Samson Kirya arrived at Sports Villa in 2015 from Water FC as a backup goalkeeper and rarely made any appearances.
However, as the old adage “patience pays” says, Kirya kept working hard and by 2016, he had won the confidence of the technical bench to start games.
He became a strong pillar in SC Villa’s team especially last season when the Jogoos competed for the league title until when they bottled it up in the final bend.
His brilliant performance throughout the entire season saw him named the best goalkeeper in the season ending the campaign with 16 clean sheets.
Kirya was destined for more success and only hoped for improvement until the infamous day he got injured in training at Villa Park, Nsambya.
Injuries, while hopefully infrequent, are often an unavoidable part of sport participation. While most injuries can be managed with little to no disruption in sports and other activities of daily living, some impose a substantial physical and mental burden.
For some athletes, the psychological response can trigger or unmask serious mental health issues such as depression.
The recovery period especially for long term injuries is in most cases tough especially for a Ugandan set up where teams value players only when they are on pitch.
In recent past, we have cases of teams abandoning players after sustaining injuries. A case in point is Vincent Onyebuchi who got injured while playing for Express FC in a league game against Proline FC in 2017.
How Kirya got injured
In an exclusive interview with Kawowo Sports the shot stopper vividly remembers how he sustained the injury.
“We were in training at Villa Park on 23rd, May 2018 just two days to our final league game against BUL FC last season,” Kirya recalls. “There was no contact at all, I was running with the ball and made a sudden turn then felt an electric pulse through my knee and fell down. The whole leg got swollen suddenly and I could not move or even fold it.”
On seeking medical attention, the doctors told Kirya he had had a total tear of the Anterior Crucient Ligament (ACL).
At first Kirya thought he would return soon because SC Villa had to play Vipers SC in the semifinals of the Uganda Cup.
“I thought I would only miss the game against BUL FC and return for the semifinal of the Uganda Cup against Vipers SC but this didn’t happen.”
At the time Kirya got injured, the club was in disarray following the resignation of then club President, Ben Misagga and he had no one to approach to have the necessary medical care.
“I got injured towards the end of the season and there was so much happening. I had no one to run to. So I would not undergo surgery.”
Kirya further states he thought he would only miss the first round of this season but got bad news after undergoing a scan on the injured knee.
“At first I thought I would miss just the first round of the league. That was before I went for the MRI scan. But after the scan I realized I would not feature at all and I was broken down. I even tried forcing myself to train and that shows how much I wanted to play. People later talked to me and advised me to focus on healing. I changed my mindset and accepted the fact that I wasn’t going to play at all this season.”
Undergoing surgery
Two weeks ago, Kirya was operated and given about three
“They put in some screws to hold the tissue that was put in to replace the torn ACL. They said I will play after 3 months but I think that will depend on how hard I work to get myself back. I have already got myself a physiotherapist who will help me and as soon as the stitches are removed, I will be back. “
Life without playing
Kirya explains that he has had a challenging period for the time he has been sidelined terming it as his toughest spell in his career.
“It has been and still a tough period for me. First, I miss being on the pitch but as well struggled financially for the time I have been injured.”
He thanks SC Villa and the fans for raising the required money go undergo operation.
“I thank the club and fans who raised the five million shillings for the operation. But the recovery process still demands for a lot. I hope the process is smooth because everyday I think about returning to the field.”
Kirya joined SC Villa in 2015. Before that, he had featured for Entebbe FC and also guided Makerere University to winning the inaugural University Football League in 2011.
