Prime
Ocoman, the deaf player

Moses Ocoman finds joy in football. PHOTO/JONES OKELLO
What you need to know:
Being a deaf player in a sport that relies heavily on communication can be very challenging but the support of teammates and coaches has pushed Ocoman.
Rodgers Sebyondya controls the ball deep on the right wing, cuts through, looks up, and then delivers a precise pass. Moses Ocoman controls and fires Myda into the lead away to Gaddafi in Entebbe. The seamless telepathic communication between the duo climaxes in a spirited celebration at the corner flag. Despite that moment of brilliance, Myda eventually lost the game 2-1.
What most fans at the Entebbe Works Grounds did not know is that Ocoman is living with a hearing impairment, he is deaf.
Being a deaf player in a sport that relies heavily on communication can be very challenging but the support of teammates and coaches has pushed Ocoman.
Defying the odds
His club Myda does not have enough resources to hire an interpreter to ease communication between himself and the coaches and teammates. But despite these limitations, his passion for the game is only growing stronger.
“At least, I can hear the football language very well and communicate in the best way I know,” he jokes. Technological advancement facilitated our conversation through WhatsApp messaging despite the lack of an interpreter. This is his major platform of communication.
“I mostly communicate with my teammates through writing,” he says. “They write whatever they need to tell me and at times it involves a little but basic sign language.”
However, most of the work is on the pitch where there’s little or no time for writing.
“When we’re on the field, my teammates use local sign language and physical movements to indicate plays,” Ocoman explains.
Breaking barriers
Born on October 5, 2003, in Ng’ora District, Ocoman began his primary education at the Ng’ora School for the Deaf where he started playing in junior tournaments. He later joined Teso Deaf Football Club before moving to Mbale School for the Deaf for his ordinary-level certificate.
He participated and excelled in several national tournaments organized for people with similar impairments. In 2020, he moved to Arua Deaf Football Club and played in the annual National Deaf Challenge Cup.
However, he soon realized that this pathway limited his exposure and opportunities to advance in his playing career due to the low interests in sports associated with disabilities.
“I was not going to get noticed through [that route] so in 2021, I joined Ng’ora Rock Stars in the Nerfa (North and Eastern Region Football Association),” he says.
“This is where people took note of my abilities despite my disability.”
Chasing a dream
Earlier this year, he was loaned to Suncity, another club for the deaf based in Kampala. At the club, the majority were deaf but were mixed with other players. The team was registered and played in the fifth division of the Buganda Regional Leagues setup. Unfortunately, his club was not promoted but fortunate enough, Dallas, a rival who had been promoted to the regional league, fished him out.
“I got a lot of confidence there playing and showing that disability is not inability and that we are normal people who can play just like anyone else,” he says.
Soon, Myda who had just gained promotion back to the Fufa Big League came searching for his signature. Myda shifted its base from Tororo to Bukedea this season.
Ocoman has scored twice already and feels like this is just the beginning of a career.
“Playing in a national league was part of my dreams but I have bigger dreams that if I focus, I will do even better and play in the Uganda Premier League and beyond,” Ocoman said.
Ocoman urges more talented players with disabilities to overcome their fear of rejection and pursue their dreams. He calls on the relevant bodies to give these players a chance without discrimination and facilitate a conducive environment for them to thrive. He has previously been involved in Masaza Cups both in Buganda and Busoga.
Factfile
Name: Moses Ocoman
Date of Birth: October 5, 2003
Place of Birth: Ng’ora District, Uganda
Education: Ng’ora School for the Deaf (PLE) & Mbale School for the Deaf (UCE)
Career Journey: Teso and Arua Deaf Football Clubs, Ng’ora Rock Stars, Suncity, Dallas, Myda, Buganda and Busoga Masaza Clubs
Communication Methods: Primarily uses writing and basic sign language for communication.
Leverages technology, such as WhatsApp messaging, to facilitate conversations.