Mudoola to captain UK franchise in Grenada

Charlotte is simply one of the most recognizable faces in Uganda women's rugby. For her longevity which spans two decades playing top level rugby, it's no wonder her younger teammates at Black Pearls affectionately and respectfully call her "Jjajja" on and off the pitch. 

Mudoola, the reigning USPA player of the year, will today fly out to Grenada for the World Rugby 7s invitational tournament where she will captain her team, Find Rugby Now (FRN). The tournament runs from December 1-2 at the famous Kirani James International Stadium. 

FRN is a UK-based entity focused on building rugby communities by bringing together amateur rugby clubs, players and coaches from all over the world. They also make connections with international players and coaches through various tournaments throughout the year and pool them into a competitive team. Mudoola has been on their books since 2017 and has played for them at the 2017 and 2018 Dubai 7s plus the 2019 Barbados World Rugby 7s. 

Leader

Last year in December, Mudoola was given the team's armband for the first time.

"That tournament went well for me and I think they (coaches) were impressed by my leadership and I actually got the FRN player of the tournament, too. I think that played a role in them retaining me as captain for this year's games in Grenada," reasoned Mudoola.

An all-rounder with ball in hand and fierce kick off tee, Mudoola also stands out as one of the fittest athletes around. 

She is a stickler for high strength and conditioning programs and she credits that, alongside passion and consistency, for her longevity. 

The only player from Africa on the team, Mudoola takes it as a bigger honor and knows what's at stake. This is not a team of tired bones and in Tamara Taylor, England's Six Nations winning captain in 2015 and currently Sweden's national team, Mudoola knows that only hard work is the way to go.

But on the flip side, she also knows that her appearances carry much more weight than just playing ball.

"I hope to help these players, especially the young ones, be amazing future players. I want to build on what I have done here with the young players in Uganda," she adds.

Rugby in veins

What a time to be a Mudoola! Charlotte is just an extension of the famous family name that has blessed Uganda with untold service to the oval ball fraternity.

Her brothers, Fred and Timothy, were key national team players for long.

They led the Uganda Rugby Cranes team to the continental trophy in 2007 and have consistently kept serving the sport in various capacities.

Currently, Fred is the head coach of the men's 15s team, with Timothy as the strength and conditioning coach. 

Their mother, Immy Mudoola, is one of the most respected faces and voices in women's rugby dating back to her role in the formation of the Uganda Women's Rugby Association (UWRA) and offering a platform to identify and nurture young female rugby players. 

For Charlotte, she was simply one of the most dependable players in the Black Pearls team that won all local trophies this year. Last year, her class stood out in the Rugby Africa games hosted by Uganda at Wankulukuku.

But her highlight remains her appearances in the 2009 Women's 7s World Cup in Dubai. Many years down the road, her rugby stock overseas keeps rising, as she also played for the Dambusters Rugby Team at the Amsterdam 7s earlier this year.