How Mugerwa clinched his first league title after seven years

The saying “better late than never” perfectly captures the journey of KCCA Netball Club head coach Fred Mugerwa, whose long wait for a league title at club level finally came to an end this season.

For a coach who has enjoyed success on the national stage but endured years of near misses with clubs, the championship triumph was both vindication and reward for patience, belief and consistency.

Mugerwa’s coaching résumé has never been in doubt. At national team level, he proved his tactical expertise and ability to manage elite players.

However, questions often lingered over why similar success had eluded him at club level, particularly with the two sides he has coached in the league—Police Netball Club and later KCCA. In both setups, his ambition was always clear: to win the league title.

According to Mugerwa, the turning point lay not just in tactics or talent, but in culture.

“Respect is very important. Even though these are players, they need to be respected and feel loved. We have managed to reach this far because of respect,” he explained.

One of the defining features of Mugerwa’s success at KCCA has been squad stability. Since joining the club in 2018, he has largely worked with the same group of players, allowing chemistry, understanding and trust to develop over time. The only notable departures were captain Irene Eyaru, who left for greener pastures, and Sandra Nambirige, who moved to NIC before also heading abroad. Despite these losses, Mugerwa resisted the temptation to constantly reshuffle his squad.

He believes that frequent player movement disrupts cohesion and ultimately affects performance.

“When players are up and down, they are likely to produce fewer results,” Mugerwa often tells fellow coaches.

That philosophy paid off this season, as KCCA displayed maturity, unity and tactical discipline throughout the campaign. The players understood each other’s roles, covered for one another in difficult moments and showed resilience in tight matches—signs of a well-drilled and settled team.

Winning the league title seven years after joining KCCA is a testament to Mugerwa’s courage and long-term vision. In an era where coaches are often judged on instant results, he chose the harder path of building gradually, trusting the process and nurturing a winning mentality over time.

With the domestic crown now secured, Mugerwa is already looking beyond Uganda’s borders. His next target is East African glory, although he acknowledges that the challenge will be even tougher.

Still, having finally shaken off the tag of an “unlucky” club coach, Fred Mugerwa’s first league title stands as proof that persistence, respect for players and consistency can eventually turn ambition into achievement.