The Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) on Monday, 25th June 2018 joined the rest of the world to celebrate the annual Olympic Day for the 70th anniversary world wide.
The main celebrations were hosted at Police Children School play ground in Kibuli, Kampala.
Uganda Olympic Committee William Blick led the high profile dignitaries at the event that started as early as 8 AM.
Blick noted;
Every year, we dedicate the period 23-25th June to celebrate the Olympic Day. This year, we have partnered with the French Embassy in Uganda and KCCA to support sports development in the KCCA-Managed schools as we develop special talents from the grass roots as well as teach the key values of Olympism to the children at the tender age
French Ambassador in Uganda, Stephanie Rivoal was the chief guest at the event that had over 400 school going children from the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) managed schools engage in different sporting discplines.
KCCA was also ably represented by the Director of Education and Social Services, Juliet Namuddu as well as the deputy, Ambrose Atwoko.
Her Eminence Rivoal appreciated all the organizers and partners for the Olympic Day celebrations particularly Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) and KCCA.
The French Embassy will help put in place an all weather sports court at Police Children School in Kampala to help further develop the sporting disciplines of Volleyball, Hockey, Basketball, Handball and 5-aside football among the youngsters and the general communities of Kibuli and Kisugu.
“We shall join hands in constructing an all weather sports court at Police children school in Kibuli and one other school. These are the fruits from the proceeds realized from the 2018 Uganda – France celebrations” Rivoal added.
The over 300 school school were engaged by coaches in the disciplines as netball, handball, athletics,hockey, shooting and archery, boxing, karate, Taekwondo, tag rugby, volleyball aerobics and cycling.
Some of the KCCA schools included; Police Children School, Kibuli, Kibuli Day school, Uganda School for the Deaf, Nakasero Primary, Buganda Road Primary, Police Children School in Naguru, Nakivubo Blue Settlement School among others.
The children were equipped with the basics of the several games as ball handling, warming up, equipment management, rules and regulations and others.
Also, the coaches shared with the youngsters the values of sports as Respect, Team work, Equity, Courage, Inspiration, Friendship, Excellence and Determination.
“It has been a great session to share with the young children the basic skills of sports and making them appreciate the games at this tender age” Geofrey Garry Mabonga, who handled the Rugby sport noted.
As part of the 2018 Olympic Day programme, the Uganda Olympic Committee also aligned with the Uganda Prisons to further equip administrators and coaches attached to the Prisons Service with a three day sports administration course.
The course started on Monday at the Prisons Academy and Training School in Luzira with close to 40 participants including Olympic gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich.
The Sports Management course was officially opened by the Director of Corporate Affairs in the Uganda Prisons Moses Kakungulu, flanked by the Commandent of the Training School Brenda Sana.
Kakungulu expressed the need to further cooperate with UOC and the two bodies are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for better working relationship.
“We are pleased to host a UOC managed Sports Management Course. This is the first of the many fruits yet to come. We shall soon enter into a formal partnership” Kakungulu said.
UOC will also construct an all weather sports court inside the Uganda Prisons to provide training venue for the sports richly endowed Prisons service community.
The three day sports management course climaxes this Wednesday, 27th June 2018.