Rousmaniere Returns from Volunteer Trip to Africa With Coaches Across Continents

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard senior midfielder Adam Rousmaniere recently returned from a two-month volunteer trip with the Coaches across Continents program in Blantre, Malawi. 

Along with sophomore Sophie Legros of the women's soccer team, and former Crimson men's soccer player David Williams '07, Rousmaniere worked with local teachers and educators in teaching 800 children the game of soccer.  During morning sessions, they used new styles of coaching the game, working in coordination with PlaySoccer Malawi, a local coaching organization, and in the afternoon, the volunteers taught other games and worked on other soccer drills.

After spending eight weeks in Blantyre, Rousmaniere traveled to Mzuzu and Lilongwe, running the same soccer program with local coaches.

Coaches across Continents, founded in 1990, is a not-for-profit organization designed to develop young people to become modern leaders in their community. Seamus Malin '62, a U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer, and Nick Gates '91 run this organization which allows experiences soccer coaches to work and assist developing regions using a designed soccer education curriculum.

Last month, Coaches across Continents earned the Best New Project Award at the prestigious Beyond Sport Awards in London.  Beyond Sport is the global initiative which, through its award program, seeks to unearth, celebrate and support the world’s most inspirational sports projects, people and organizations that drive positive change through sport.

Photo courtesy of Adam Rousmaniere.