The name Henry Mpagi name will surely not sound aloud to many ear pinnars of a contemporary football follower in Uganda.
Even though Mpagi played for the Uganda national U-17 junior team in 1993 and won the Uganda Premier League the following year with Sports Club Villa Jogoo, he has been away in the United States of America where he resumed further studies and played advanced college soccer.
Upon graduating with a degree in Management Information System at Alabama University, Mpagi’s career took a shape turn towards coaching since 2005 up to his current position as Director of coaching at Huntsville Soccer Club.
Back in Grissom-Huntsville, Mpagi inspired many youngsters given his current fortfolio as the Director of Coaching at Huntsville Soccer Club.
Currently on holidays in Uganda, Mpagi now eyes promoting the beautiful game in his country of birth especially with the grassroots, who are the future of the sport.
The former St Henry’s Kitovu player who later in his glittering career played at Huntsville Soccer Club and Alabama University before taking on coaching, testifies during an exclusive interview with Kawowo Sports;
Uganda has immensely talented footballers. I would love to join the bandwagon of personalities who have contributed positively to the game’s development.
There is need to polish up ball control, protection, passing, receiving, dribbling, shooting, and finishing techniques at the infantry stage with emphasis on coordination, vision, and overall game awareness.
He harbours a big life time dream of establishing a state of art football academy in Lyamutundwe, near Mpala along the Kampala – Entebbe Highway.
Qualified in coaching with NSCAA Premiere Diploma, USSF National coaching Diploma and NSCAA National Advanced Diploma credentials, Mpagi hints of his future projections;
Many will ask why Mpala of all places? The answer is one, Mpala is home. I want to start home before spreading the message to the other parts of the country.
Uganda needs talent identification programmes, talent grooming and development measures. There is urgent need to identify potential talent, put in place great infrastructure and as well, provide material tools to kick start the projects.
Mpagi has of late worked with Proline Soccer Academy and local football communities in his home area of Nkumba village as he freely shared his experiences, motivational talk and passing on of skills to the youth.
Mpagi won several accolades in the U.S as player and coach including national titles with Huntsville High School and Conference titles with North Alabama University.