Gap year sports courses & placements
As part of your gap year you could participate in a vast range of sports courses: Gap year watersports (BCU training, surfing, diving, sailing etc); Mountain sports (Climbing, MLTB training and cycling); Winter sports (Snowboarding, skiing); And traditional gap year sports (Football, cricket, rugby etc). There are lots of outdoor education courses to choose from right here in the UK, or you might choose to get a support job abroad with a company like PGL who offer you the chance to train whilst you work (or ‘Earn While You Learn’ as some companies put it). Similar to good ski and snowboard instructor courses, the focus is not usually on creating Olympic stars, but to train high quality teachers to deliver expert instruction. All courses will include an aspect of first aid training but you can take specialist courses independently.
If you are not bothered about instructing, you can still use a sports gap year to take your sport to a new level. Play football on specialist camps in South America and Africa, or qualify as a PADI diver in incredible Venezuela. These opportunities won’t just give you an unbeatable GAP experience, but a solid skill for the future too.
On and in the water: surf, PADI and RYA courses
Ever fancied bringing your own yacht into harbour on the shores of a new country? If your future is water-based, consider an RYA course as part of your GAP year. Qualifying as a skipper allows you to take a chartered or private yacht on the open sea – it’s not just a hobby but a potential business too. Eight weeks as part of a crew builds your character, your friendships and your tan! If you don’t fancy skippering, you could also train as an instructor to teach sailing and windsurfing anywhere in the world. Flying Fish’s dual-instructor course gives you twice the flexibility. These courses are currently available in England and Australia, or Greece.
Backpacker’s favourite PADI is the qualification for scuba diving, and is recognised all over the world. You can train as a PADI diver in (to name a few) Thailand, Africa, Australia, Venezuela, Egypt or Malta. There are different phases to PADI training; you’ll start with Open Water and you can progress as far as Instructor. Check what your course price includes: some will cover accommodation and work experience, while ‘no-frills’ versions are pitched at getting you qualified as quickly as possible.
Some top watersports gap years
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If you want to learn to surf for the first time, or improve your existing surf skills, our courses offer you the best in ...more
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Want to try kitesurfing in the country which regularly hosts the Kiteboarding World Cup? Welcome to Cabarete for what can only be described ...more
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Talented kitesurfer? Or have you tried it recently and want to develop your new skills? Our Assistant Instructor and Instructor Courses will ...more
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This course is ideal for any enthusiastic swimmer looking to become a qualified Lifeguard AND a Lifeguard Instructor in a beautiful location in ...more
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If you are a strong swimmer and think you can handle becoming a professional lifeguard, Australia is a great place to train. You will work with some ...more
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These programmes give beginners and experienced divers the chance to discover the underwater world of colourful reefs, fish and spectacular marine ...more
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This is the ultimate surfing course, demanding a lot from participants and designed to produce skilled men and women who are capable of working in ...more
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Train to become a PADI dive instructor in beautiful Thailand. We can take you from PADI Open Water all the way through to dive instructor in three ...more
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On the ground: ball sport courses
South Africa’s cricket, rugby and golf skills are legendary – where better to improve your game? Boasting world-class coaches and perfect climate, the country’s professional academies are highly rated. In fact its cricket academy, developed with the Nelson Mandela Trust, is considered one of the very best places for talented cricketers to elevate their game. These courses won’t qualify you to teach, but they’re bundled with African safari packages, making them perfect for anyone looking for an active opportunity as part of their gap year. You could combine any of these courses with a stretch of community work in Mombasa or Tanzania, or a conservation trip in South Africa. Also currently on offer is the opportunity to train as a professional football coach in South America – part of a package that includes accommodation and post-qualification work experience.
In the wild: trekking and survival courses
Build an igloo in Patagonia, forage for edibles in the Borneo rainforest, or track the Big Five. Learn how to do it for yourself on a survival course or country trek – there are plenty of ideas on Season Workers. These are perfect for anyone interested in ecology or environmental science – combining wilderness survival skills with the opportunity to study some of the world’s rarest species. Turn your experience into a career by training as a Field Guide in South Africa, or build your travel skills on a wilderness expedition. You may never need to build an igloo again, but you’ll go home with enough stories to write a double-volume autobiography. And you’ve only just begun…