Volunteer Tennis Sports Coaching Abroad

Voluntary Tennis Coaching Work-Experience Placements Abroad

Tennis is one of the most inclusive sports in existence today. Neither age nor fitness level is a barrier to participation in the developed world, which is why you find, in parks all around the country during the summer months, all manner of different people playing the game. In the developing world, however, where public sports facilities are unlikely to be a high priority on local authorities' agendas, tennis is more the preserve of the wealthy, and tennis courts are only found in country clubs or on private estates. The average person in India is unlikely to have ever even held a tennis racket - let alone have played a game!

At Projects Abroad we are trying to change this, by bringing tennis more into the public domain. We are working with schools and local groups to develop the game at a basic level, because of the inherent benefits that can come from playing the sport. As well as the obvious physical benefits, such as fitness and coordination, tennis is a game which requires intelligence and thought. It also emphasises important values such as sportsmanship and fair-play.

Your Role Volunteering Abroad on Sports Projects in India

Depending on your stage of life you can volunteer as a Tennis Coach as part of a gap year, during a career break or as part of an alternative holiday. Everybody is welcome! You do not have to have previous experience, although it is beneficial if you do have some level of ability at racket sports, as you will be trying to impart skills used in a wide-range of similar games, like squash and badminton. But in practice anyone with a general love of sport will be welcome as a volunteer!

You will be working in a variety of settings, but wherever you are you must be prepared to work in facilities which you may find a bit more basic than what you are used to at home. The coaching that you do will touch on many different aspects of the game of tennis, from helping children to develop their serves and positioning to teaching them about the history of the game, and famous players like John McEnroe and Andre Agassi. Of course your first task is likely to be teaching them the rules of the sport in the first place!

Most children - boys and girls - seem to have great enthusiasm and an unlimited appetite for tennis, especially when it is made accessible and fun. Before long you will begin to see improvements in their general health and fitness, as well as their confidence and general level of happiness. You may even set some individuals off down a path to sporting greatness! If you have the time and energy to help, there are many children, parents and schools who would be extremely grateful for your efforts.

The tennis coaching project in India 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. Volunteers who can only join us for two weeks may be paired up with another longer term sports volunteer.