Excel Academy opens more doors for Ugandan kids

YOUTH FOOTBALL

 

In a bid to create more pathways for Ugandan footballers to play in Asia and Europe, the Excel Soccer Academy has opened another partnership with the Dubai City FC academy.

Dubai City Fc Academy Coach Sam White is in the country to kick-start the partnership by working with the Excel Academy players and coaches.

His five-day visit will see him working with not only with Excel Academy players and coaches but also other select academies.

On Sunday he presided over the Excel Academy end of year awards and party held at Legends ground, at which outstanding academy kids were awarded.

"I'm here to work with the kids and coach Patrick and a couple of other groups as well. Patrick has been bringing children to Dubai and Abu Dhabi for tournaments and expressed an interest to maybe having some coaches here to work with the kids and give them some training and maybe develop a partnership which eventually might see some Ugandan players may be playing in Dubai one day; which might be great," White said.

Excel Soccer Academy players show off their medals after their end of year party at Kyadondo Rugby Ground, January 12, 2019.

"This is the first visit but it could twice or thrice a year to see the same kids on how they are developing and work on their skills.

"Technically they are very good, their control is excellent, their love for the game is crazy and it seems everyone in Uganda loves the game which is great to see, so maybe in future, we can choose some of them to showcase at some of our events which might create a pathway for some to be able to potentially go for higher education or professional football in Europe, and we can have some of them visit Dubai and play in our team one day," White stated.

Excel Coach Patrick Gwayambadde said they had a successful year with many kids promoted from the under-12 to the under-14 on top of several tours they have had in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Timothy Rwamiri (top scorer), Stephen Atuhaire (MVP U-14) and Zani Murungi (MVP U-12) were chosen as the Excel Academy best players of the year.