Yardim football academy opens, promises more

Yardim Sports Outreach hopes to secure the future of budding football talent by handing them an opportunity to play at the highest levels.
Muhammad Ssembatya, who excelled as a coach at Yeak FC in Rubaga Division before he relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he works with the youth team of Al Sharjah, announced the commitment last week.
He promised to give the players the best he can such that they can excel. Such showpieces are commonplace in Uganda’s youth football, where a number of individuals keep opening up new academies. But Ssembatya says they will offer something different.
“Our specific aim is beyond coaching. We aim at educating young players in dealing with the external pressure as well as the business side such that they can avoid making mistakes in their pursuit to the paid ranks,” Ssembatya says.
“Uganda is not short of talent but talent in no longer enough to excel and that is what we are trying to improve,” he added.
Yardim, which is accredited to the Uganda Youth Football Association, has established offices in Mubarak Zone, Makindye Division in Kampala ready to tap elite prospects.
Indeed, team chairman Ian Ssebuufu Nsabwa is keen on securing scholarships with city schools with their base currently established at Uganda Martyrs High School, Rubaga.
“We have been around for some time as intermediaries but now we want to set the path starting from school-going children,” Ssebuufu said.
Ssebuufu says that the academy plans to keep as many options open as possible.
“We have big plans to working with teams in Europa and the UAE to allow players get elite training,” he added.