The sport of football has the world over been dominated by males in all spheres of the game as coaches, referees, and even players.

It's only recently that the world football governing body FIFA has come out to effect affirmative action, encouraging women into the sports administration and management, and the latest being the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where women were given a chance to showcase as referees.

Even with the support from football governing bodies, females remain a rare species in the male game, especially in coaching.

Nayebare in a team talk with MSA players after a training session at Kakyeka

However, a few brave women have come up and have successfully taken on the men’s teams as coaches.

Anitah Nayebare is one such courageous woman that has rocked the ‘men’s’ game as a coach and already making headlines in Western Uganda.

The courageous Nayebare will be remembered for being the first female coach that qualified a boys’ football team to the USSSA boys’ football championship when she helped Nyamitanga Moslem SS to their maiden appearance in Arua last year.

Anitah Nayebare (grey) commands her team Nyamitanga SS (light green) during a Ankole Schools Championship at Kakyeka last year

This was after she had been at the helm of former FUFA Big league side Nyamityobora as a caretaker manager and calm team doctor, when all the top technical people left, leaving her to carry the side on her shoulders as the financial problems failed the side to their eventual relegation to the lower regional league, a special courage managed by very few.

“I have braved myself with this sport and I feel more encouraged to move ahead and maybe handle a bigger men’s team in the future,” Nayebate says.

Nayebare who holds a beginners football coaching certificate has also attended several football coaching courses organized by the local football governing body FUFA including Women take the lead, football for life, premier skills, and soccer without borders, among others.

Nayebare (standing, in blue), gives instructions to her side Nyamitanga SS

“I want to enroll for further football coaching courses because my dream is to manage a bigger football club at any level of competition,” she says.

The 29-year-old born of Kibatsi in the Ntungamo district has majorly traded her plight in schools soccer, where she has handled schools teams of City High Mbarara, Lady of Africa Ntungamo and currently with Nyamitanga Moslem and is also an assistant coach at Mbarara Sports Academy (MSA).

The multi-talented Nayebare

The coming into the limelight of football in the region has not come as a surprise to Nayebare, for during her school times at Kitunga Primary School, Kyeizooba Girls Bushenyi and Wampewo SS, Nayebare always come out as an outstanding athlete, perfecting in athletics, netball, and football.

A netballer that has also attained netball umpiring and coaching credentials, Nayebare plays for the Holy Spirit netball team in the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF) second division league where she also doubles as a coach/player and has also coached school teams like God's Shepherd SS, Nyamitanga SS, Kibatsi SS, Kinoni girls, and Mbrarara SS.

It’s a new year that comes with a new school sports challenge and whether Nayebare stays put with the Nyamitanga SS boys’ football team, will depend on her new options.