Terra Nova Academy steps up in bid to produce NextGen

Police and Uganda Cranes defender Eric Ssenjobe is a graduate of Terra Nova.  PHOTO | JOHN BATANUDDE.

What you need to know:

  • Way to go.  Each programme participant develops a love and passion for soccer, develop soccer skills, learn the value of teamwork, equip them to make healthy life decisions, and enable them to live a life of integrity.

The journey to the higher echelons of football has always started with humble beginnings for almost all the players in the world.

In Uganda, the idea of football academies, however crucial in these players evolving into professionals it may be, is yet to be fully embraced due to a catalog of causes - paucity reigning supreme.

Instead, most young players learn skills and techniques off the streets before getting a little polish from schools and onto the grand stage.

Of the 48 fully registered football academies in Uganda, Edgars Youth, Proline, KJT and Friends Of Football (FOF) can boost by contributing most of the stars that have graced the topflight division and national team.

The last three years have witnessed a novel academy – Terra Nova - penetrate the close-knit talent production line that is immensely reinforced by schools’ football.


 Gamble

At the moment, the Bunga-based academy has earned national recognition and plaudits for establishing players like Ronald Mubiru (Tooro United), Frank Ssenyondo (Wakiso Giants from Express), Eric Ssenjobe (Police), Cyrus Kibande (formerly at Express), Joshua Musoke (Proline), Mubarak Kasule (US) and Rogers Adriko (UPDF) at the big stage.

That according to founder and coach Abdul Damron Sseruyange is just a tip of the iceberg of what they expect to churn out in the next five years.

Sseruyange’s dream was birthed in 2011 when he received Shs800,000 as compensation package after the Christopher House Ministries he worked for as a soccer and music coach closed shop. The passionate coach hastily liaised with schools offering bursaries like Hawa SS, Kakungulu Memorial, Kibuli SS and Kibibi to get his first batch of players acquire a decent education as they learned the game. Most succeeded in winning the annual secondary Copa Schools’ premium trophy.

“We seek to promote soccer, integrity, and healthy development among the youth of our community based on a Christian perspective. Terra Nova Soccer Academy is a registered youth soccer academy with the Uganda Youth Football Association (UYFA).

“Our turnaround was in 2016 when we merged the Terra Nova Academy Preschool and the Soccer Academy along with my American wife Alisha,” Sseruyange reveals.

His nascent dream has over the years morphed into a full blown football development agenda with various partnerships with top footballing schools, top clubs and building up a strong scholarship program with big franchises in the US.

Scaling heights

No player espouses Terra Nova’s awe-inspiring upward trajectory tale like midfielder Mubarak Kasule who after defying the odds in Uganda, has graduated at the Cincinnati University in America as one of the best students.

The box-to-box elegant midfielder plays professional football at Dayton Dutch Lions – a team that plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.

Born to Kasule and Amina Nanyonga on January 5, 1999, Kasule played for Kibuli SS, Terra Nova, Express, had a botched professional transfer to Zambian side Buildcon and featured for Uganda Cranes in the 2018 Chan edition in Morocco.

“Terra Nova has been very important in my life since I joined while aged six. It is the team that made me love soccer and has been very helpful throughout my soccer development,” Kasule, who graduated last month with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management minoring sports science, added.

He has played 49 games for the Lions, scoring three goals and mastering seven assists with a lucrative switch to Europe on the cards.

No curriculum

The debate rages about the exact football philosophy Ugandan football should have embraced or intend to embrace amidst a shambolic display by the national team in the last Afcon and World Cup qualifiers.

Fufa President Moses Magogo was candid and less forgiving whilst branding it ‘shitty’ whereas former Uganda Cranes skipper David Obua once referred to it as  ‘street football’.

At Terra Nova, Sseruyange has embraced the Barcelona, West Ham and Tottenham football curriculums and pyramid growth but his efforts are still stifled by the fact that there is no national guiding philosophy.

He quit football early to chase his football dreams and now Sseruyange can pass as one of the most decorated youth football coaches in the country. He has attained Ugandan, African and US coaching badges and still craves to earn more.

His football qualifications include; Caf License B, Advanced Soccer Diploma (US), Sports Psychology and Individual Mental Skills (US), Level 1 Goalkeeping Online Diploma (US), National Diploma, National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Soccer Management and Development Diploma (US), Level 2 Coaching Diploma (US) among others.

 Opening doors

The academy flagship player in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League (UPL) is Police all-round defender Ssenjobe currently with the Uganda Cranes on their three-nation tour.

He broke the glass ceiling by making the dream move to KCCA and winning the league title and playing on the continent before a contract issue forced his move to Abdallah Mubiru’s side.

 Ssenjobe, who can ably play at the heart of defence, left-back and as an attacking winger has recently won three man of the match accolades as the Cops rectified what had been an indifferent start to the season.

“We have players from the age of five to 20 years and soon we believe many players will be emulating Ssenjobe.We emphasize values of hard work, character and diversity and that makes us a standout academy in Uganda,” Sseruyange stressed.

The other magic bullet, he says, is the occasional invitation of locally acclaimed coaches like Abdallah Mubiru, Dan Kiwanuka, Matia Lule, George Ssimwogerere to offer tips that his coaching entourage of Fred Mulindwa, Abdulnoor Musisi, Arafat Ssemakadde, and Peter Byaruhanga might not offer.

“We play friendly matches with UPL clubs and get those experienced players tell the budding boys of what awaits them at the top level. Players like Tony Mawejje (Police) have been of great value addition in this regard,” Sseruyange said.

Even after the detrimental two-year Covid19 pandemic hiatus and the worrisome trend of arcades replacing playing grounds – the youthful coach sees Terra Nova getting their own training base in the next five years.

TERRA NOVA AT A GLANCE 
Started: 2011
Founded by; Abdul Damron Sseruyange 
and Alisha Sseruyange
Established players; Mubiru (Tooro United), 
Frank Ssenyondo (Wakiso Giants from 
Express), Eric Ssenjobe (Police), Cyrus 
Kibande (formerly at Express), Joshua Musoke
 (Proline), Mubarak Kasule (US) and Rogers 
Adriko (UPDF)

TERRA NOVA AGE GROUP TEAMS
Terra Nova Thunder [Boys and girls ages 5-12]
Terra Nova Lightening [Boys ages 13-18]
Terra Nova Lights [Ages 19-25]