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After completing the bulk of your studies, all you may want to do is take a gap year – not to study more, but to do something that really matters. If you are a sportsperson, you may want to consider spending some time coaching abroad as a rugby coach to young children in Ghana. Children in Ghana may not always be very familiar with the game of rugby, but the thing about sports is that it brings people together. Children love learning new sports and rugby is one of the best to instil a sense of fun and excitement. Running this programme in a structured manner in schools is also a good way to discover new talent. These new talents will then go on to train with the Accra Rugby Club (ARC) and perhaps on to the next level of serious training. As a volunteer, you will also get the chance to play with the senior players at ARC and you will build friendships that last a lifetime. Look forward to basic but comfortable accommodation during your time coaching abroad. You will be housed in a dormitory style room where you can relax and unwind every evening with fellow "gappers". There are shops just a short walking distance away should you need any essentials. The dorm rooms can house between two and eight people, and you will have most of your meals here together – it is a wonderful chance to make friends with people from all over the world. Your job as a volunteer will begin by introducing the game to children between the ages of 12 and 16. These sessions will usually be conducted during PE lessons in school and, if needs be, you can come up with an ECA for players who show more interest. Remember some of these children will not even have heard of rugby, so you will need to be thorough with your instruction and patient with your young students. Your players should begin to remember all the rules of play, but practise and repetition will go a long way. Another aspect of coaching abroad is scouting for players with potential. You will get the chance to work with them in smaller groups before they get the chance to train at ARC. This is where you will work with them on the technicalities of the game - like mauls, kicking and scrummages. At weekends, there will be interclub matches planned so that players will be able to start to play competitively. In addition to coaching children in rugby, you will get the opportunity to teach other subjects in the schools here. Language and literature, maths and a whole lot of other subjects are open to you, and you can contribute a little to the classroom experience of these children. Your time spent coaching abroad will not only give you memories of a lifetime, you will also leave a lasting impact on the children you work with. In your free time, you will be able to see the finest sights of Ghana and absorb the wonderful local culture. The people of Ghana are known as the friendliest people in Africa, so perhaps you'll take a little sunshine home with you. Mark Bottell is the General Manager for Gap Africa Projects, an online tour operator which caters to interests such as coaching abroad and offers other Gap Africa Projects adventure holidays for adults.
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