Category Archives: Sports

UCU hosts university games, scoops second place

January 5, 2024News, SportsPatty Huston-Holm

David Mugawe (second-left), UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor for finance and administration, celebrates with the UCU sports team that was first runner-up in the Association of Uganda University Sports competition. The team scooped gold in women’s soccer; men’s and women’s volleyball (2); women’s and men’s basketball (2); and men’s tennis – six gold medals overall.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
In only two months, Uganda Christian University (UCU) organized the country’s premier university sports competition and came in second best.

UCU was the best in the women’s category among the 21 competing universities. UCU scooped gold in women’s soccer; men’s and women’s volleyball (2); women’s and men’s basketball (2) and men’s tennis – six gold medals overall. UCU bagged silver in athletics (two for men and women), table tennis and netball. Team UCU got bronze in women’s swimming and men’s rugby 7s. The other games at the competition were badminton, chess, darts, handball, karate, pool table, scrabble, table tennis and woodball.

Ndejje University was the first and Makerere University was third in the 19th edition of the Association of Uganda University Sports (AUUS) at UCU’s main campus in Mukono Dec.16-21, 2023.

UCU stepped up to host the games in a record two-month timeframe — a feat usually undertaken in a span of 18 months. The event, which was previously scheduled to be held at Makerere University, landed at UCU’s doorstep on short notice, and the university embraced the challenge with open arms.

Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, the Vice Chancellor of UCU and the host of the event, played a pivotal role in the success of the games. He expressed UCU’s readiness to face challenges and their eagerness to host the next AUUS games.

(Left-right) David Mugawe, UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor for finance and administration, and Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, the Vice Chancellor, display the first runner-up trophy as Pamela Tumwebaze, the director of students’ affairs, looks on.

“As a sports powerhouse, UCU is honored to partner with AUUS and other sponsors to ensure successful inter-university games in 2023,” Mushengyezi said. “At UCU, we don’t fear challenges; we take the bull by the horns. It was right and fitting to celebrate what unites us and that is sports.”

UCU previously hosted the games in 2007 and 2013. In 2014, it hosted the Eastern Africa Inter-University Games, which align the region’s universities in a sporting competition.

Mushengyezi congratulated all universities that participated and expressed gratitude to AUUS for injecting funds in UCU, contributing to the refurbishment of the sports facilities.

Peninah Kabenge, the AUUS president, thanked UCU for being gracious hosts and commended the unity displayed throughout the event. She emphasized the historical significance of the games and encouraged athletes to recognize that their journey doesn’t end at the university games. She said the skills honed will forever be etched in the history of the AUUS Games.

Prof. Lawrence Muganga, the Vice Chancellor of Victoria University, lauded UCU for hosting the games and putting up an exceptional show. “I will not stop thanking UCU because it has done a mighty job. In two months, they have managed to put together a world-class event,” he said.

Recap
The UCU Lady Doves (UCU female volleyball players) triumphed throughout the tournament, winning all their games. In the volleyball finals, the UCU Lady Doves secured a victory against Kampala University. Sandra Ikiring, the Lady Doves captain, who was participating in the AUUS games for the first time, was elated.

“I am so happy. The team we played against (in the finals) was good, but we were better,” Ikiring said. “We focused on our reception and defense, which helped us win, and our services were so good, which gave the opponent a challenge.”

In men’s basketball, UCU Canons towered above Ndejje University with a massive victory of 109:78. In women’s basketball, UCU Lady Canons trounced Makerere University Business School 70:45.

UCU Canons’ coach, Emmanuel Kiguyi, credited the basketball victory to the teams’ hard work and exceptional shooting skills.

“We played very well. We defended well and the boys really shot the ball well,” Kiguyi said. In the netball finals, UCU lost a closely contested match against Victoria University by just one point (final score was 52:51).

Canons player, Peter Sifuma, said the team’s “goal was to clinch gold”. He expressed gratitude to the university which offers the sportsmen scholarships to pursue their academics as they represented the institution in the sports arena.

Tennis gold medalist Trevor Solomon Kazibwe, a first-year student and first-time participant in the games, was thrilled to win a medal and trophy for the university.

Sharifu Olipa, UCU athletics captain and 100m gold medalist, was full of good cheer at UCU’s achievement.

“I am proud of my athletics team. They performed well and that’s how we managed to get the first runners-up place,” he said.

The AUUS games have a history dating back to 1992, when AUUS was formed. Originally known as the National Sports Federation of Uganda (NUSFU), it was founded by four higher institutions of learning — Makerere, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Institute of Teacher Education, Kyambogo University and Islamic University in Uganda.

This year’s edition marked 30 years of sports excellence.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities, and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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Mbale’s best aspires to expand help to needy

December 29, 2023Sports, UCU School of Education, UCU School of Social SciencesPatty Huston-Holm

Josephine Adal, UCU Mbale College’s overall best student, shares a light moment with the Rt. Rev. Samuel George Bogere Egesa. She garnered a first-class degree in a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.54.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
Josephine Adal, the overall best student among 558 graduates at the Dec.1 Uganda Christian University (UCU) Mbale College ceremony, wants to improve the lives of others.

The 31-year-old is on her way with a first-class degree in a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.54. Adal was given a hand that she wants to return as a certified social worker.

After attaining a diploma in social work, Adal worked as an immigration assistant, giving not only her skill but some of her earnings to orphans, women and teenage girls, especially teen mothers.

Josephine Adal, UCU Mbale College’s overall best student. She studied social work to acquire knowledge and skills to make a greater impact on the lives of others.

To expand her impact and while still working, Adal sought a degree to stand a better chance of joining big charity institutions such as the non-government organizations (NGO). To fund this next educational step, she took out loans, got small grants from local village saving groups and secured money from friends and workmates, including one coworker who blessed her with $532 for her accommodation and meals.

She is grateful to God for the overall best student award and believes it will set her apart in the competitive world as a high achiever.

“With this first-class degree, I have the confidence to compete on equal footing with any individual,” Adal said. She hopes to now find a seat in the NGO world or government ministries with a mission of helping the needy.

She finds joy in extending a helping hand to the most vulnerable – from providing moral support to the elderly and children living with HIV/AIDS to providing scholastic materials for the education of the unprivileged children in her community.

During the holiday, she embarked on a mission to provide essential items, such as soap, to those in need.

Best male student

In addition to the Mbale recognition of the top student, who was female, the top male student named is Dennis Namanda, who excelled in the Bachelor of Education program with a CGPA of 4.48. Namanda attributes his success to a semester-based study plan, active participation in class, taking advantage of available resources like the e-library and UCU’s holistic approach to education.

“Time management is essential for anyone who wants to succeed in school or in life,” he said.

Of 301 graduates who were females and 257 males, six students scored a first-class degree.

Administrative key messages

Dr. Erisa Kigenyi Mazaki, the Principal of UCU Mbale College, echoed Namanda’s attribution about holistic education as he highlighted the college’s achievements and accomplishments that go beyond academics.

He shared the success of the university football club, where two players from the team, Kevin Mwambu and Emmanuel Mukisa, were called to join the national football team (Uganda Cranes). Mukisa got a nod to play with the team at the AFCON (Africa Cup of Nations) championship in 2022. Other stars that were nurtured by the college are Ritah Kimono and Brenda Namapii of the netball team who were drafted into the national netball team (She Cranes).

Muzaki urged the graduates to maintain the values of character, hard work and excellence instilled in them at UCU. Drawing inspiration from Colossians 3:23-24, he encouraged them to work diligently, remembering that their ultimate service is to the Lord.

UCU’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), David Mugawe, who represented the UCU Vice-Chancellor, emphasized the importance of graduates having a purpose in life. He urged them to set goals, serving as stewards of the knowledge and values entrusted to them.

“After your graduation, you should be purposeful of what you would like to do because a purposeless life is vulnerable to disruptions,” Mugawe said.

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UCU sports men and women shine at October graduation

December 19, 2022News, Sports, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Journalism, Media and CommunicationPatty Huston-Holm

UCU sports women pause with their medals during their graduation. Left to right: Basketballers Rose Akon, Agatha Kamwada, Sera Precious Yaweh and Aziida Nabayunga.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
A large number of Uganda Christian University (UCU) sports personalities exchanged their football and basketball jerseys for caps and gowns at UCU’s 23^rd graduation ceremony – a reminder that education and athletics can go hand in hand.

Samuel Lukaire, the Sports Administrator at UCU, said the university develops talent by recruiting young players who have shown potential to grow in their sports discipline. Along with attending classes, the players are trained and exposed to competitive games as UCU also has hosted major national sports events, often selected as the venue because of the Mukono campus modern sports facilities. Among the competitions that have been hosted at the UCU main campus in Mukono are the Inter University Games Uganda in 2007 and 2013, the East African University Games in 2014, and the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization in 2017.

UCU athletes share graduation thoughts

“The university engages in as many sports disciplines as are available in the university competitions,” Lukaire said, noting that they have teams for basketball, volleyball, rugby, football and netball. Other sports disciplines that UCU participates in are athletics, badminton, chess, wood ball, karate, taekwondo, handball, swimming and lawn tennis.

Some of the sports graduates at the October 28, 2022, ceremony, which also was an event marking 25 years of UCU’s existence, talked to our reporter.

**Rodgers Kukundakwe, Bachelor of Business Administration.**

“As players, we’ve been able to study, play, and eventually graduate.” Kukundakwe, a football center back, said, adding a reminder that for one to achieve success at university, they have to manage their time well. He thanks God for the successes registered as a player, including being on the team winning the University Football League in 2019 and the Association of Uganda University Sports games the same year. Kukundakwe is grateful to the university for meeting the costs of his tuition, meals, and accommodation throughout his stay at UCU.

**Francis Jurua, Bachelor of Business Administration.**

“At UCU, much as you are on a sports scholarship, education is given priority,” Jurua, a footballer, said. He adds that the university’s emphasis on education helped him balance both studies and games.

Sera Precious Yaweh, Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication
While studying at UCU, Yaweh played for A1 Challenge, a basketball team in Uganda. She attributes her victory of completing studies and graduation to God. She says that she had to go to school during the day and attend training twice a week in Kampala, about 15 miles away from school. And, as a student, she dedicated most of her weekends to playing basketball for her team. Some of the games would be played late in the night, and, as a member of the team, she had to be available for them. With such a schedule, Yaweh says she had to sacrifice several hours of sleep to read books at night and participate in group discussions with her colleagues.

**Muhammad Lubega, Diploma in Business Administration**

“It was not easy to balance books and football, but I pray we go out there and make history,” Lubega said. He also expressed gratitude to UCU and his family for all the assistance he got during his three years of study at the institution.

**Geoffrey Gaganga, Bachelor of Science in Economics and Statistics**

Gaganga was the captain of the UCU football team. Gaganga, who played in the midfield position, explains that it wasn’t hard for him to balance books and games because it’s something he has done since secondary school. He encourages fellow players to put as much effort in their academics as they do in sports because their profession will come to their rescue once they retire from professional sports.

**Rose Akon, Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance.**

Akon emerged as the best defensive player, rebounder, and most valuable player of the year, after her team won the 2022 National Basketball Association Women’s Championship. She attributes her achievement to being able to manage time well.

“While at university, I rarely got the time to relax and have fun,” said Akon, noting that her life rotated around the basketball court and class. Her greatest inspiration, she says, has been her family. During school, Akon says she discovered another side of her – laziness. However, she said the fact that she understood herself well enough gave her the opportunity to push herself beyond comfortable limits, in order to register success.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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UCU hosts first intercampus sports gala

September 23, 2022News, Sports, Students, UCU AlumniPatty Huston-Holm

Students competing in basketball during the gala. The Main Campus won the basketball game.

By Vanessa Kyalimpa
The desire to enjoy the experience of competition recently led Uganda Christian University (UCU) students to the institution’s sports arena at the main campus in Mukono. The activities, which were planned as team building exercises between students of the UCU main campus and those from Kampala campus, also offered bonding opportunities.

UCU Bachelor of Law graduates who are currently pursuing a Diploma in Legal Practice at Uganda’s Law Development Centre (LDC), as well as students from the School of Medicine in Mengo, Kampala, were among those who took part in the sports gala that saw students compete in football, basketball, athletics, volleyball, netball and chess.

The gala, which was the first of its kind at the university, was organized by the student leaders of the university’s main campus in Mukono.

The UCU Main Campus team playing volleyball with the Kampala Campus team. The Kampala Campus team took the day in volleyball.

Sarah Adokorach, the Minister of Sports in the current Guild Government at the main campus, said they saw the gala as one of the ways to competitively get the students fit as they physically engaged and had fun.

“I’ve been mobilizing and coordinating the different activities, and encouraging students to come and participate,” Adokorach said, noting that the idea of the sports gala was a hard sale, since they had never participated in one that brought together students from different UCU campuses. The best performers in the competitions were awarded medals at the end of the event.

“At first, we were skeptical that this would not happen the way we had planned, but we were pleasantly surprised it did, in such a successful way,” Adokorach said, noting that not even the light rain in the morning could dampen the mood of the students.

Since there was a lot of communication and exchange of ideas before, during and after the event, Adokorach says the quick benefit they reaped from the gala was the strengthening of the relationship among the leaders and students from the main campus, the School of Medicine, the Kampala campus and the alums pursuing a Diploma in Legal Practice at the LDC.

UCU Mukono campus students compete against the students of UCU Kampala campus at the basketball court during the sports gala.

Owen Masembe, the Guild President of UCU Kampala Campus, welcomed the idea of the gala, noting that oftentimes, students focus only on studies, forgetting about the physical aspects of their lives.

“Kampala campus does not have the different sports facilities that the main campus has,” Masembe noted. “So, the gala offered an opportunity for the students to showcase their sports abilities.”

The Guild President of the LDC main campus in Kampala, Boss John Bruce, in one of the football games, captained his institution’s team of UCU alums to 2-2 draw, after going down 2-0 by half time. “A sports gala is a place where we come to shed off some weight,” he said.

As a student at UCU, Bruce led the institution’s electoral body as the Guild Electoral Commission chairperson. He oversaw the transition from voting for student leaders at UCU using analogue means to an online voting process, e-voting app, the e-Chagua. The e-chagua helped UCU conduct elections even at a time physical presence of students at universities was still restricted, due to the Covid pandemic.

Daphine Kateme, a student at the UCU School of Medicine, who also attended the gala, said one of the fundamental needs for a person’s well-being is the ability to connect with others, noting that she was impressed the gala achieved just that.

“I made many friends from other campuses, just by talking to people, sharing our experiences and playing volleyball, Kateme said, adding: “I’m happy the gala offered me the opportunity to play volleyball again, after many years.”

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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Brig. General applauds UCU for discipline

June 6, 2022News, Sports, Students, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Medicine, UCU School of Social SciencesPatty Huston-Holm

Brigadier General Felix Busizoori (center), the new acting Commander of the elite Special Force Command (SFC) for Uganda, participates in the UCU student run with students that included Rachel Sserwadda (Guild President, at left) and Jonathan Kivuna (Guild Vice President, at right).

By Israel Kisakye
Brigadier General Felix Busizoori, Commander of the Uganda elite Special Force Command, recently deviated from his oversight job of protecting the country’s top leaders to run alongside Uganda Christian University (UCU) students and give them kudos.

The occasion was the annual Guild Run to raise money for tuition for needy students. Attired in lime-green vests sold for sh15,000 ($4 American) each, Busizoori and an estimated 200 others ran up to 8 kilometers (4 miles) for the cause on March 26. Busizoori’s remarks were made as part of his officiating role for the event.

Busizoori, who has the main responsibility for guarding Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, applauded UCU for producing “well disciplined” graduates ready for today’s job market. He commended students for the focus on their studies vs. participating in strikes as students at other universities do.

Guild Run participants in nearby Mukono town.

Previously, students have cited the “morals” that the institution imparts in its students as among the reasons they opted to study at UCU.

“Any health worker ought to embrace the values of servanthood and being God-loving, to help guide them in their performance,” Cherop Laban Sabila, a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery student, said last year when he was asked why, of all the universities in the country, he chose UCU.

The UCU Guild Run, which is meant to be an annual event, started in 2020. However, last year, it did not take place because of government restriction on crowds, following the destructive effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, the run was officiated by Rebecca Kadaga, who was the Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament at the time.

Other key participants at the March 2022 event included UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Assoc. Prof. John Mulindwa Kitayimbwa, and the Dean of Students Affairs, Bridget Mugume.

In the March 2022 event, the participants covered 8 kilometers (about 4 miles), starting at the UCU main pitch, running through Mukono town and its suburbs, and then back to the university. An estimated sh5 million ($1,346.8 American) was raised.

Frank Okello, a student of Bachelor of Child Development and Children Ministry, was the overall winner of the run. He covered 8 kilometers (4 miles) in 15 minutes. Okello said running is his passion, and that he feels treasured whenever an opportunity arises for him to represent his university at any marathon.

Juma Kyaterekera, the coach for the UCU netball team, came in second, followed by Rosenior Kulang, a year-three Bachelor of Business Administration student. The top performers were given UCU paraphernalia, such as branded caps, T-shirts, calendars and keyholders.

Kitayimbwa thanked the student leaders for organizing the event, saying it showed that they are alive to the challenges that fellow students go through at the university.

UCU Guild President Mirembe Rachel Sserwadda expressed appreciation to the university administration for allowing the activity.

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German footballer joins UCU Lady Cardinals

May 18, 2022News, Sports, StudentsPatty Huston-Holm

Sinah Rother (left) dribbling past an opponent while still a player in Germany

By Michael Kisekka
On February 19, 2022, when the Uganda Christian University (UCU) women football team won a game by 5-0, it was not an ordinary victory for the squad.

That victory for the UCU Lady Cardinals was against the defending champions, the Lady Doves. That game also marked the debut of Sinah Rother, a 19-year-old German footballer who recently joined the UCU side.

“That victory was a statement and a warning to the other teams about what we are capable of doing,” Sinah, who plays on the right wing, said. The Lady Cardinals and the Lady Doves are among the teams in Uganda’s top flight women’s football league.

“When I completed school in Germany last year, I looked for an academic institution of higher learning in Africa with a good female football team and I was directed to Uganda Christian University,” she said.

Sinah said she was motivated to come to Uganda by her coaches in Germany, who told her that the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) Women Super League was competitive and physical enough for her.

‘‘I wanted to play and compete in the best team in Uganda and that is how I ended up with the UCU Lady Cardinals,’’ she said.

When she arrived in January 2022, Sinah was told to register with FUFA, in order to be eligible to play football for the UCU Lady Cardinals.

“I had to get a football work permit and acquire a license to register as a female player with the FUFA Women’s Super League,” Sinah recalls.

Despite the hurdle, she is aware of how important the opportunity is. “Getting a chance to play for the UCU Lady Cardinals is a big opportunity for me and an experience of a lifetime life,” said Sinah, who wants to help the team win more trophies. Her coach, Simon Asiimwe said the team will benefit from her technical ability and game reading capability.

“I was overwhelmed by the support and the love the ladies showered me with. It made me feel at home and has enabled me to settle in fast,” she added.

Sinah’s biggest challenge, though, are the higher temperatures in Uganda, compared to the cold temperatures she is used to back in Germany, where she plans to return in two years.

“We were all excited when we got to know Sinah was joining the Lady Cardinals,” said Mercy Nabuloobi, the assistant team captain. “When we observed her train with us on the first day, we straight away knew that she was a great addition to the team.”

Hassifah Nassuna, the team’s captain, said Sinah’s exceptional talent will “help the team win the trophy this season.”

A second born of two children of Thomas Rother and Anke Rother, Sinah started playing football at the age of six with VFL Rheda. She then joined FSV Gütersloh and, later, DSC Arminia Bielefeld, where she has been for the past three years.

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Former UCU goalkeeper joins Finnish club

May 2, 2022News, Sports, Students, UCU School of BusinessPatty Huston-Holm

Ruth Aturo in action for the UCU Lady Cardinals in Njeru, central Uganda.

By Ian Asabo
The captain of Uganda national women’s football team, Ruth Aturo, has realised her dream of playing professional football after signing for Finnish club Kotkan Tyoaen Palloilijat.

Aturo, a goalkeeper of the national football team, joins Kotkan Tyoaen Palloilijat on a two-year deal from the Uganda Christian University (UCU) women’s team, the Lady Cardinals. She featured for the UCU Lady Cardinals for three years, helping the team to win trophies in 2018 and 2019.

The 26-year-old graduated with a Diploma in Business Administration from UCU in 2019. However, she continued playing for the Lady Cardinals.

“I am grateful to the university for providing me with the opportunity to play the game that I love, at the highest level in the country,” Aturo said, noting that she would not have found it easy to join a club in Finland if she had not got a chance to play for the Lady Cardinals. She was in UCU on a sports scholarship.

Ruth receiving her award for the Best Goalkeeper at the 2018 COSAFA Women’s Championship.

It was while at the Lady Cardinals that Aturo became a household name, with the Uganda football association naming her Player of the Year in the national league in 2018.

Like many student-athletes, Aturo faced the challenge of balancing performance in class and on the pitch.

Her challenge was even tougher, however, given that she is the captain of the national women football team, meaning she had class, club and national football team issues to concentrate on. However, to her, the answer remained in “being consistent, working hard and remaining focused.”

“While in Finland, I will be far from home but it’s an exciting experience that I cannot let pass,” she said. “My ultimate goal is to make it to the highest level, and this is a step in the right direction.”

Born on July 19, 1995, in Soroti, eastern Uganda, Aturo initially started playing as a center forward. However, later, she discovered that she could perform even better between the posts.

She began playing football in Senior Two at Soroti Senior Secondary School. From there, she joined Kawempe Muslim Secondary School in central Uganda, for A’level. It was her performance in the women’s soccer team of Kawempe that caught the attention of scouts who connected her to a scholarship offer at UCU.

She says it was at UCU where she was able to harness and grow her skills, and maximize them to the full potential, something which would later prepare ground for her to captain the national team.

Sam Lukaire, the Sports Administrator at UCU, is happy that the investment the university has made in sports is finally paying off.

“The right coaching through the sports program provided by the university has had an impact on the athletes, enabling such moves to happen,” Lukaire says.

He encourages Aturo to continue working hard to reach her full potential. Aturo’s deal was completed towards the end of December last year, but her travel was delayed until end of February. She says she used that time to watch videos about her teammates at Kotkan Tyoaen Palloilijat on YouTube, to try to understand how they play and their football philosophy.

Her longtime teammate at both club and national team level, Hasifah Nassuna, acknowledges that Aturo’s next step in football is only the beginning of her exposure to playing football at the greatest level.

“I am happy for Ruth. It is definitely not going to be easy as it only gets harder,” Nassuna said. “But I’m confident in her abilities as a goalkeeper and a leader on and off the pitch.”

As she arrives in Finland, Aturo is loaded with big dreams, hoping to not only etch her name in the global footballers’ hall of fame, but also to leave a legacy as one of the greatest ever Lady Cardinal players.

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Former UCU female footballers start NGO to train girls in football

March 21, 2022News, Sports, Students, UCU AlumniPatty Huston-Holm

Mercy Nabulobi (center) gives the girls a pep talk during the training.

By Ian Asabo
Football is a man’s game. Women should sit and enjoy it being played on pitch. These are some of the gender biases that have strengthened the bond among four former female footballers in Uganda.

Bridget Nabisaalu, Mercy Nabulobi, Collines Ahumuza and Ruth Akao – all alumnae of Uganda Christian University (UCU) – have formed an organization to further the access and acceptance of women into football.

The Women in Football Uganda (WIFU), an organization birthed in November 2021, has so far registered 15 girls, who are being indoctrinated into embracing football as a sport for everyone.

Some girls in a discussion during a training session.

Nabisaalu said the girls who early registered are from teams in Mukono. However, she said, there are plans to expand the registration to cover the whole country.

“WIFU partners with the girls’ teams to coach them,” Nabisaalu added. The program targets girls below 17 years.

The organization’s role is not only limited to coaching the girls on how to play football, but also teaching them other life skills that can help them off the pitch.

“Many coaches teach girls how to play football, and that is all,” Nabisaalu says, adding: “Other aspects of life are not taught, which, I think, is a detriment to an athlete’s development.”

Nabisaalu and her compatriots have in the past helped UCU’s team win prestigious trophies at the national level.

Nabisaalu played for the UCU Lady Cardinals for some time, before becoming an assistant coach of the same team. Ahumuza is a trainee coach for UCU Lady Cardinals. Akao retired and is the current coach for Muyenga Soccer Academy in Kampala.

“We are working with girls in different age groups, which allows us to be flexible in our training,” Nabisaalu said, noting that they give the trainees basics of personal hygiene as well as discipline to ensure they become “complete footballers and exemplary sportswomen.”

In addition to the one-hour session on pitch with female coaches, the mentees are also taken through issues concerning menstrual hygiene, discipline, mental health, public speaking and financial literacy.

Last year, since schools were still in a lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the programs would run every Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. However, this year, since schools have now opened, the sessions are held every Saturday, same time. The venue for the sessions is the grounds for Champions United FC in Kauga, Mukono.

It is not just the stigma against the female footballers that the mentors face as a challenge. The founders of the organization say some coaches at academies are reluctant to let their players participate in the mentorship program, thinking that they may be snatched by other teams.

Financial constraints also have been a challenge as some of the necessary equipment needed for the training is hard to come by.

Lady Cardinals head coach Christian Magoba praised the quartet for their commitment to the mentorship project, saying that he is confident the program will have a positive impact in the community.

“I am proud of what these ladies are doing both on and off the pitch. It takes a lot of commitment to undertake an initiative like this,” he said.

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UCU alum wins scholarship to US college

February 22, 2022News, Sports, UCU Alumni, UCU School of BusinessPatty Huston-Holm

Abby Priscilla (fourth-left) and some teammates and coach (second-right) after her farewell lunch at UCU

By Ian Asabo
Ugandan basketball star Abby Priscilla has won a scholarship to study at Grayson College in Texas, USA. Abby, a Uganda Christian University (UCU) alumna, will pursue a bachelor’s in business administration course at the college.

Abby says winning the scholarship had a lot to do with her performance on the basketball court. The 19-year-old recently earned a call up to Uganda’s national women basketball team. The selection followed Abby’s exploits at the 3×3 Afro Varsity games in Nairobi, Kenya late last year.

Abby Priscilla (blue) playing for the Lady Canons at the 3x3 Afro Varsity tournament in November 2021 — Abby Priscilla (blue) playing for the Lady Canons at the 3×3 Afro Varsity tournament in November 2021

At the tournament, UCU’s women’s basketball team, the Lady Canons, which Abby was part of, emerged the best in Africa. For the feat, the Lady Canons will represent Africa at the universities’ World Cup in China, in October this year.

In the United States, Abby will play for Grayson College’s basketball team, The Vikings, in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference.

“This scholarship is a big step for me because I am going to the United States, where their basketball programs set the standard for the world,” said Abby, who received a Diploma in Business Administration, at UCU’s 22nd graduation ceremony on October 22, 2021.

She added: “Studying at Grayson College gives me an opportunity to compete against the best players and teams in the world.”

Abby noted that playing basketball at such a level will make her not only a better athlete, but also a competitive one.

One of the people Abby looks up to is Ugandan professional basketball player Claire Lamunu. And it looks like Abby will not just end at admiring Lamunu’s basketball skills. She is also following in her footsteps to a US university. In 2015, Lamunu joined Vanguard University in California to study biochemistry on a basketball scholarship.

Abby credits UCU Lady Canons and her teammates for pushing her to the heights, a place she had never even dreamed of reaching.

“The team is my family and that is one of the reasons Lady Canons has been this successful,” Abby stated, adding: “I will always carry with me the memories of us winning competitions, as well as how we bounced back as a team whenever we lost a game.”

UCU basketball head coach, Nicholas Natuhereza, attributed Abby’s success to hard work, consistency and passion for the game.

“When she joined the team, she showed she had potential to be an important player for us,” Natuhereza said, noting that when they gave Abby the opportunity to play, she did not disappoint them.

Abby praised Natuhereza for being “someone influential” to her, both on and off the court, including instilling in her the basic principles of living the life of an athlete which, she says, have been valuable in her development.

Abby, however, acknowledges that the journey has not been an easy one. She says it was tough balancing performance on the court, as well as in class, which was the primary reason she was in UCU. However, she believes that the challenges only worked to motivate her to put in more effort both in the classroom and on the court. After all, her challenges were what every student athlete goes through – striking a balance between class and basketball court performance.

For now, her mind will be on the conference games with her name team, the Grayson College Vikings in California.

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UCU basketball teams to represent Africa at universities World Cup

January 19, 2022News, Sports, Students, UCU AlumniPatty Huston-Holm

Two Canons players at the championship in Nairobi in November 2021

By Ian Asabo
Uganda Christian University (UCU) has once again shown its dominance in continental sports after the institution’s two teams qualified for this year’s university basketball World Cup.

The UCU Canons, the men’s basketball team, and the Lady Canons, for the women, qualified for the World Cup after winning the 3×3 African Varsity Basketball Championships held in Nairobi, Kenya.

It was the third consecutive time that the Lady Canons were clinching gold at the continental championships, after their feat in 2017 and 2019. The men’s team, on the other hand went into the tournament in Nairobi in November 2021 as the reigning champions, having won gold in 2019, a feat which granted them a slot in that year’s World Cup. However, the World Cup, which had been slated for late 2019 at the Huaqiao University in Xiamen, China, did not take place because it coincided with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The International University Sports Federation (FISU) event, held at Kenya’s United States International University from November 6-7, 2021, attracted 28 teams from six African countries.

In the finals, UCU Canons beat Uganda’s Ndejje University while the Lady Canons defeated the Institut Supérieur d’Entrepreneurship et de Gestion from Senegal, who also were their opponents in the 2019 championship. In 2019, the UCU men’s team defeated the men’s side from the Institut Supérieur d’Entrepreneurship et de Gestion.

The next FISU World Cup will be held October 15-17, 2022.

The UCU teams and the coaching staff with medals at the Afro Varsity games in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2021

The Canons team was represented in Nairobi by Titus Lual, David Deng Kongor, Fayed Bbaale and Rogers Dauma while the Lady Canons had Rose Akon, Priscilla Abbey, Shakirah Nanvubya and Nandutu Martha. Lual, Kongor and Akon were also part of the victorious team in 2019.

UCU Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi praised the team’s efforts in Nairobi and pledged to support them at the World Cup in China later this year.

“We are so proud of what both teams accomplished in Nairobi,” Mushengyezi said.

Canons captain Titus Lual said they won because of resilience and hard work.

“I want to acknowledge the efforts of both teams; winning all of our games proves our dominance and I can’t wait to play in China,” Lual said.

Head coach Nicholas Natuhereza thanked the Vice Chancellor and the administration for the support they provided to the team.

“The Vice Chancellor and the administration have always prioritized the basketball teams, even during the lockdown; this success is a testament that the faith shown was worth it,” Natuhereza said.

The recent opening of freshly painted basketball courts at UCU is evidence that the institution is investing in sports.

Speaking at the launch of the painting during the lockdown on in-person learning in 2021, Mushengyezi said the project also is intended to uplift the face of the institution, most especially in sports, through talent development.

“When we have the best sports facilities, it gives us an edge over other universities,” Mushengyezi said, adding that the institution has always been known to be a sports powerhouse.

The Director of Student Affairs, Bridget Mugume K. Mugasira, praised the efforts of the coach and the university sports patron, Sam Lukaire.

“Coach Nick and Sam Lukaire have been here for a long time and seen both teams grow,” Mugume said, crediting much of the success of the players to the duo.

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UCU art students help renovate sports facilities

October 4, 2021COVID-19, News, Sports, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

UCU art students painting the basketball court recently

Story and photo by Ivan Tsebeni
Uganda Christian University (UCU) has taken advantage of the absence of students by embarking on the renovation of its sports facilities at the main campus. The university intends to spend up to sh12m (about $3,400) in the facelift.

The money is expected to be used to buy paint, among other things, which will be used for a fresh coating on the basketball, netball and volleyball courts.

Speaking at the launch, UCU Vice Chancellor Professor Aaron Mushengyezi said the project also is intended to uplift the face of the institution, most especially in sports, through talent development.

“When we have the best sports facilities, it gives us an edge over other universities,” Mushengyezi said, adding that the institution has always been known to be a sports powerhouse.

UCU’s team was the 2019 University Football League champion, beating St. Lawrence University 2-1 in the final played at StarTimes Stadium, Lugogo in Kampala.

In the current facelift exercise, UCU administration chose to contract the institution’s Department of Visual Arts and Design, which hired its own students to execute the project.

“We are using our own students to help build their skills and capacity, as well as to support them financially,” the Vice Chancellor said.

Jamada Bikala, a lecturer in the Department of Visual Arts and Design, thanked the university for entrusting them with the project, noting that it is one way of testing the skills of their products.

“We have, over years, trained our students in this field, but we have not been receiving this opportunity to be assigned such projects,” Bikala said.

Traditionally, UCU has basked in the glory of her superb sport facilities. For that reason, it has often won bids to host major national and regional tournaments. Some of the popular tournaments that have been played at the Mukono campus include the Regional Inter-University Games of East Africa (2013 and 2014).

On March 13, UCU came to the rescue of the Uganda Athletics Federation by hosting the national athletics trials. The athletics body was contemplating cancelling the event after their usual venue, Namboole Stadium, was ruled out because it was a holding facility for Covid-19 patients. The other option, the Kyambogo University grass track, was being used by Uganda’s Electoral Commission during the general election that was taking place at the time.

Michael Kakande, the UCU sports supervisor. attributes such opportunities to UCU’s high quality sports facilities.

Jackson Ssekandi, a basketball player, calls the renovation a shot in the arm.

“We could not feel comfortable playing on such rough and unmarked ground,” he said. “It is better now.”

Kenneth Amponda Agaba, the UCU Guild President, said the facelift was an aesthetic necessity.

“Our sports facilities were not enticing due to the old look,” Amponda said. “This development will encourage more talented students towards sports.”

Vice Chancellor Mushengyezi said the university will be looking into adding a modern swimming pool to its array of sports facilities.

The Department of Sports had been closed ever since last year’s lockdown due to the devastating effects of Covid-19 in Uganda. However, it was reopened mid-this year and the facelift is a sign of the department getting back to life.

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UCU vaccinates sports students ahead of major national leagues

October 1, 2021COVID-19, News, Sports, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Social SciencesPatty Huston-Holm

Students waiting for vaccination at the sports department at UCU.

Story and photos by Yasiri J. Kasango
As of early September, 50 Uganda Christian University (UCU) students who participate in sports had received their Covid-19 jabs.

The vaccination administration for nearly all UCU students on sports teams took place on the Mukono campus to enable these students to participate in the forthcoming major leagues in the disciplines of basketball, football, volleyball and netball. Some of leagues were expected to start as early as mid-September.

Speaking about the vaccination that was conducted by the Mukono district health officials, in conjunction with the university health team, Dr. Geoffrey Mulindwa, the Director of Medical Services at UCU, said the university management chose to prioritize sports students to protect them against the pandemic.

“They come into contact with so many other people during the games and, to ensure their safety, they were prioritized in the vaccination,” Mulindwa said.

He advised both students and staff members who have not yet gone for the Covid-19 vaccination to do so. Many of the vaccination centers in the country are giving priority to teachers, non-teaching staff and students who are 18 years and above because government has pegged the re-opening of schools to sufficient vaccination.

Uganda started vaccination on March 10, but many people have not been able to get their jabs because of the few vaccines available. By the end of August, reports indicated that 1,376,986 doses of Covid-19 vaccines had been administered, especially to priority groups of teachers, non-teaching staff in schools, journalists, security personnel, medical workers and people with underlying comorbidities.

Out of those, 977,889 people had received their first jabs and 399,097 have completed their two doses. Uganda has 44 million residents.

Students filling out consent forms before receiving the Covid-19 jabs.As of early September, 50 Uganda Christian University (UCU) students who participate in sports had received their Covid-19 jabs.

The Mukono district malaria focal person, James Kawesa, who represented the district medical team at the vaccination at UCU, said people can only get back to their pre-Covid lives if the population gets vaccinated.

The UCU vaccinated students welcomed the initiative. Faith Apio, a student pursuing the Diploma in Business Administration and a member of the university’s female football team, the Lady Cardinals, said she sought vaccination in order to protect herself and others on the pitch.

Cranmer Wamala, a third-year student of Bachelor of Human Rights, Peace and Humanitarian Intervention and a basketballer on the UCU Canons team, noted that he was eager to receive the vaccination so he can remain on the school team.

He also noted that seeking vaccination would help him to continue with his studies.

Samuel David Lukaire, the head of the university’s sports department, said many of the national leagues were expected to start in mid-September.

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UCU Rescues Uganda’s national athletic trials

May 14, 2021COVID-19, News, SportsPatty Huston-Holm

Trials I: Participants in the 100m race setting off during the annual athletics trials at UCU recently

By Ivor Sempa and Joseph Lagen
The Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) was until mid-March staring at a possibility of cancelling their season opener activity, the national athletics trials. The athletics body was contemplating cancelling the event after their usual venue, Namboole Stadium, was ruled out because it was a holding facility for Covid-19 patients. Their other option, the Kyambogo University grass track, was unavailable because Uganda’s electoral body had camped at the facility during the 2021 general election.

However, the trials finally took place on March 13 after Uganda Christian University (UCU) accepted to host the event at the Mukono campus track field station.

“We are happy to have been granted this field, free of charge, by UCU,” Mr. Dominic Otuchet, UAF’s president said.

The events at the trials included several track races, such as the 5,000m, 4,000m, 1,500m, 800m, 200m and 100m. Athletes also participated in events like javelin, shot put and long jump.

Uganda has embarked on the preparations for Tokyo Olympics that were postponed from last year to July 23-August 8, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. The 2020 Olympic games were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trials II: Participants in the 1,500m race during annual athletics trials at UCU

The trials were graced by some of Uganda’s elite sports athletes. These included: Halimah Nakaayi, winner of the women’s 800m in 2019’s Doha World Athletics Championships; Stephen Kiprotich, a long-distance double gold medalist for the Olympics and World Championships in 2012 and 2013; and Joshua Cheptegei, the current world record holder for both the 10,000m and 5,000m.

UCU also had its representatives that Saturday. They included undergraduate students Juscent Nyamahunge (100m, 400m), Sidonia Atto (400m, long jump), Williamson Oroma (400m) and Linda Evelyn Achan (100m). Nyamahunge and Atto are from the Faculty of Education, while Oroma is pursuing a Bachelor of Governance and International Relations course. Achan is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration course.

In addition to the athletics teams from the Uganda Police, Uganda Wildlife Authority and Uganda Prisons, universities of Ndejje and Makerere also had representatives at the trials.

Nyamahunge, UCU’s team captain, said the trials were the first opportunity for them to compete nationally since the lockdown was instituted in March 2020. As part of the lockdown measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus, government banned sports activities in the country. The ban was later lifted after more than six months.

“Running alongside Uganda’s athletics stars, including a World Record holder, helps the student athletes create realistic benchmarks for themselves in preparation for the trials’ second heat in July this year,” Nyamahunge said.

Sam Lukayire, the sports department’s administrator at UCU, shared the same sentiments. “Not many young Ugandan athletes get to run alongside their heroes; that is what makes today special,” Lukayire said.

UCU athletics coach Timothy Kabuye, a certified International Athletics Association Federations (IAAF) trainer, beams with pride over the performance of his team.

“Given the times, we have done well. We can only improve from here,” he said. “I thank the university for offering us this opportunity.”

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Two UCU soccer players help team secure 5th trophy

April 30, 2021News, Sports, Students, UCU AlumniPatty Huston-Holm

Fred Atuhwera, UCU student and star soccer player with the Gomba Lions

By Ivor Sempa and Joseph Lagen

Two final-year students of Uganda Christian University (UCU) were among the players who helped their team win a soccer tournament at the finals played at the picturesque St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende, off Entebbe Road. For their outstanding performance, Fred Atuhwera, Derrick Mbowa and teammates helped their team – Gomba Lions – walk home with a sh12m (about $3,300) cash prize after roaring past the Buddu Buddu Football Club (FC).

Part of the award money is distributed among the football players and part supports administration of the club.

Twenty-three-year-old Fred Atuhwera is a final-year student of Bachelor of Business Administration, while Derrick Mbowa, 24, is pursuing a Bachelor of Procurement & Logistics Management course, also in his final year.

The Masaza Cup tournament, held since 2004, was one of the sports activities affected by the Covid-19 lockdown imposed on sports in the country last year. As a result, the competition, which usually attracts a record number of spectators in the country, started six months later, in December 2020. The finals, held on March 6, were played behind closed-doors to fans. Attendance was only by invitation. The tournament is played by the local administrative units in Buganda, called counties. Buganda is the biggest kingdom in Uganda.

Atuhwera, a three-time winner of the Masaza Cup, is a central defensive midfielder. UCU also has had the opportunity of benefitting from his immense talent. In 2019, Atuhwera helped UCU win the soccer league of Uganda’s University Games.

Atuhwera’s three medals in the Masaza Cup have come with three different teams – Mawokota in 2015, Buddu in 2016 and the most recent, Gomba.

UCU student and soccer player, Derrick Mbowa

On the other hand, Derrick Mbowa is an attacking midfielder on UCU’s soccer team, the Cardinals. For four years, Mbowa has been part of the university soccer team, until 2020, when he retired from competitive university sports. Mbowa has also previously played for other counties in the Masaza Cup, such as Kyaggwe FC.

When asked about the performance of Atuhwera and Mbowa, the coach of Gomba Lions, Ambrose Kirya, said: “These two players have helped the team win and their names will remain etched in the Masaza Cup history.”

For his outstanding performance, Atuhwera was named the best central defensive midfielder of the 2020 competition, while Mbowa scored one of the three goals that helped his team roar to victory.

Kirya lauded the vibrancy of Uganda’s University League, saying it is from there that he scouted Atuhwera and Mbowa. He tasked other universities with borrowing a leaf from the books of UCU’s level of organisation and commitment to develop the game of soccer.

Atuhwera said: “Winning has always been a part of me. While I am excited, it is normal for me to win trophies as I have done back home at UCU. Winning for UCU brings me particularly more joy because I get to represent the university’s students.”

Mbowa, who will be leaving the university soon, pledged commitment to help his alma mater, even when he is out. “I am proud to have served UCU and I pledge to bring more young talent to the university, in order to grow the team,” he said, adding: “I send my appreciation to all those in UCU who have always believed in me.”

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UCU sports department struggles during pandemic

March 17, 2021News, SportsPatty Huston-Holm

UCU men’s football team receive the trophy for University Football league in 2019. Courtesy photo — UCU men’s football team receive trophy for University Football league in 2019. Courtesy photo

By Lule Eriah

The strange silence at the Uganda Christian University’s sports department speaks volumes about how hard COVID-19 has hit sports activities in the academic institution. Usually, around this time of the year, activities such as the university football league and the basketball league as well as the interdepartmental sports activities keep the department busy. But that is no more, at least until the threat of COVID-19 is diminished.

On March 18, 2020, the government of Uganda imposed a countrywide lockdown that left all academic institutions in the country closed. The sports department has not opened since then.

What have the people running the department been up to?

“We are doing other things to survive,” said Cornelius Engwenyu, the head of the sports department at UCU. “My wife and I have a young family to take care of and when the situation normalizes, we shall come back and work.”

He noted that he and others have started small retail businesses and ventured into farming with crops, livestock and poultry “in order to survive.”

The sports department head said that despite the lockdown, the department is in touch with all the UCU players on WhatsApp.

In October last year, universities were allowed to open for final-year students, but with stringent standard operating procedures.

UCU Director of Students Affairs (DOSA) Bridget Mugume said that due to COVID-19, the university suspended all the sports activities and halted staff contracts.

“The university couldn’t sustain the sports and its administrators because it was financially struggling,” Mrs. Mugume said.

According to the DOSA, the sports department takes 35% of the students’ activity fee, which the university could not raise. Mugume added that the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that the government asked the university to implement before taking players to the pitch needed more money to put in place.

For instance, she cited the periodic mandatory testing of the athletes for Covid-19. The cost of a Covid-19 test in Uganda is a minimum of sh180,000 (about $50) per person. In some facilities, the cost is up to sh250,000 (about $68).

She noted that even if the university leagues open in the near future, the university’s participation will be determined by the capacity to raise funds for the activities. All the leagues where UCU participates on the national level, such as basketball, volleyball, netball, wood ball and women’s football are still suspended because of Covid-19.

The suspension of the sports activities also has affected students on sports scholarship. Engwenyu said the university has only allowed to continue paying tuition for the students who were on scholarship before the lockdown.

“However for the new players that are coming on board, the university can’t sponsor their education because of lack of funds and has stopped new entries to maintain the existing scholarships,” he said.

Engwenyu said among the country’s sports federations, it was only the Federation of Uganda Football Associations that gave footballers food during the lockdown last year. Uganda was under a lockdown from March to June.

The suspension of university sports activities has led the athletes to venture into other income-generating activities for survival. Former UCU guild sports minister and male football team captain for the Canons, Derrick Were, said many of the athletes have ventured into farming, trade and ICT.

“Although we are still in contact with our coaches, it is difficult to maintain the fitness levels because we don’t have pitches to practice from, and the time,” Were added.

Fred Tuhaise, a midfielder on the UCU male football team, said he has started farming to support himself.

“Covid-19 showed me that apart from football and school, I can do something else to earn a living,” he said. “I am working hard to be one of the best farmers in my area.”

Hasifa Nassuna, a former national women team captain and the forward player for UCU Lady Cardinals basketball team, said due to lack of activity, some of the players are struggling to pay rent for the houses they occupy.

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2020 Global 5K participants from USA, Canada, Nigeria, Uganda

May 19, 2020Faculty, Scholarship, Sports, Students, UCU Alumni#Canada, #Florida, #Global5K, #markbartels, #NewMexico, #Nigeria, #Pennsylvania, #UgandaChristianUniversity, Scholarship, UgandaPartnersPatty Huston-Holm

By Patty Huston-Holm

“If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together.”

The African proverb was the essence for the first few years of the Global 5K, a five-kilometer (3.1 miles) walk/run/social engagement activity sponsored by the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Partners non-profit organization. Abby Bartels, who lived for 10 years on the University campus and raised three children there with her husband, Mark, is the founder.

The year was 2015 and a time when many organizations were jumping on a 5K fund-raising bandwagon. For UCU Partners, it was less about raising money and more about building a relationship base among alumni of the Uganda Studies Program (USP), a one-semester, UCU learning experience for students enrolled in Christian universities, mostly in the United States. Mark Bartels, executive director for UCU Partners, started USP on the UCU Mukono campus. UCU Partners values USP alumni because they are a unique set of donors who have lived and studied at UCU.

“The event was actually better than expected because it strengthened connections not just with American students but with Honor’s College students and staff,” Abby, now living in Pennsylvania, said. “In addition to a time for remembering and re-connecting about a cultural, Christ-centered experience, it became an opportunity to raise money for Ugandan students in need.”

According to Ashton Davey, UCU Partners fundraising coordinator and facilitator for the 2020 Global 5K, nearly 200 people participated this year. Despite the hiccup of having an event on April 4 in the midst of worldwide COVID-19 lockdowns, more than $3,000 was generated, mostly by participant purchases of the event’s green T-shirt. The funds will supplement tuition for 12 needy students at UCU.

“Many participants found the Global 5K to be good motivation to get out of the house and simultaneously support a great cause,” Ashton said. “The event’s flexibility allowed people to participate alone from wherever they live, which allowed them to adhere to social distancing guidelines.”

So what was it like engaging in an event during an unprecedented worldwide pandemic? From Canada, Nigeria and Uganda, and nearly half of the 50 USA states, here is a sample of thoughts compiled from virtual interviews.

Atimango Innocent (Minna, Nigeria) – former UCU Honors College student who previously benefited from the scholarship assistance and was once a USP staff member; now engaged with The Navigators, two-year discipleship training program

In the midst of focusing on Mathew 28: 19-20 and its message about “making disciples of all nations,” Innocent and a friend, Drew Uduimoh, did 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) for the Global 5K. She has done it every year except for maybe one when the event didn’t get off the ground. For 2020 and while Nigeria reported more than 800 virus cases, she jogged around the town where she lives with no lockdown restrictions.

“I feel personal about it since I was one of the students who benefited directly from the funding,” she said of the Global 5K. “But I also find it a time to do reflections on people and on the Lord.”

Mikaela Hummel (Pakenham, Ontario, Canada) – USP student in 2019, while studying at Houghton (NY) College, where she receives her undergraduate degree in May; preparing to begin studies for a Masters of Science degree in physiotherapy

Mikaela, at right, with her family in Canada

On the day of the Global 5K, it was 10 Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) in Pakenham, Ontario, where Mikaela participated in the event with her mom, dad, sister and dog. She wore long sleeves under her green shirt and her traditional African kitenge-design shorts. The area where they ran was a bit quieter than usual as COVID-19 restrictions had most stores closed and gatherings limited to five people or less.

“The experience in Uganda helped me to pause and think about what is really important in life,” she said. “The Global 5K is a time to reflect on that again. The pandemic puts the brakes on even stronger, reminding us to trust God.”

Erin Neilson (Gallup, New Mexico) – USP student in 2006 while majoring in music at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pa.; now raising two children and serving on a church music team with her husband, Phil, a middle school English teacher and also a 2006 USP student and USP program assistant 2008-2009

USP alumni, Erin and Phil, and family in New Mexico

On the date of the 5K Zoom discussion on April 20, New Mexico had more than 2,000 confirmed cases of cornonavirus. Sixteen days earlier, the Neilson family of four, living in a small town near part of the Navajo Nation, did 5 kilometers. A special highlight was that Christiana, age 5, made the entire distance on her own. Caleb, a toddler, was carried.

“We had been hoping to hike with friends, but due to social distancing requirements, we ended up with time just as a family,” Erin said. Fourteen years after our USP experience I am reminded of the value Ugandans place on presence and am trying to live that daily with my children.”

Laura Sollenberger (Gainesville, Florida) – USP student in 2018 while majoring in exercise science at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pa.; now finishing her Penn State University bachelor’s degree in nursing through on-line classes while living back home with her parents

For Laura, her career move from occupational therapy to nursing was stimulated by a 150-hour internship at the Church of Uganda hospital (Mukono), where she realized the intimate and critical role of health care workers at a patient’s side. COVID-19 has reinforced that decision with some frustration that she can’t be on the front line now; she graduates in December.

Laura’s UCU experience in 2018 was “life-changing with deeper connections to friends and God, clearer purpose, better understanding of systemic injustices, and the challenge of learning from new cultural perspectives,” she said.

Laura planned to re-connect with 10 of those friends by participating in the Global 5K and making rolex afterwards in Lancaster, Pa. Instead, she is sheltered with family in her home state of Florida. Her mom and dad did the 5K with her.

“We did a Zoom afterwards,” she said of her USP friends. She added, “I will definitely go back to Uganda someday.”

Molho Bernard (Kilowoza/Mukono District, Uganda) – 2018 UCU graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Education, working with the Honors College and USP up to February 2020 when Ugandan universities closed due to COVID restrictions while pursuing a Masters of Education in Planning and Administration.

On April 4, Bernard engaged in his second Global 5K by walking around his compound – different than the previous year when there were more people and it occurred on the campus. His “informal” companion during his warm-up with push ups and laps around the compound was a two-year-old named Mathew who lives in the same area and “loves coming to my room to watch me do some art work.” The 5K has special meaning to Bernard as he was once a recipient of the money raised through the event.

“In 2018, my family was going through a financial breakdown, and I was afraid of getting a dead semester,” he said. “Through the proceeds of 5K through UCU Partners, I was able to have my tuition and graduation fees cleared.”

Bernard continues to appreciate the Christian and academic standards at UCU. The environment has enabled him to “know Christ more, and I have grown up more in loving, trusting and obeying Him.”

Ashton, who splits her time between Uganda and Kansas, said it was “heartwarming” to see social media posts of people supporting Uganda Christian University in the 5K green T-shirts – from those “running in rural villages in Uganda and families hiking to wave across the state border at each other to USP alumni organizing a Zoom call to reflect on the lessons they learned in Uganda.”

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With the help of Canadian mentor, ball hockey breaks ground in Uganda

March 30, 2020Faculty, Sports#ballhockey, #Canada, #hockey, #JeanChamberlain, #MarchMadness, #ThomFroese, #UgandaChristianUniversity, UgandaPartnersPatty Huston-Holm

Ball Hockey team during training at the Uganda Christian University sports field

By Maxy Abenaitwe

Africans take pride in their cultural roots. For Ugandan Amon Matthew, the curiosity for other cultures has always been equally as strong.

Captain Amon Matthew with the Uganda flag

That inquisitiveness found an eight-year-old Matthew playing ball hockey, a sport more common to Canada. He played it on the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Mukono campus with the children of a Canadian couple, journalist Thom Froese and medical doctor, Jean Chamberlain Froese, founder of the UCU Save the Mothers program.

Now age 22 and captain of the UCU Ball Hockey Team that in March 2020 had no name, Matthew recalled his addiction to “the most beautiful and interesting thing” he had learned. Referring to the ball hockey sport, he added, “Out of love for the game, I put my all.”

Uganda Ball Hockey will forever be grateful to Froese for building the first playground at the UCU staff quarters. Now, Matthew has taken over the ball hockey team reins from the Canadian founder.

“At that point, I realized I had been left with a huge task ahead of me, considering the fact that I was young and still in secondary school,” Matthew said. Part of taking his leadership role seriously involved missing his high school sports activities. When students questioned his absence, he replied with two words – ball hockey – and then had to explain what that was.

Captain Amon Matthew with ball hockey supporters

Ice hockey is synonymous with Canada. When the ball hockey sport evolved by replacing an ice puck with a tennis ball in the 19^th century, ball hockey became elevated in popularity in this North American country. Rules between hockey on ice and other surfaces vary but all involve using sticks to move an object toward a goal.

Matthew’s excitement about the sport became contagious for other Ugandan youth. There were teams and games – first informally among young men and then formally with Matthew’s persuasion to places like the Baroda International Vocational Institute in Mukono and UCU.

By 2018 and armed with videos and enthusiasm, Matthew approached the Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports. He also visited the National Council for Sports, and met with a representative of the Uganda Hockey Association and the Mukono Municipality Mayor, George Fred Kagimu, who had watched the game in Sweden. With some coaching, ball hockey moved from an association to a federation.

Barriers were largely financial – lack of equipment, including the ability to buy hockey sticks at 50,000 UGX ($15) each; and no uniforms. Matthew sought and received foreign support from the London Ball Hockey Association in Canada, International Street Ball Hockey Federation and World Ball Hockey Federation.

Ambitious Matthew sees Uganda taking part in the 2021 World Championship Events. Additionally, Matthew is organizing a national tournament of the UCU juniors and men’s teams.

“With or without Ugandan government, we can still go on,” he said. “We are moving on and growing. No matter what, we shall get there.”

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UCU Shepherds gain notoriety in rugby world

March 23, 2020Sports, Students, UCU Alumni#EastAfrica, #MarchMadness, #rugby, #Sevens, #UgandaChristianUniversity, #UgandaRugbyCranes, sports, UgandaPartnersPatty Huston-Holm

(NOTE: Across the United States, March Madness refers to National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball competitions – a month when university rivalries are at their peak. While March Madness was cancelled due to the Coronavirus in 2020, these Uganda Christian University sports stories are offered in honor of what was to be. The stories are a collaborative of The Standard and UCU Partners.)

By Maxy Abenaitwe

In the early years of the past decade, the Uganda Christian University (UCU) 7s Shepherds were the untouchables of East African rugby.

As a result, the Uganda Rugby Cranes and other national clubs like the Black Pirates continuously fished from the Shepherds’ pond. It is no wonder that half of the Uganda Rugby Cranes are former Shepherds.

Rugby, which originated in England in the first half of the 19^th century, is a sport involving two teams of 15 players each. They carry, pass and kick a ball into an end zone with winning determined by the greatest number of points. Often, the sport is known as “rugby sevens” for seven players per team engaged in seven-minute halves. The most basic law of the game is that no player is allowed to throw the ball forward to a teammate. In rugby, the ball is moved with sideways or backwards tosses or a player kicking and running with the ball.

Uganda had a deep history of men’s rugby participation ahead of the country’s first official rugby match in 1958. In 1955, the Uganda Rugby Football Union was formed. Much as there were no clubs at the time, games were frequently played between representatives from Kenya and Tanzania (or Tanganyika as it was called at the time) teams, but matches were mostly against the Royal Navy as well as some British and South African Universities. In 2000, UCU took on the rugby mantle and over time developed a great team of influential players.

Shepherds (in red jerseys) representing Uganda at international level

Over the years, UCU players have been recognized for their talent. Philip Wakorach has been the most desired player, whose talent is sought across borders, namely in Kenya and France. Equally, Ivan Magomu has been the best fly half (receiver of a short pass). Pius Ogena was recently awarded Male Rugby Player of Year 2019 under the Uganda Sports Press Association Awards, and Desire Ayera was recently ranked 37th player of Uganda’s 2019 top athletes.

Considering their current maiden performance, the current Shepherds are leaving lasting marks. The team won gold at the 2019 University Side Step 7s events. The Shepherds went ahead to win during the 18th AUUS 2019 games at Kisubi University. And immediately after their remarkable performance, two players were called at the National Rugby Cranes team.

Ivan Kabagambe, a former Shepherds’ player, says the great performance is largely inspired by the success of the Shepherds alumni.

“The alumni have also kept in touch to ensure talent keeps growing,” he said. “This has been done majorly through friendly matches between the Shepherds and their alumni.”

Despite a few challenges, Kabagambe thinks there is no excuse for not making it at UCU. This signifies that with more support from the university, the team could do wonders since the passion and talent is there. If only the Shepherds could participate in more tournaments, have more funding and have enough designated rugby training space, more medals would be brought home.

Why the great performance
Approximately 90% of the Shepherds attribute their success in the larger rugby world to UCU’s favorable environment that best suits sports development. They cite the hilly landscape, availability of drinking water all over the compound, access to good food, and use of gym facilities as well as university administrative support and medical attention.

The good medical attention, specifically the physiotherapy, helps the players to quickly get back on their feet and continue with their struggle.

Additionally, UCU sportsmen and women have a reputation of being the best people to work with. This is because of their remarkably good discipline. The factor of character also has contributed to the quick growth of the Shepherds.

The future of rugby
Close to 50% of the rugby clubs, the national team inclusive, have aging players. This means university students are being targeted and have professional opportunities.

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Ugandan football (ah, soccer) continues to soar for girls

March 17, 2020Sports, Students#EastAfrica, #football, #LadyCardinals, #MarchMadness, #soccer, #UgandaChristianUniversity, sports, UgandaPartnersPatty Huston-Holm

Akao (in yellow, center) poses with her teammates (Photo by Andrew Bugembe)

(NOTE: Across the United States, March Madness refers to National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball competitions in a month when university rivalries are at their peak. In honor of the “madness” of watching American basketball in March 2020 and in collaboration with the Uganda Christian University student newspaper, The Standard, UCU Partners is featuring stories on this month on some of the sports played at UCU. This week, the focus is on soccer.)

By Eva Kyomugisha

One of the greatest gifts God gave Africa is football. It is very common to find a group of people gathered at a field or around a television in a pub watching a football match, each with his or her own comments as to how the game should be played.

Ugandan football, which Americans would call “soccer,” came to the country with British introduction in 1897. Like USA soccer, the objective is to score goals without touching the ball with the hands. The Uganda Football Association, now called the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), started in 1925 with a league inaugurated in 1962. The game originally for men only has crossed the gender barrier.

Women’s football in Uganda started in the early 1990s but initially was only played for fun and not professionally. According to the FUFA website, the first time qualification was attempted for the African Cup for women was in 1998 when Uganda hosted Egypt at Nakivubo stadium.

Currently, women’s football in Uganda has gained traction with approximately 50 teams participating in a number of leagues in the country.

Ruth Akao plays a ball during practice (Photo by Andrew Bugembe)

As a little girl, Ruth Akao grew up around boys who loved to play Ugandan football. This exposure ignited the 21-year-old Uganda Christian University (UCU) student’s passion for the sport as she often participated in some of the groups’ games.

“It made me happy when I played,” she said.

She continued playing the sport while at school. She has been engaged in professional leagues for over 10 years and isn’t done yet. While at Hope High School along Masaka Road (between Mukono and Kampala), she was scouted to play for the UCU Lady Cardinals team.

“I play position 11 which is the left-wing,” Akao said. “My job is to get the ball from the midfield and cross it to the box for scoring. Sometimes, we do the scoring ourselves.”

According to Akao, a major benefit from the sport is the fact that she receives half tuition to pursue her studies in Human Rights, Peace and Humanitarian Intervention in the Faculty of Social Sciences. She also states that she has been able to meet new people and make the necessary connections that she may need at a later time in her career.

“Ten years from now, I would like to start my own sports academy for girls,” she said.

Akao was part of the UCU Cardinals’ team that captured many honors in 2019, including a win of the Women’s Elite League. Despite Akao’s success in the sport, not many people in her life support her passion for the male-dominated sport.

“There is a time I went to the village and the people there were not happy with the fact that I am a football player,” she explains.

Akao added that most people find girls’ football to be too slow and boring for them to watch. She attributed this to the limited publicity from television and radio stations, which do not air the girls’ games as much as the boys’ games.

“It is only one radio station, FUFA, which sometimes plays our games,” she said.

Akao has also personally had her own challenges the sport. She explains that the volume of games means that she often has to miss some of her classes to participate in them.

“I have resorted to studying in the night in order to keep up with my studies,” she said.

For Akao, she advises the ladies who want to join the male-dominated sport to get out of their comfort zones and do what they love to do irrespective of what people tell them to do.

“Do not give up, and keep going,” she said.

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Netball – Game of speed, height, discipline

March 9, 2020Sports, Students#Basketball, #GirlsSports, #MarchMadness, #Netball, #PeaceProscovia, #SheCranes, #ShePearls, #UCUAngels, #UgandaChristianUniversity, UgandaPartnersPatty Huston-Holm

UCU Journalism Student and Netball Player, Hanisha Muhammed

(NOTE: Across the United States, March Madness refers to National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball competitions – a month when university rivalries are at their peak. In honor of the “madness” of watching American basketball in March 2020 and in collaboration with the Uganda Christian University student newspaper, The Standard, UCU Partners is featuring stories on a few UCU sports. Today’s story is about netball.)

By Patty Huston-Holm

For eight years and while serving Uganda Christian University (UCU) as a volunteer consultant and lecturer on the Mukono campus, I watched a bunch of girls move swiftly around a basketball court, passing a ball without letting it touch the ground. This, I was told, is a sport called netball.

I observed the mostly very tall and physically fit young ladies move energetically around an outside basketball court as I engaged in my own end-of-day exercise – stretching and strengthening my arms, legs and abdominal muscles on some nearby metal bars and elevating my heart rate with a rapid climb up and down stone steps. Occasionally, I would sit on the steps overlooking the court and watch the netballers while chatting on the phone with my mother back in Ohio.

Girls playing netball on the UCU Mukono practice court

The ladies had a smaller version of a basketball, an object of familiarity to an American like me. But they didn’t dribble it, which seemed odd. It reminded me of the USA in the 1960s and 70s, when girls were protected from over exertion with female basketball rules of no more than three ball bounces before passing. However, these UCU players that didn’t dribble the ball were not frail.

Periodically, over the years of watching the Mukono, Uganda, girls practice but never seeing an actual game, I looked up the netball sport on the Internet. I learned that it started in 1891 in the United States, which ironically pays little-to-no attention to the sport today. My country’s 2020 teams are mostly comprised of players outside the country.

Netball started for men, but then became a mostly female sport. Netball is the most popular women’s sport in Botswana, Malawi and Tanzania. And it is pretty popular in Uganda.

Finally, in February 2020, I made an appointment with one of the UCU players to learn more. The player, Hanisha Muhammed, is not just any university player. In addition to being on the UCU Angels team, she plays for two national teams – the She Pearls (name connected to Uganda’s reputation as the “pearl of Africa”) for those under 21 and the older women’s She Cranes (named after Uganda’s national bird) team. At age 20, Hanisha is the youngest player for the She Cranes.

On an early evening of February10 and on a day when she is not working her journalism/marketing internship at the Bank of Uganda, Hanisha arrives. She carries her practice ball (slightly smaller than a basketball) in a black bag. She patiently answers questions about her life, and explains the game and why she is so passionate about it.

“I was a swimmer,” she said. “But people kept telling me that because I was tall that I should do netball. I’m 6’3”.”

Short netball players are rare.

One of eight children from two mothers and one dad, Hanisha acknowledges her Ugandan family was more privileged than most. Her mother is a hotel owner from Rwanda, and her father is a retired psychiatrist with mostly Acholi, Uganda, roots. Hanisha calls Kampala her home, but lives in Mukono when UCU classes are in session.

In Secondary 5 (high school junior year), Hanisha exchanged her bathing suit and the pool for a T-shirt, shorts, sneakersand a cement court. She never looked back. Her program of study at UCU is journalism – a career she believes she can do alongside netball until she’s in her late 30s. When her sports career subsides, she will still have something in public relations or journalism.

“In other countries, you quit the sport earlier, but in Uganda, there are players up to 40,” she said.

While little-to-no payment to play isn’t an enticement, travel and the lessons of physical fitness, patience, teamwork and discipline are. The sport has taken Hanisha to Fiji, South Africa and Botswana. She maintains her weight with a healthy diet, sometimes practicing eight hours a day. She drinks lots of water and juice and avoids drugs and alcohol.

Some of the netball rules are: Seven players with two defenders and two shooters on the court. Thirteen players on the team. No dunking. No dribbling. No running with the ball. Feet firmly on the ground when shooting. No basket backboard. Release ball within three seconds.

“The umpires do the counting, but so do we,” she said. “You can’t hold onto the ball very long.”

Hitting the net’s pole so that the ball bounces off of it is a highly honed skill, she explained, adding, “The best players know what they are doing when they do that.”

“The game has a lot of rules,” according to Hanisha, who, like other netball players, pulls her long dark braids up on the top of her head for a game. “Few basketballers can play netball, but netballers can play basketball. Netball is about the feet, how you land with the ball and speed. You have to be as quick as possible.”

While realizing young girls look up to her, she does the same with Peace Proscovia, a UCU graduate with bachelor and master degrees in business administration and captain of the She Cranes.

After Hanisha’s graduation in October 2021, she hopes to begin playing more with international teams. Right now, her life is occupied with studies at UCU, playing netball, reading and praying. Financial remuneration is not important.

“Money doesn’t blow me away,” she says. “It’s just not a priority for me.”

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