Football Coaching in St Lucia
Make a real difference on your gap year by coaching football in the Caribbean.
Program description
Football is by far the most popular sport in the region with the highest participation levels, which makes it the perfect vehicle to tackle key social issues effecting the region’s youth. Under the guidance of our tour coordinator and coaches, volunteer coaches will work with inner-city city children within our partnered schools, free summer camps and our established community groups around the Castries area. Sessions concentrate mainly on skill and tactical development with an overall emphasis on fun, continued participation and social development.
In recent years St Lucia’s football teams have been gaining recognition internationally. Both the Men’s and Women’s teams have been in the qualifying rounds for the World Cup, an impressive feat for a country with a population of just 182,000.
As a football coach you will be working with local coaches and other volunteers to deliver coaching sessions in the disadvantaged communities on the island.
There are also lots of football teams competing across the Island. You will have the chance to work and train for these teams to help develop their skills for their regular matches. You might even have the chance to play for your team.
Saturday sessions take place with the islands top youth academy, which has groups ranging from age 8 to a senior level so the volunteer coaches an select the level they will work with according to experience, knowledge and ability. It is also a great opportunity for volunteers to get some playing time in competitive matches.
Another side to our work is the training of local coaches, we have recently supported the formation of three new youth groups across the island, you will aid the development of their current coaches while working within these groups. We also currently work with local children in the region, offering them fun coaching sessions and distributing any equipment that has been generously donated.
Your coaching role
As football is a relatively well established sport on St Lucia many of the kids you work with will have a good natural talent for the game, however their understanding of the rules, tactics and strategies are likely to be undeveloped. Your role in the school and community coaching clinics will be to introduce new elements of the game whilst developing the young players’ skills through the application of drills, exercises and conditioned games.
When working with local football clubs, the players will have a much better understanding of rules, tactics and strategy, so your focus will be on building up team play, match-play situations such as set pieces and working on skills and fitness in preparation for competitive matches.
Program participant criteria
To volunteer as a coach you must be a minimum of 18 years old. There is no maximum age and we welcome everyone who is passionate to help. But our volunteers do tend on average to be aged 18 to 25. No coaching qualifications are required, just a desire to help others.
Project Overview
Included
- Accommodation
- Airport transfers
- 24-hour assistance from our in-country team
- Coaching placements
- Welcome orientation
- Pre-departure support
- Transport to and from training sessions,
- Coaching shirt
- Breakfast
Not Included
- Flights
- Visa
- Additional food
- Excursions
| Project Length | Cost |
|---|---|
| Two Weeks | £695 |
| Four Weeks | £1195 |
| Six Weeks | £1595 |
| Eight Weeks | £1995 |
| Ten Weeks | £2395 |
| Twelve Weeks | £2795 |
Dates for 2022 Projects
| Project Start Date | Duration |
|---|---|
| 4th February | 2 to 30 Weeks |
| 18th February | 2 to 28 Weeks |
| 4th March | 2 to 26 Weeks |
| 18th March | 2 to 24 Weeks |
| 1st April | 2 to 22 Weeks |
| Project Start Date | Duration |
|---|---|
| 15th April | 2 to 20 Weeks |
| 29th April | 2 to 18 Weeks |
| 13th May | 2 to 16 Weeks |
| 27th May | 2 to 14 Weeks |
| 10th June | 2 to 12 Weeks |
| Project Start Date | Duration |
|---|---|
| 24th June | 2 to 10 Weeks |
| 8th July | 2 to 8 Weeks |
| 22nd July | 2 to 6 Weeks |
| 5th August | 2 to 4 Weeks |
| 19th August | 2 Weeks |