A four-day intensive training aimed at empowering and equipping young football coaches has been organised in Zombo District, West Nile.
FUFA (Federation of Uganda Football Association) is committed to developing football at all levels across Uganda, including grassroots football, promoting women’s football, providing technical support to clubs, and organising national competitions for both professional and amateur teams.
The training, funded by Zombo District, was conducted by FUFA and commenced on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at Cream Land Motel in Paidha Town Council. It will run until Sunday, December 8, 2024.
Thirty-two participants, from Zombo and Nebbi districts, paid a participation fee of just UGX 80,000 to attend the beginner’s coaching course.
Jimmy Dokcen, Chairperson of Zombo District Football Association, stated that the training was organised following an assessment that highlighted the low level of grassroots coaching in the district. The aim is to professionalise sports management at the grassroots level.
“Through the District, region, and FUFA, we were given this course, which started on Wednesday, December 4, and ends on Sunday, December 8. We have 32 participants, though our expectation was about 40, but we are making progress,” said Dokcen.
He encouraged other untrained coaches to take advantage of future opportunities to professionalise local sports.
Stakeholders, including security officers, have recently called for more professional management of sports, as untrained local coaches are often linked to inciting fans into hooliganism when results go against their teams.
District Sports Officer Aziz Onim commended the participants for embracing the initiative, noting that the training aligns with the 2023 Sports Act, which seeks to professionalise coaching courses at all levels. He believes the training will improve the region’s competitive standards.
Sharifa Nantumbwe, a CAF B-qualified coach and FUFA instructor, led the four-day training. She explained that the beginner’s coaching course serves as a stepping stone to higher coaching qualifications such as CAF D, C, and E.
“The main goal is to equip coaches with the skills and qualifications necessary to train young players for the future of football in our country,” Nantumbwe said.
However, despite the 32 participants, none were female, highlighting the gender gap in grassroots sports in the district.
At the end of the training, participants will receive beginner’s coaching certificates, opening doors to a promising future in the rapidly growing field of grassroots football coaching
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