Volunteer Abroad in Senegal, international experience in teaching, care, journalism, sports and French language

Coach Sports Abroad: Coach Soccer in Senegal

Soccer players

Over the last ten years we have witnessed the emergence of Senegal’s national soccer team, with great performances in the African Cup of Nations and recent World Cups. In a nation where less than 30% of children can read and write, soccer can play a big part in the development of young people’s lives. This can be said for all soccer players in Senegal, from street players to youths competing for professional status, aspiring to be the next Aliou Cissé.

Volunteer Soccer Coaching with Projects Abroad

Our soccer projects in Senegal work in conjunction with local coaches, to help coach local teams.

The soccer-coaching program is based in and around the island town of St Louis. Training for both skill and fitness on a sandy beach is a regular occurrence, and although this may be a challenge for volunteers in the beginning, they will soon adapt. In the end some even prefer it to grass – after all, this is the tropics!

Volunteers coach soccer in Senegal to a number of different age groups – under 12’s, under 14’s and under 17’s. The spirit of inclusion can be summed up in the national motto, “One people, one goal, one faith”. Everyone is invited!

Sports volunteers should combine the Sports project with some time on a Teaching or Care project. Please let us know which option you prefer when you apply.

Volunteering Abroad on a Soccer Team in Senegal

Football

During your time as a soccer coach in Senegal, you will be responsible for the development of young players’ basic skills and techniques. You will co-ordinate and plan coaching sessions to develop skills such as ball control, accurate passing, keeping possession and moving into space. Furthermore, you will help your supervisor, usually the team’s part-time manager, to plan game strategies and you will lead scrimmages. You will also probably be asked to assist in team selection and to be ‘on the bench’ for weekend or evening games.

When you get to Senegal, you will be introduced to your team and the manager. Communication is one of the key aspects of sports coaching; therefore it will be important to collaborate on how to structure the coaching program. Don’t worry if you have little or no coaching experience; we can provide a specific coaching manual for your sessions, and the manager and his assistants will help you all the way, adding to your ideas. You’ll be the foreigner and your very presence will help to make each practice session fun and interesting – which is vital to maintaining the enthusiasm of the children.

This project is available for two weeks if you don't have time to join us for a month or more. This project has been selected by our local colleagues as being suitable for short term volunteering for both the host community and the volunteer. Although you will gain a valuable cultural insight and work intensely within the local community please be aware that you may not be able to make the same impact as someone volunteering for a longer period.