Plan your trip>>Things To Do>>Sport & Extreme>>Football
Details
from £795
Football / Soccer Coaching and Training
Ref:
GYC 1172239Countries:
EcuadorDuration:
from 4 weeksor call:
0845 344 7613
more info:
click here
Product Details
Football in Ecuador
When it comes to football, South America is a hotbed of talented players and passionate fans. This is certainly true of Ecuador who has made strong appearances in both the FIFA World Cup and Copa América. However, while the country may have a strong national team, it still has a long way to go at the grassroots end of the game.
A lack of funding and support has meant a number of talented players, predominately from poorer backgrounds, have been unable to enjoy organised coaching sessions and competitive matches. However, by joining one of our football coaching placements in Ecuador, you will give a number of keen players the chance to train, play and enjoy football as part of a structured team. You will also be able to join in with training with youth players at a top football school. This will give you lots of playing experience and provide another exciting dimension to your South American adventure.
Your Football Coaching Placement
The coaching placement will see you work in a professional football training school, run by one of Ecuador’s premier teams, Liga Deportiva Universitaria. Historically, Liga is one of the more successful teams in the country and has won a number of national titles. Liga is a non fee paying school and offers places to the most talented players from all over the country. They also provide scholarships to a number of players, giving those from the poorest backgrounds the chance to study and train at the school, whilst providing free food, accommodation and transport. As you can imagine, there is a high demand for these places and the standard is very high.
As an optional extra, you can coach football at another local football school. The standard is not as high as the Liga school but it will give you valuable experience of coaching at the grassroots end of the game. The club welcomes over 80 enthusiastic young players from a variety of backgrounds and was established to offer a safe, secure environment for athletes to play and develop in football. The players are aged between 4 and 16 years old and the main focus is to provide players with organised coaching and competitive matches. By choosing to coach at this football school, you will therefore give more young footballers better access to structured training while gaining a much deeper insight into all levels of Ecuadorian football.
Your Role
By volunteering on this coaching and training placement at the Liga school, you will work alongside the local staff, assisting them in running daily coaching sessions, across a range of abilities and age groups. You will also be able to join in and train with the youth players. As you grow in confidence, you will be able to take a more active role in the organisation of training sessions and competitions.
The football schools hold regular matches against local teams and also run a number of tournaments on weekends. You may be able to get involved with these activities and will soon see how football is a centre point for many communities in Ecuador. You will also see how seriously the players (and their families) take it on the pitch! The football schools also run a football camp during the summer holidays which you will be able to get involved with depending on the time you travel.
English Teaching (Optional)
In addition to the football coaching, you may be able to help teach English to the players during your placement. The training programme at the football school incorporates language classes for the players, helping them to develop key skills while away from the pitch. You will work alongside the local staff to deliver basic reading, writing and conversational activities that are extremely valuable for the players.
Spanish Lessons (Optional)
Ecuador is a Spanish speaking country so you will really benefit from having a basic understanding of the language. However, if you are not a confident Spanish speaker, you can take lessons at our language school in Quito when you arrive and throughout your placement. The school offers friendly and personal one-to-one tuition from native Ecuadorians who will help develop your understanding of both the local language and culture in which you are living. Beginners, intermediates and advanced levels are all very welcome at the school and will benefit greatly from their time there.
The language school also incorporates a number of social and cultural activities into your learning. This will allow you to really discover the local cuisine, traditional dancing and cultural experiences in the city, as well as building good friendships with your teachers and other participants on the course.
The language school runs lessons in the morning or in the afternoon so you can choose which session you want to attend, allowing you to learn Spanish alongside any other volunteer work you are doing in Ecuador. It does cost a little extra to attend the language school, but the benefits really are priceless. Not only will you be able to build stronger relationships and immerse yourself in the local culture, you will leave Ecuador with a transferable skill you can use for the rest of your life.
Travel and Adventure in Ecuador
Ecuador has become a very popular travel destination boasting an amazing diversity of landscapes and wildlife across its four main regions; the famous Galápagos islands, the tropical coastline, the mountainous Andes and the lush Amazon rainforest.
Whether you’re exploring Ecuador’s national parks or the bustling markets of Quito, or partying away at one of Ecuador’s many festivals, you are sure to fall in love with the laid back way of life and friendly local attitudes. And if you fancy trying your hand at water sports, Ecuador offers a wide range of activities including snorkelling, scuba diving, sea kayaking, surfing and more. Whatever you choose to do in your free time, you are sure to fall in love with this truly captivating and diverse country.
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