Woodball marks 10 years of existence in Uganda with pomp
Target. Namboole’s Jamil Ssewanyana trying out woodball. PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
- Probably the biggest woodball crowd ever; 784 competed for ICPAU Juniors Championship, 174 for President’s Cup and 233 for the Corporate League. As part of the celebrations, Zheng Zhuqiang, Chinese ambassador to Uganda, praised the Uganda Woodball Federation (UWbF) for their work.
KAMPALA. Uganda has always been criticized in jest for the little attention paid to sports. But one thing is certain; Uganda does love its sports. Proof of that can be seen with up to 37 sports associations recognized around the country!
Woodball, which was introduced in Uganda in 2008 by Ndejje University sports tutor Paul Mark Kayongo in 2008, marked its 10th Anniversary on Saturday at Namboole stadium with pomp.
Probably the biggest woodball crowd ever; 784 competed for ICPAU Juniors Championship, 174 for President’s Cup and 233 for the Corporate League. As part of the celebrations, Zheng Zhuqiang, Chinese ambassador to Uganda, praised the Uganda Woodball Federation (UWbF) for their work.
“I think you are doing a great work in developing sport and we are ready to push the sport to another level,” he said. The game of woodball was invented in China. Kayongo remarked that they have over 4000 active players but promised to build a stronger brand in the next 10 years.
Sports minister Bakkabulindi pledged government support and thanked the Woodball Federation for being very organized and being the only sports body manufacturing their playing equipment locally.
“These people are worth being supported by government because they represent us well even in the World Cup,” Bakkabulindi said. Uganda has competed at four World Cups.
