FOOTBALL: FUFA MOVE TO PROFESSIONALIZE GRASSROOT COACHING CAREER IN WEST NILE

FUFA instructor Sharifa Nantumbwe  (black suit), posed for a photo with Zombo district sports officials and Participants Infront of the DFA offices at Creamland Motel in Paidha town council, Zombo district on December 7, 2024. Photo/Mike Rwothomio 
 
By Mike Rwothomio
 
Zombo
 
A four days intensive training aimed at empowering and equipping young football Coaches has been organized in West Nile's district of Zombo.
 
Apparently, FUFA Uganda is focused on developing the game of football at all levels in the country which amongst others includes development of grassroots football, the promotion of women’s football, the provision of technical support to clubs, and the organization of national competitions for both professional and amateur teams.
 
The robust training organized and funded by Zombo district was conducted by Federation of Uganda Football Association.
 
It commenced on Wednesday December 4, and ended on Sunday December 8, 2024 at Cream Land Motel in Paidha town council.
 
The 32 Participants drawn from the two Districts of Zombo and Nebbi, paid a participation fee of only shillings 80,000 to attain the beginners coaching course.
 
Jimmy Dokcen, the Chairperson Zombo district football Association said, the training was organized upon rigorous assessment of low level of grass root coaching career in the district, adding that the main aim is to professionalize sports management at grassroots level.
 
Dokcen also encouraged other untrained coaches to seize such subsidized coaching course opportunities in future, to professionalize local sports.
 
Lately, stakeholders including security officers have been calling for a streamline in sports management, adding that most cases of hooliganism are exacerbated by unprofessional conduct of local coaches that incite fans into the unlawful act, when sports results go against their way.
 
The district sports officer Aziz Onim, commended participants for embracing the professional initiative, adding that, "we organized this training as in line with the 2023 sports act, that seeks to professionalize coaching courses at all level, and I think this will improve our competition level." 
 
Meanwhile Sharifa Nantumbwe, a CAF B qualified Coach and FUFA instructor, who conducted the four days all-out training, revealed that, beginners coaching course is the only pathway to other coaching qualifications.
 
"The beginners coaching course is a stepping stone to other coaching courses like CAF D, C, E and if at all you passes through all the stages, you might become a FUFA instructor like me, but the main point why we are here in Zombo, is to make the coaches attain skills and rightful qualifications to be able to train young ones for the future of their country," Nantumbwe explained.
 
However, of the total 32 youthful Participants, female counterparts were a no show, painting a glaring picture of gender equality gap in grassroots sports in the district.
 
At the end of the training, the participants will be awarded with a beginners coaching course certificates, setting up a brighter future for their fast-growing marketable industrious and buzzing grassroot football coaching careers.
 

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