Sporty gap year?

[redfacebigdisgrace]

My son wants to do a gap year (from next September 2025) I’m trying not to organise it for him but I’m giving him a few different ideas. He’ll be working locally first to save money. He’s very sporty (pretty much all sports except doesn’t really play football), sociable and great with kids. Wants to be somewhere warm.

Anyone’s son or daughter done anything they’d recommend? Some of these programmes are crazy money!

Mine has worked at a sports club for 7 months (role involves playing sport as well as day to day duties) and is now travelling with an organised gap year group with the money saved from it. The job was ‘stumbled upon’ but all the other non-managerial staff also working there are uni age, sports-mad boys. Some of them take on basic instructor duties after a short while. Something like that might work.

Alternatively Camp America is low cost and would offer him the chance to do sports activities as an instructor/leader. Recruits can somewhat choose the camp so he could pick a warmer more southern state and spend 3 months there.

I have known sporty DC spend the year as, effectively, teaching/sports assistants in prep or boarding schools. He could try approaching schools directly. Who knows there might even be something at a UK style international school in Asia or the Gulf.

He could try and get a job with Neilson or Mark Warner etc.

Gap year post at a prep school is mostly about helping with sport

Look at Camp America for the summer. You tend to teach one sport, but since your friends are teaching others you get to try them all.

Does he like surfing?

He could try and get some volunteer work at some different surf camps in south / central America. They tend to all have skate parks too. This would require him to be pretty confident / out going though because he'd have to do the organising vs something like camp America which is all set up for him.

My son went with 'Winter Sports Company' on a ski instructor internship to Canada in November 2022. Initially they get intensive ski lessons to pass CSIA 1.. then they teach skiing until April. Very well organised and he loved every minute. 😊

One of my nephews spent a big chunk of his gap year teaching sailing in the Med and the rest of it working as delivery crew on some very nice yachts.He was already a qualified sailing instructor at the time though and a quite experienced sailor which obviously opened doors.
Does your DS have any coaching qualifications? If not, it might be worth him using this Summer to get a qualification plus do a first aid course - preferably an outdoors/sports specific one. I would think that it would give him the edge if he has some formal qualifications to offer,

Bali is quite a fitness health and lifestyle destination.

Friend's son played cricket for Melbourne Cricket Club for his gap year. They paid him and gave him accommodation and he had tine to travel Australia too.

Camp America only good if you’re 18 by the time you go (June) so no good for late summer born children unless they wait til the very end of their gap year!

@No1HolidayPlanner Did your son already have experience of working with kids? I see the website suggests that is needed.

ButPerfectlyFormed

My son had volunteered with the scouts.

The majority of his skiing students were children. Happy to answer any questions.

😊

Great info, thanks everyone!

He is a brilliant skier but wants sun on his gap year.

I don’t think Camp America will work as it will be too soon after his A levels. Maybe at the end of the year but he’ll want do something before then.

He’s helping a multi activities after school club at his junior school and loves it. I’ve suggested a coaching qualification to him and he seemed quite interested. Anyone know how we find out about that? It would be hockey and/or rugby. Thanks!

I’ve suggested a coaching qualification to him and he seemed quite interested. Anyone know how we find out about that? It would be hockey and/or rugby.
I'd start with the relevant national governing body's website, I'm sure he'll find lots of info there. Or ask any recently qualified coaches at his clubs how they got started.
England Hockey (I'm assuming you're in England, sorry if not!) also have a Young Umpires scheme which might be worth a look as it would be another string to his bow if for instance he was looking at working in a school.

If he really enjoys working with children then I would absolutely recommend Camp America. Go at the end of the gap year and use this summer to get a coaching qualification. There are limited spots for field hockey though. Flag football is big at camps so rugby might be the better qualification to seek. They always need lifeguards too.

I used to work for CA and being male, with great availability in terms of dates, childcare experience and a coaching qualification would make him highly sought after. A lot of camps offer pre camp work for extra money. Fly you out in May, you have to help out get the camp ready. Cleaning, painting, gardening etc.

The post from another above isn’t always true though and some struggle with the expectations. You are there for the CHILDREN, not for you to have a good time trying all these fabulous new activities. If you are placed as a specialist then you will be teaching the children that skill and then being with your bunk the rest of the time. General counselors go around to the activities with their campers and may or may not get to participate. Some camps let you use the waterfront etc on your time off but some don’t.

It really is the hardest job you’ll ever love but every year people go home as they expect a holiday as if they themselves were campers.

He should look at the possibility of school gap year jobs in the southern hemisphere - certainly Australia, probably also South Africa and New Zealand would offer such. It might require starting sooner after his A levels finish than he has in mind, but he'd get a "summer holiday" over Christmas instead. I can highly recommend the school my daughter ended up at during covid (dual passport holder so was able to get a place without having planned as far in advance as is typically required!) - feel free to message me!

Thanks so much everyone. He’s a bit like “it’s ages away” but I know how quickly the last year will go. I’ll talk him through all these options and see if he can do some training this summer.

That's my ds plan for when he leaves school!