Hockey sides shift focus to Uganda Cup
Defence On The Rocks. PHOTO/ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
- Initially, though, UHA wanted to include all teams registered under them involved but this would be hard sell after a pandemic.
With the first round of the National Hockey League (NHL) behind us, clubs can shift focus to the inaugural edition of the Uganda Cup.
Uganda Hockey Association (UHA)’s Awards, Honours and Competitions Committee (AHCC) – which comprises delegates from NHL teams – seeded the top four men’s sides from the 2019 NHL and drew lots to determine their first round opponents from the bottom-placed finishers, including newly formed team Kampala Hockey Club (KHC) Originals.
With the women, the top three 2019 NHL sides; Wananchi, Weatherhead and Deliverance Church of Uganda (DCU) got a bye into the semifinals. The first two meet in the first semis in late October.
Meanwhile, 2019’s fourth-placed KHC Swans and bottom placed Rhinos meet in the first round to determine who will face DCU in the semis.
Upcountry teams
Initially, though, UHA wanted to include all teams registered under them involved but this would be hard sell after a pandemic.
These are teams from places like Kumi, Masaka, Kabale, Gulu, Masindi, Jinja, Mbarara, Bushenyi, Wakiso – that are unlikely to participate in the NHL due to logistical challenges – but would be in the Cup with an option to host their ties, wherever they are based.
The onus would be on teams based in Lugogo to travel away for their games and according to UHA general secretary Stanley Tamale, “those unwilling to travel to these ties would lose on walkovers.”
“Or even the Lugogo-based ones getting better administratively and bettering their financial planning. This would take time but after a few years, we would all be at par. The possibility of all out growth cannot be understated,” Tamale explained.
UHA are also keeping the idea of sourcing “say a title sponsor covering travel” open.
After the aforementioned plan fell through, there was also another one to group the ‘big’ and ‘small’ teams, which those struggling in the league outrightly rejected.
“We are not only giving teams another competition to go at and players more opportunities but also giving our umpires more practice time,” UHA organising secretary and chairman of the AHCC Richard Ssemwogerere said.
UGANDA CUP
SATURDAY | FIRST ROUND, FIRST LEG
M: Mak Stingers vs. Historicals 10am
W: KHC Swans vs. Rhinos 11.30am
M: Wananchi vs. City Lions 1pm
M: KHC Stallions vs. Rockets 2.30pm
M: KHC Originals vs. Weatherhead 4pm
SUNDAY - SECOND LEG
M: Weatherhead vs. KHC Originals 9am
M: Rockets vs. KHC Stallions 10.30am
W: Rhinos vs. KHC Swans 12pm
M: Historicals vs. Mak Stingers 3pm
M: City Lions vs. Wananchi 4.30pm
