may want to take a walk on the wild side with the elephants at Mole National Park or spot tropical birds in the rainforest canopy at Kakum National Park. Then there's the 60-metre-high Wli waterfalls, the Buabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary (where monkeys are preserved as 'sacred' creatures!) and the endless palm-tree beaches lining the Atlantic coastline! The captivating places, intriguing people and diverse landscapes will make Ghana one of the most enlightening experiences a traveller could wish for. Our in-country team will help you build a travelling itinerary and give you plenty of advice on how to make your way through the country. If you are interested in this project, fill in the enquiry form below... 0845 344 7613 Join sports and non-sports community projects in Ghana, South Africa and Costa Rica, become a ski/snowboard instructor in Canada with work experience, play and train at international football, rugby and cricket academies abroad, or become a qualified dive master and work in dive schools worldwide... no previous experience is needed and applicants are welcome from all walks of life!