USSSA Games: Kawempe Muslim ready to defend title

Sixty four schools will take part in girls football at the May 5-14 Secondary School National Ball Games 1 2025 Championship in Bukedea.

Champions Kawempe Muslim have been pooled with Jinja Comprehensive School, Katikamu SDA Nakaseke, and Entebbe-based Taggy High in Group A of the competition as they seek to defend their title.

Last year, the girls’ competition was extended from the usual first term holiday because the national youth team needed some of the girls in camp to prepare for the U-17 World Cup Qualifiers.

The competition resumed in June at the quarter final stage and was concluded with Kawempe beating Rines SS 5-4 on penalties in the finals at Standard High School Zana, Ndejje.

“The team is up to the task,” Nkata said following the draws conducted in Old Kampala last Friday at the Uganda Secondary School Sports Association (USSSA) secretariat by Kawempe’s old student Sandra Nabweteme, former Kakungulu Memorial footballer Mustapha Kiiza, and Fufa chief executive officer Edgar Watson.

“Definitely like any other school, we lost some key players because they finished Senior Six and maybe one or two are ineligible because of age or documents.

“But these things affect everyone. We are confident because most of the girls have been taking part in the competitions that have been available to us, including the national leagues, so that might be some vital experience,” he added.

Nkata usually travels with the boys’ school team, which usually has their games in another region of the country. But with boys’ matches in Ngora this time, if the schedules allow, he should be by coach Ayub Khalifa’s side helping with the girls too.

St. Noa in it

Meanwhile, the other lots drawn were from basketball where boys’ defending champions Hope SS Biira are pooled with Nyakasura School, Aga Khan International, St. Peters Naalya, Bugema Adventist, and St. Lawrence HS while girls champions St. Mary’s College Kitende are pooled with St. Lawrence HS, Tororo Girls, Bishop Cyprian Kihangire, Seeta HS Main, Nakinoni SS.

St. Noa who won the 2024 Federation of East Africa Secondary School Sports Association (Feasssa) Games finals in both girls’ basketball and football later that August are seen as main challengers on both fronts.

In basketball, they are drawn against Nyakasura, Lubiri SS, Amus College, Kisubi Mapeera, and St. Cyprian Kyabakadde while in football, Highway SS Kiganda, Lammenais College Kyotera, and one of the schools that will have late clearance into the games, lay in wait. 

Secondary School National Ball Games 1

Girls Football – Select groups

A: Jinja Comprehensive, Katikamu SDA Nakaseke, Taggy High, Kawempe Muslim

D: Nkooma SS, MM College Wairaka, Kashensero Girls, Sacred Hearts Gulu

E: Masindi Army, Kinoni HS, Uganda Martyrs Lubaga, Latifa Mixed SS

H: LC1, Highway SS Kiganda, St. Noa Girls Zana, Lammenais College Kyotera

I: Gadafi Integrated, Fairway HS, Amus College, Maryhill HS

J: Serere SS, Bugisu HS, Mukono Kings, Kisozi Seed

L: Acaba SS, Boni Consilii Girls, Tororo Girls, Newton SS

M: Restore Leadership, Sheema Girls, Kongunga HS, Kapchorwa SS

N: Masaka SS, Kibingo Girls, Standard HS Zana, Koro SS

P: Highland HS, Jinja SS, Kabwin Seed, Rines SS

Basketball Girls – Select groups

A: St. Mary’s Kitende, St. Lawrence HS, Tororo Girls, Bishop Cyprian Kihangire, Seeta HS Main, Nakinoni SS

D: Nabisunsa Girls, Sacred Heart Gulu, Zana Mixed, Mvara SS, Mandela SS, Seeta High A Level

E: Elite High, Sacred Heart Mushanga, Viva College, Naalya SS, Kigezi High

H: St. Noa, Nyakasura, Lubiri SS, Amus College, Kisubi Mapeera, St. Cyprian Kyabakadde

Basketball Boys – Select groups

A: Hope SS, Nyakasura , Aga Khan International, St. Peters Naalya, Bugema Adventist, St. Lawrence HS

C: Kibuli SS, St. Henry’s Kitovu, Smack, St. Joseph College Layibi, Jinja College, Teso College

E: Janan SS, Masaka SS, St. Cyprian Kyabakadde, King’s College Budo, St. Maria Goretti Katende, Holycross Lakeview, Makerere College

H: Buddo SS, Mengo SSS, Gombe SS, Kigezi HS, St. Michael Sonde, Kisubi HS