Ugandan sides earn bronze in first hockey fives tourney

Tough Initiation. The girls U-19 national side won bronze after collecting four of 12 possible points in four matches at the inaugural Tap East Africa 5-aside Hockey Tourney. COURTESY PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • Earlier in the year, UHA tried to build a 5-aside national side that would participate in the Africa Youth Games in Algeria in June 2018 but it fell through largely because of financial reasons. Some of the Kenyan players Uganda played against over the weekend went to both Algeria and later to Argentina for the Youth Olympics.

KAMPALA. Uganda’s initiation in the new trend of hockey fives was tough but ended with both sides returning home with bronze medals.

The girls and boys U-19 national sides took part in the TAP East Africa 5-aside Tournament against Kenyan opposition at City Park Hockey Stadium, Nairobi. The ladies had a fairer outing drawing 3-3 against Kenya Tausi on Saturday and then beating them on Sunday. They, however, lost both of their games to Kenya Mbuni.

“I honestly think we could have done better but this was a largely new concept for us,” ladies’ coach Moses Nsereko, said. “The 2-1 loss to Tausi on the last day was very painful but we picked positives and lessons.”
Boys’ coach Vincent Kasasa thinks they were let down by injuries to Mark Mawanda and Brian Ofoyimungu.

“Our squad was really thin and the injuries just put us in an even more awkward situation,” Kasasa shared.
“We have played against Kenyan sides before (in the 11-aside games) so there is not really much difference in terms of quality and technique but fitness-wise they were more ready.”
For Uganda Hockey Association (UHA), the tournament goes a long-way in pushing their bid to re-establish the national teams that they disbanded due to player indiscipline in 2011.
The first attempt that worked was in December when UHA selected a team that not only participated but also won the Magharibi Festival at Bungoma High School in western Kenya.
Earlier in the year, UHA tried to build a 5-aside national side that would participate in the Africa Youth Games in Algeria in June 2018 but it fell through largely because of financial reasons. Some of the Kenyan players Uganda played against over the weekend went to both Algeria and later to Argentina for the Youth Olympics.