Bukedea Comprehensive School and Standard High Zzana will carry Uganda’s flag in the quest for gold in the International Schools Sports Federation (ISF) volleyball championship starting April 19 to 29 in the Serbian capital Belgrade.

The two sides that stand out as the current volleyball boys giants in Ugandan schools' volleyball ranks, expect to make a statement at this level especially after the event draws were conducted on Monday evening in the hosting capital.

From the draws, Bukedea Comprehensive was pitted in Group G alongside schools from Chinese Taipei, Cyprus, and Bangladesh, while Standard High School was drawn in Group D against Germany, Iran, and Belgium sides.

Uganda’s other boys’ representative Namugongo Secondary and Vocational School will face sides from Bulgaria and Georgia in Group E, while the Bukedea Comprehensive girls team, the only girls' side Uganda will present, has been drawn against Germany, Italy, and Georgia.

The reigning USSSA Elite Games boys volleyball champions Bukedea Comprehensive will find a difficult side in the 2022 edition losing finalists Chinese Taipei but Cyprus and Bangladesh present decent competition.  

“This is our first international competition we shall be going to and from the draws, we are happy to meet one of the world’s best teams in Chinese Taipei but much as we are going to learn, we are also going to compete and represent Uganda very well. We shall surely go for a podium finish,” Said Bukedea Comprehensive School resident director Jonath Gumisiriza.

While Standard Hign School Zzana qualified as national boys champions followed by runners-up Bukedea, Namugongo takes the third slot after reaching the semifinals of the 2023 FEASSA games in Huye, Rwanda, and Bukedea Comprehensive girls replaces national champions St Elizabeth.

Uganda will be taking part in this competition for the first time, and rubbing shoulders with the world’s best including boys’ defending champions Turkey who beat Chinese Taipei 3-2 in the final, girls defending queens, and hosts Serbia who beat Chinese Taipei 3-1 for the gold alongside girls bronze winners Turkey who beat Greece 3-0 in the third place playoff and Brazil that beat France 3-0 for the boys bronze, in the 2022 edition held in Doz do Iguaçu, Brazil.

ISF School Volleyball championship groups (boys)

A: France, Denmark, and Mexico

B: Serbia, P.R. China, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands.

C: Italy, Austria, Montenegro and Luxembourg.

D: Germany, Iran, Standard High Zzana, and Belgium

E: Bulgaria, Georgia, and Namugongo Secondary and Vocational School

F: Turkey, Chile, and Libya

G: Chinese Taipei, Cyprus, Bangladesh, and Bukedea Comprehensive School

H: Greece, Czech Republic, and Bahrain