Football Coaching and Training in Argentina, Buenos Aires

Football in Argentina
Consistently among the favourites for World Cup success it is no surprise that Argentina’s favourite sport is Football. When talking about Argentine football, you immediately start discussing past and present football stars such as Tevez, Messi and Maradona to name but a few. Although your task will not be to find the Maradona, you will soon discover that football is played in every field, street and alley way. Moreover, coaching football in Argentina is a great opportunity to see this street football in its most raw form, where some of the top players in the world have picked up their skills. This project represents a priceless opportunity to understand the Argentine way of playing football while creating a huge impact on the local community, helping develop their skills and providing them with values and commitment towards the sport.

Your Football Coaching Placement
The volunteer coaching project in Argentina allows you to coach football at the local soccer school and clubs, players of whom are based in the shanty towns of Buenos Aires and enables kids to stay away from drugs and crime by giving them the chance to play football. This will give you valuable experience of coaching football at the grass roots level with the potential to also work in a more structured environment with local clubs and coaches. Over 40 young players are supported by the school at any one time which offers a safe, secure environment for young athletes to practise and play football. The players are typically aged between 4-16 years old and come mainly from disadvantages areas in Buenos Aires. By choosing to participate as a volunteer football coach in Argentina, you will give young football players much better access to structured football training while also gaining a much deeper insight into Argentinean football.

We welcome football volunteers with varied levels of coaching experience. We just ask that you have played on a regular basis, have a good understanding of the game and possess a basic grounding in coaching principles. The emphasis is not on developing South America’s next international football star but about providing the opportunity for children from less advantaged backgrounds to develop socially through the medium of sport and build friendships over common grounds. From here you will be providing enthusiastic young Portenos the chance to play the sport they love in an organised and fun environment. Whatever your background, rest assured that you will be able to offer something positive to the children by choosing to be a volunteer football coach in Argentina.

Your Football Coaching Role
The football coaching takes place on weekdays, coaching underprivileged children in the shanty areas, leaving you plenty of time to explore Buenos Aires and the surrounding areas. As a part of a structured team you will assist the coaches by giving advice on how to set up new drills and exercises. You will see that skills represent a crucial part of argentine drills hence by introducing more principles of tactical movements, passing and team play, you will add a new dimension to their football training which you will soon see your players will truly appreciate. You will also be asked to help out with the educational side of the project, helping to teach the kids English in homework sessions before training.

Summer Camps
Summer camps in Argentina run throughout January. These camps attract thousands of kids each year, and are run in conjunction with a government sports initiative aimed at getting kids out and doing something constructive with their summer holidays. Volunteer sports coaches are required to coach: football, hockey, rugby and tennis.

Your Football Training Placement
The team is an amateur team located in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. The team comprises of local and international amateur and semi-professional players (hoping to make it to professional status). Their players age between 16-25 years making it an ideal team to make friends and also enjoy the social side of football in Argentina.

You will have the opportunity to train with the team taking part in all physical and fitness sessions; these include drills, strategy techniques and possibly the chance to play at a competitive level.

Criminal Records Check
We require you to complete a criminal records check in order to take part in this experience. We can accept those that have been done in the last two years if you have the certificate. In the UK it can be done through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), in the USA further details can be found on Travel.State.Gov, otherwise please search for your local service provider. We may also request a reference from a reliable source. You must supply these to us before departure and also take a copy with you to present to the in-country team.

Why do we require a criminal background check?
1) Ensuring a safe environment is conducive to learning, productivity and overall positive experiences for everyone involved.

2) We implement thorough screening processes and we are committed to safety and integrity, fostering trust among participants and the local community.

3) Conducting background checks serves as a preventive measure, deterring individuals with questionable backgrounds from attempting to participate in our programme.

4) Safeguards vulnerable people from potential harm within the programme.

Gap Year, Student Holidays and Career Break Football Opportunities in Argentina
Coaching and playing football on a football gap year or career break in Argentina is a great way to experience the Argentine passion for football and a totally new culture. By volunteering in Argentina on a football project you will soon make life long friends from your football coaching and playing experience abroad.

You can arrive any Sunday of the year from the first weekend in January, ready to start activities on the Monday. We ask that you vacate our accommodation on the last Saturday of your trip, either for independent travel or to return to the airport for your international departure.

We run trips until the second weekend in December.

Please note that at times bank holidays and other factors may disrupt trips but we will make every effort to provide adequate activities whilst you are with us.

Equipment Donation
We believe that in order to develop a long term social sports project it is crucial the resources are made available to make a positive impact in the local community. Therefore part of the fee you pay goes towards buying decent equipment for beneficiary organisations in Argentina. You will often get to use this sports equipment during your project and it is always left with the community when you leave. In some cases, an equipment donation may not be appropriate so a financial contribution is made instead.

Spanish Lessons
Argentina is a Spanish speaking country so you will really benefit from having a basic understanding of the language. If, however, you are not a confident Spanish speaker, you can take lessons at our language school in Buenos Aires when you arrive, and also throughout your visit. The school offers a personal one-to-one tuition from native Argentineans 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 all will benefit greatly from their time there.

The language lessons are usually for 2 hours a day to fit in around your placement activities. 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 Buenos Aires with a transferable skill you can use for the rest of your life.

Social Life in Argentina
Social Life in Argentina represents an important part of daily life. People from Buenos Aires are commonly know as the “porteños” who have the reputation of being quite talkative. Not surprisingly, you will come across loads of cafeterias where people meet up and have long conversations. This particular porteño`s characterisctic will easily help you to meet likeminded people who love sport and love travelling. Therefore, by joining a local team club you will meet a great bunch of locals who will help you settle in rapidly and also teach you some Spanish slang!. In addition, our in-country team organises a variety of social activities to bring volunteers together, to share their experiences and, above all, have a good time.

Travel and Adventure in Argentina
Argentina is well-known for its amazing diversity of landscapes and also its vast extension from North to South. It is not by chance that it has become a very popular volunteer travel destination over the last couple of years. You will get ample opportunities to head out of Buenos Aires and explore the local area at weekends. A popular volunteer activity is to visit a farm on the outskirts of Buenos Aires and discover the beauty of the surrounding landscapes while getting to know local villagers!

There are plenty of things to do in Buenos Aires; from attending tango sessions to experiencing a traditional Argentine steak. Lets us know if you can finish it! It is a cosmopolitan and cultural city which has been developing over recent years. The so called Paris of South America gives its name to historical buildings and impressive palaces. Therefore, if you love sports and would also like to experience a taste of an interesting and colourful culture then Buenos Aires is a must-visit!

Playing Sport in Argentina
Besides the volunteer sports coaching projects, we appreciate that you might want to keep up with your own sport and fitness. Therefore, we have developed a number of opportunities for you to train and play in the sport you love. Apart from the fun of playing in a competitive environment you will also soon see what a great social opportunity this is to meet knew people a share sporting experiences. This will undoubtedly improve your Spanish and will give you greater insight into the lives of Argentineans and how they like to socialise. Therefore, you will have the opportunity to play your sport, learn Spanish in a fun environment while building cross-cultural friendships.

Accommodation
Accommodation represents an important part of the social atmosphere in Argentina. Subject to volunteer numbers you will either be placed in our shared volunteer house / student residence in Buenos Aires, living with the other sports coaches who are in-country at the time, or placed in one of our homestay accommodations, living with a local family in the city. The accommodation is centrally located to your volunteer project with shops and other useful amenities close by.

Airport Pick-Up
Included on arrival date. Ask us for details if you are arriving early.

Accommodation
Shared house / student residence accommodation; Basic but comfortable; Shared rooms; Shared kitchen; Shared toilet / shower facilities; shared with other volunteers.

Breakfast
Breakfast is included at the accommodation, so please budget for lunch and dinner.

Training
Full project induction and local orientation given on arrival.

Support
Pre-departure help and advice; Local in-country team; 24 hour emergency support.

Flights; Travel Insurance; Visas; Vaccinations; Lunch and Dinner (Budget GBP £8 -GBP £10 per day), Spending money; In country travel; Laundry service; Extra activities not on itinerary.

Spanish course costs GBP £185 to book pre-departure or USD $210 in country for one-to-one tuition, 2hrs per day.

Preferred Duration
We would like volunteers to come on preferably an 8 or 12 week trip if possible. This ensures better management of the project and also helps you get the most from the social activities and group travel opportunities on offer. However, it is possible to come for any duration from 2 to 12 weeks.

Typical Hours
The football sessions take place during week days for approx. 4-6 hours per day. About two and a half hours training with a local football team in the morning, plus 2-3 hours coaching football in the evening, with the possibility of matches and tournaments at weekends. Note that some public holidays may cause disruption to times / days during your experience.

Pre-requisites
No prior coaching experience or qualifications are required, but a basic understanding of the game and/or playing experience is necessary. You also need to be healthy and of reasonable fitness. Basic conversational Spanish is required.

Ideal For
Football Coaching Holidays and Placements in Argentina; Sports Coaching and Activity Breaks in South America; Sports Coaching Gap Years and Career Breaks in Argentina and Student Summer Holidays.

Suitable for ages 18 to 70

Most participants are between 18 and 25, so please be aware of this. We do welcome older people because of the value and experience they bring to the community.