Overseas Volunteer Sport Coaching: Football in Costa Rica

With a population of around 3.9 million Costa Rica have a good record of producing talented footballers and are now widely considered the rising star of FIFA's North and Central American CONCACAF region. Players from Costa Rica have a rare ability to combine strength and power with spectacular skill. The fans also always show a great passion for the game, which was highlighted by the travelling supporters to various recent World Cup tournaments, in 1990, 2002 & 2006. The future looks bright for Costa Rican football.

There are many children in Costa Rica who wish to participate in sports projects but for some a lack of resources means limited opportunity. Through our football project in Costa Rica young players are given a proper chance to take part.

Coach Football to Children with Projects Abroad

As part of our football project in Costa Rica you will work within a local school assisting the physical education teachers with their classes. The main focus is on football, but you may also assist with improving general fitness and any other activities the sports teachers would like your help with.

The children are aged between about 5 and 13 and the local physical education teachers are keen to have the help of volunteers with new ideas who can help coach the children. A few schools do not even have a physical education teacher, so please let us know if you have experience and would be happy taking on more responsibility in a school that lacks sports coaching staff.

You may sometimes be asked to help with coaching after school has finished in the afternoons and evenings and there will often be matches scheduled at the weekends too. Some of the schools have football teams that compete in an after school Little League that it may also be possible to get involved in.

Your Role Volunteering Abroad on a Football Project in Costa Rica

As a football coach in Costa Rica you will help to develop young footballers’ basic skills and techniques. Volunteers will work with the local teacher to help co-ordinate and plan coaching sessions to develop - for example – ball-control, accurate passing, keeping possession and moving into space. The age of the children means they are at an ideal age to be taught the basics and to learn the foundations for their future.

At the same time, however, it is really important at this age that playing football is about enjoyment and participation. This makes your role easier as these children all have a real passion for sport and are eager to be involved. Your role as a sports volunteer, with the help of your supervisor, is to make sure the fun and the desire both continue.

Other tasks include planning match strategies, taking practice games and probably assisting in team selection too. So if you have sport coaching experience – or just a love of football - you can play a major part in this progressive sporting experience.