Ollie – Sports Coaching in South Africa

From January to April 2026, Ollie chose to volunteer in South Africa with United Through Sport as a sports coach. Although travelling to a new country on the other side of the world, away from family and friends, felt like a big step, he knew it would be an experience unlike any other and an opportunity to develop both personally and professionally.

“I was feeling nervous before flying out as it was a new country on the other side of the world, away from my family and friends, and a new experience for me but despite this I knew it would be the trip of a lifetime.”

With ambitions of pursuing a career as a sports coach, the opportunity to work with children across a variety of sports was one of the main reasons he decided to join the programme.

Inspiring Young People Through Sport

During his time as a sports coach in Port Elizabeth, Ollie coached multiple sports including cricket, football, rugby, hockey, and swimming, working with children who were eager to try something new or develop the sports they already loved.

He quickly noticed that while cricket is one of South Africa’s national sports, many township schools had limited access to facilities and opportunities to play. Through fun and engaging coaching sessions, he was able to encourage more young people to get involved and build their confidence.

“Cricket didn’t have the interest or recognition within township schools due to the lack of accessibility and opportunities, so I really wanted to change their perspective about the sport through many fun games to develop and grow their skills which was rewarded with enjoyment and larger classes of students wanting to play.”

Making an Impact Through the Learn to Swim Programme

The most rewarding part of Ollie’s placement as a sports coach was volunteering with the Learn to Swim Programme, where he taught groups of 20–25 school children the fundamentals of swimming and water confidence.

Many of the children had never been in a swimming pool before, and watching them overcome their fears and develop new skills became one of the defining moments of his experience.

“By teaching swimming I saw the most growth and confidence from the school children as many had never swam in their lives and didn’t have much trust to begin with, but by the end of my 3 months I saw those children jumping in the pool and swimming on their own.”

He was also selected to be part of a swimming gala at the end of the programme, giving the children the chance to showcase everything they had learned.

“It was a pleasure to be selected to be part of a swimming gala to see the students’ growth put into use at the end where we played many games and even some races.”

Reflecting on the volunteering itself, Ollie believes the experience gave him invaluable confidence and practical coaching skills for his future career.

Experiencing South Africa

Beyond being a sports coach, Ollie embraced everything that life in South Africa had to offer. From exploring the local area to travelling further afield, the experience allowed him to immerse himself in the country’s culture and build lasting friendships.

Some of his highlights included:

• Surfing in Jeffreys Bay
• Going on “Big 5” safari
• Taking part in the week-long Garden Route road tip to Cape Town
• Meeting people from around the world and making lifelong friends

“Apart from the volunteering side to my time in South Africa, the living side of my time there made me fall in love with the country. I made many lifelong friends who I keep in contact with and took part in many fun activities arranged by UTS such as surfing in Jeffreys Bay, safaris, and a week-long road trip through the Garden Route to Cape Town which was my favourite.”

Looking Back

Looking back on his placement, Ollie describes his time with United Through Sport as a life-changing experience that helped him grow in confidence, gain valuable coaching experience, and see the world from a different perspective.

“Overall my time in South Africa with United Through Sport was the best experience I have ever done and would highly recommend anyone to take part in as for me I felt I came out a better person who learnt so much and gained a lot of confidence.”