ISU challenges seven other schools in ISSEA tournament

International School of Uganda (ISU) girls' football team coach Majida Nantanda believes her girls will display the necessary skills to win the International Schools of Southern and East Africa (ISSEA) football tournament which ISU is hosting.

The three-day tournament has attracted seven other schools that include the American International School of Johannesburg from South Africa, American International School of Lusaka from Zambia, Harare International School from Zimbabwe, International School of Kenya, American International School of Lusaka, Zambia, International School of Tanganyika and the International Community School of Addis Ababa.

"Our girls' team has prepared well, but our emphasis is on talent development. Most of the grade 12 girls eventually leave, but ours are still in grade eight and they have learnt a lot of new skills which they are going to display in this event," Nantanda said.

"I believe in the whole team and as hosts we are going to play to ensure the trophy stays in Uganda."

ISU boys and girls team captains Luigi Pizzi and Gaiane Fehr also promised a good outing as they want to add on their 2010 and 2016 successes from the same tournament.

 Action between ICS of Ethiopia (in black) and American Intenational School of Mozambique during one of the matches 

"We have trained a lot since August for this tournament with local sides and are ready. Looking at the results in the past two years I don't think we can win the tournament but we can post better results; we are more ready than ever before," Pizzi said

"We've also prepared well. It has been very tough but this year we are coming back stronger and are more prepared than last year when we lost 1-0 to Mozambique," Fehr noted.

Head of School Caroline Jacoby said apart from football, there are twelve other events that include sports and Music & Drama in which the schools compete in and that the hosting of each of the events rotates around the different schools

"It has gone on for the past 15 years and it is more of a tradition that encourages good sportsmanship and Congeniality between the different schools that older students aspire to," Jacoby stated.

ISU will next year host the same schools in a swimming competition under the same arrangement.