Four days of committed learning resulted into the graduation of nineteen (19) beach soccer coaches on Friday 10th October 2023 at FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru.
The coaches, now equipped with advanced knowledge, tactics and skills, are now fit to make better beach soccer players through practice with their respective clubs.
They were taught coaching styles, training planning, training session structure, coach’s input during training, psychology and mentality, fitness training for beach soccer, match coaching, match analysis, formations, nutrition, injury prevention and rehabilitation, among many other things by instructor Bashir Mutyaba.
These valuable skills are expected to make a huge contribution to the general enhancement of the quality of the game of beach soccer in Uganda when applied correctly.
Among the notable figures in the course included Kinero Swaleh – Harambee Sand Stars head coach and former Sand Cranes head coach – Muwonge Salim.
During the closing function, the coaches were combined with the beach soccer referees who have also been fine tuning their skills at the same venue.
The final moment of the courses was graced by different dignitaries including the Eastern region and FUFA EXCO member Isa Magoola who represented the FUFA president as the chief guest. Others included the chairman of Uganda Beach Soccer Association – Deo Mutabazi, chairman of the referees committee – Brian Miiro Nsubuga and FUFA delegate Hassan Kavuma from Buganda region.
As one of the key pillars of the game of beach soccer in Uganda, chairman Mutabazi was amused by the big pool and quality of human resource being created to serve the game, he also appealed to FUFA to increase the budget of beach soccer referees going forward.
“I want to thank all of you who have been here for the entire week to ensure that these two courses are a success. Beach soccer is my life. I always give in for the good of this game, and I hope that with this quality of human resource Ben and Mutyaba have prepared for us, our duty administratively is now to create competitions and deploy these people to work and serve the country. The year 2024 is going to be a busy year for beach soccer in terms of competitions and activities throughout the country,” he said.
“So I assure you the expertise you have got from here is purely going to be so beneficial for us as a country. I am lucky that at the closing ceremony, we have the chairman referees who I must thank for the support. Previously, we were struggling with payment of referees ourselves but the federation took it over. And now through his office, I want to request for the increment of the budget of the beach soccer referees because now the number is going to increase yet they should be well facilitated and remunerated.”
“My brother Katabira used to tell me that you cannot have a good referee whose mental state is not stable. If someone has a lot of things disturbing the mind, then definitely the performance on the field of play will not be as perfect as you want.”
He further mentioned that Uganda has set sight on playing in the finals of the beach soccer world cup 2025 in Seychelles, calling upon the referees and the coaches to sweat blood so they can join the elites at the world stage.
“Next year we have beach soccer world cup in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Ben has been here and has seen our referees, I am not campaigning for them to be there but you never know God might make miracles and we have our referees at the world cup.”
“It’s the same year we are going to have beach soccer AFCON qualifiers which I believe if our people prepare very well, they should be able to take opportunities at the continent and the international activities.”
“Remember, after the world cup in UAE, the next world cup is going to be in Seychelles, Africa. And as Uganda, we have already started the project. We want Uganda to be in the finals of FIFA beach soccer world cup in Seychelles. Not the team alone, but even our referees and coaches should have the opportunity to feature at the international stage.”
Mr. Magoola promised that FUFA will offer unconditional support to beach soccer but cautioned the referees to remain far and clear from the vice of match fixing and betting.
“I am honored to be here to close these two courses. As you are aware, we cannot have the game played without referees and the coaches. As FUFA, we are improving the remuneration of the referees and I think there is going to be more improvements in the remuneration but I want to caution them. We have passed the sports law. It talks about betting. Let us take care of ourselves against betting. The sports Act is clear, you will be charged in the courts of law if you go criminal. Let us avoid that,” he said.
“I want to thank CAF and FIFA for the courses. As Mr.Egesa said that they have applied for more courses, at the other level where I am – the policy level, ours is to prove that we can pass the policy when it’s brought under the executive. I will pass the message to the FUFA president to see that we can do whatever is needed to see that those courses are approved and well facilitated.”
“I am saying this due to our cordial relationship with CAF and FIFA, and I know we shall have them.”
“I want to thank Bashir. When he came to beach soccer, he was one in all; he was self-contained – in coaching and everything but now we are moving in the right direction. We are now having coaches who are going to help the instructor to develop the game.”
List of participants:
Kinero Swaleh (Harambee Sand Stars – Kenya NT), Kaddu Steven (Grace Church), Ngalire Geoffrey (Rubaga Youths), Musasizi Abdul Haliki ( Jinja Lions), Kutosi Daniel (Gulu), Lubowa Salim (Jiinja Lions), Kulika Ivan, Tayomba Solomon (Jinja Lions), Eng. Ssenfuma Timothy (Mutoola BSC), Omiat George (Kamuli), Joloba Yusuf (MS Sand Lions), Mutungi Alleluya ( Standard High School – Zzana), Isaac Ishioke (Nigeria), Bisaso Brian, Kimuli Tomasi (Mutoola), Kalanzi Gideon (Mutoola), Kalema Steven (Mutoola), Mukwata Peter Roland (Mutoola) and Muwonge Salim (Mutoola).