All hands on deck to honour Coach Sky

There is no senior men's rugby team in Uganda without a player that has gone through the magical hands of Peter Ochol, who popularly goes by the name "Coach Sky".

That is the man's contribution that dates back 25 years ago, and will be celebrated on Sunday at Kyadondo Rugby Club, which has been home to him all his rugby life.

Sky has been there and seen it all. Born in the neighboring Nakawa Estates, he saw Kyadondo when it was still just a swamp and forest. He was there when rugby was first introduced to the place “by Bazungu who only looked to have as much fun as possible...”

The beginning

Sky was a football, basketball and volleyball player in school (Mbuya Church of Uganda Primary School and later at the defunct Harvard College in Kamwokya). 

But it is volleyball that he took seriously after it had earned him an education scholarship at Harvard College.

“Volleyball gave me an education. I played it with all my heart. But later on, the scholarship scheme died out and my father had passed on, so my education came to an abrupt end because I didn't have money to continue,” he recalls.

As a sporting child, the lookout for opportunities never ceases. The end of volleyball opened his way to rugby. In the mid 90s, Sky joined Kyadondo as a young-faced, skinny child into a community largely dominated by whites.

And it was in 2000 that he started playing with and coaching kids, who have become big names in Ugandan rugby most will be there on Sunday to honour him.

"Kyadondo used to be a place of fun. Goat races and autocross bikes were the first before rugby came in. Rugby was initially played by Bazungu, then later on the likes of David "Bunkens" Bukenya, Ken Opito and Gershon Onono (RIP) joined the sport. This opened the way for many locals and the numbers multiplied considerably,” he nostalgically remembers.

With the huge numbers, there was a need to form teams. Heathensfirst, then Buffaloes. Then Saracens for the young kids. Sky played for Buffaloes but one thing caught the eye of guys like Michael Keigwin.

A number of young kids from the community flocked the area and Sky used to play with them. In order to popularize the sport, Sky was tasked with informally coaching the young boys. But there were not enough balls. 

“Water bottles became the balls. We also devised other means like rolling socks into a ball and playing with that.”

Later, Keigwin bought a rugby ball for Sky and his boys. Ian Walker added a second ball. 

In many ways, this gave birth to a team called Saracens. It has since undergone many names. It became Stallions, and currently trades out at Heathens II.

The rest, as they say, is history. That gave Sky the identity that he has today, as the person that has groomed the highest number of rugby stars in Uganda through the youth projects at Kyadondo.

A whole cast of superstars

Recently, Sky sent me a list of more than 100 players he has mentored. Every team has got a player that's gone through Sky's hands. Heathens. Kobs. Pirates. Hippos. Impis. Warriors. Mongers. Thunderbirds. Black Pearls. Name it.

Who are you talking about that hasn't been through his hands? Names like Phillip Wokorach, Kevin Markmot, Pius Ogena, Solomon Okia, Steven Alul, James Ijongat, Henry Musisi, Saidi Atibu, Aaron Ofoyrwoth, Liam Walker, Ramadhan Govule, Ivan Magomu, Stephen Alul, Ivan Kirabo, James Odong, Edward Emiemu, Jasper Onen, Samiya Ayikoru, Asha Nakityo, and many others just roll off his tongue with ease.

Through his coaching duties, Sky was selected to coach tag rugby in Kolkata, India (2009) and Kenya's notorious Kibera slums in 2011. That project, spearheaded by Martin Hansford, is the same that saw Sky traverse different regions of Uganda like Mbale, Lira, Gulu and Arua to introduce, coach and spread the sport through the age grade and tag rugby programs. 

That is how he got to coach the likes of Magomu way before they came to Kampala to make a name for themselves. 

Honouring the man

Sunday is the big day for Sky. He will be celebrated like a proud father by his children. All those names and more will be in one place to retrace their roots with the man that helped shape them into the superstars we see today.

And Kyadondo where it all started is the most befitting place to host the big day, free of charge at the gates. 

Social activities like ta rugby, tag if war, sack race, board games, cake cutting and fireworks display shall crown the day.

“It is a family day-out kind of thing where we shall all look back and celebrate where we have come from as a family. We hope the current young players under my guidance will look at all their role models and feel inspired to keep working hard,” says Sky.

For Sky, the man in charge of the age grade coaching and mentoring  program at Kyadondo, the past has been glorious but the future promises more. Here's a  toast to quarter a decade of dedicated, tireless work.