Overview:
Uganda is in Group B alongside Japan, Wales, Denmark and France at the 2023 World Lacrosse Championships.
Uganda is among the countries that will compete at the 2023 World Lacrosse Championships scheduled for 21st June to 1st July in San Diego, United States of America (USA).
Christened as the “Pearl of Africa”, Uganda is the only African country at the prestigious world championship and the third time to feature at this tournament following 2014 (USA) and 2018 (Israel).
The team departed for the USA on Friday, June 16, 2023 aboard Emirates Airlines and has since reached their final destination ahead of high-profile build-up matches against Jamaica, Scotland and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).
Kawowo Sports’ David Isabirye profiles the entire team with special details about every member of the team squad.
Goalkeepers
Andrew Asimwe
Andrew Asiimwe is aged 19 years.
He is one of the three goalkeepers on the team. His development as a Lacrosse goalkeeper is attributed to the great grassroots programs of the Association, a product of Silverbacks sports program since the age of 8.
Asiimwe is a student at Namagabi Secondary School. He also plays football (center back).
He hails from Nakawa Ghetto area, Kampala. He is keen to make his debut at the World Championships.
Allan Amone
At 34 years of age, Allan Amone is the second oldest player on the Uganda Lacrosse Cranes team.
He is a good commander of fellow players from the back and his experience will drive the team ahead.
Amone is among the three goalkeepers on the team and will put on shirt number 25.
His experience comes from the 2014 and 2018 World Championships where he was also the goalkeeper for the team in USA and Israel respectively.
Daniel Otimu:
Daniel Otimu is one of the three goalkeepers on the team who hails from the Nakawa quarters.
Good game reader and shot-stopper as well. Otimu is 19 years old. He plays for the Silverbacks Lacrosse academy.
Defenders
Innocent Anyala
Innocent Anyala is a 22-year-old defender who lives in the Acholi Quarters, Banda. He played at the U-21 World championships in Ireland last year.
He will don shirt 19 at the 2023 World Championships in San Diego, USA.
Bernard Otim:
Bernard Otim is a workaholic defender who leaves nothing to chance having also played at two previous World Championships in USA (2014) and Israel (2018).
He covers spaces, man-marks, passes the ball and commands in equal measure.
Otim was among the scorers in the qualification match against Kenya in Nairobi city.
The 27-year-old defender will don shirt 4.
Max Phillips:
Max Phillips is 16 years old and no question the youngest of the Uganda Lacrosse Cranes.
He currently attends the International School of Uganda (ISU). The defender attended the U-21 tournament in Ireland last year as a defensive coach because he was too young to feature in the tournament.
This time at age 16 he is old enough to participate and will be playing for Uganda in the world championships in San Diego, USA.
He was born in Colorado, USA but has lived in Uganda for seven years, so he’s eligible to play for Uganda as a non-passport holder by being a long-term resident.
Max is the younger brother of Finn Phillips, an attacker on the same team.
Damson Lyaleng
Damson Lyaleng is aged 18 years old and a graduate of the youth programs from the Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Nakawa.
He is a solid defender with great game-reading antics and command of the game.
Lyaleng played at the 2022 U-21 World championship.
21 is his shirt number.
Long Stick Midfielders
Chris Palanda
Chris Palanda is aged 20 years old. He hails from Luzira prisons youth program that started in 2018. He studies at Luzira Secondary School.
He is a good defensive who grasped the basics of defending in all formats.
Defensive midfielders
Solomon Adiyo
Solomon Adiyo, 23, is one of the three defensive midfielders on the Uganda Lacrosse Cranes.
He is a team player, a workaholic and solid defensively.
Easily recognized by the colourful yellow stripe across his hair.
He is a part of the youth development program from Makerere University Business School, Nakawa.
Francis Odongo
Francis Odongo is a 21-year-old defensive midfielder. He hails from Naguru.
He will use shirt 7 throughout the World Championships.
Martin Komakech
Martin Komakech is the third oldest player on the Uganda Lacrosse Cranes.
The 30-year-old defensive midfielder will make his experience in the game count for something valuable.
He played at the 2018 World Championships in Israel. He is from the Nakawa Ghetto area.
Komakech will wear shirt number 15.
Midfielders
Rogers Anywar
Rogers Anywar is decorated with an odd stripe of green in his hair.
He is among the creative midfielders on the team blessed with quick decision-making and agility.
Anywar is aged 21 years old and hails from the Acholi Quarters. He is in S.6 vacation at Luiq Guissian in Kireka.
Keith Lubangakene
Keith Lubangakene is the team captain for the Uganda Lacrosse Cranes.
The dreadlocked 34-year-old has all the leadership antics to inspire the rest of the players on the team.
He currently stays in Mutungo, a Kampala suburb having come from the Nakawa quarters.
He is also very solid and a joy to watch in the middle of the pack during competitive matches.
Lubangakene also played at the World Championships in 2014 (USA) and 2018 (Israel).
This will be his third world championship.
Owen Waluku
Owen Waluku is a midfielder with great vision ready to supply the forwards to score.
The 19-year-old is very aggressive and a team player.
He is from the Silver Backs Lacrosse Academy.
John Brian Mukaga
John Brian Mukaga is a superb midfielder with special abilities to link up play from the back with the attack force.
The 23-year-old player is a perfect game reader and will make his debut at the World Championships, like many of the players on the team.
He is the from the Youth Lacrosse programs at Makerere University Business School where is also a student of Business Administration (Certificate).
Currently, he runs the Peace Lacrosse In the World.
Mukaga will don shirt number 6.
Yosef Ngowe
Yosef Ngowe is 22 years old. He was born to a Ugandan father and the mother from USA. He currently lives in the United States of America (USA).
Ngowe played at the 2022 U-21 World championships in Ireland where he was a stand-out player.
Paul Mbusa
Paul Mbusa is 26 years old and like Ngowe, he lives in the United States of America (USA).
Edward Komakech
Edward Komakech is a 23-year-old midfielder who is very hard-working and a team player as well.
Komakech scored a brace for Uganda against Kenya during that crucial 9-8 victory in the qualifier at Nairobi city.
He will wear shirt 18 at the 2023 World Lacrosse Championships in San Diego, USA.
Komakech also plays Basketball at JT Jaguars.
Aaron Lyaleng
Aaron Lyaleng is a creative midfielder aged 18 years. He stays in Mbuya, a suburb of Kampala city.
He will don the treasured shirt 10 at the World Championships.
Attackers
Swaibu Meliga
Swaibu Meliga is one of the offensive-minded players on the team from the Silver Backs Lacrosse Academy.
He hails from Kibuli, another suburb of Kampala city.
Meliga scored a brace in Uganda’s 9-8 historic win over rivals Kenya to seal the qualification slot in Nairobi city.
At 19 years, he is at the apex of his teens and will don shirt 8 at the championship.
This is his first time at the World Championships.
Benjamin Ojok
Benjamin Ojok believes in the Rastafarian faith and a graduate from the rich Lacrosse background.
The hardworking attacker is aged 20 years old and will be making his debut at the world championships.
Ojok is currently in S.4 at Luigi Guissian Secondary School in Kireka.
Faisal Nsubuga
At 37 years of age, Faisal Nsubuga is arguably the oldest member of the Uganda Lacrosse Cranes at the 2023 World Championships in the USA.
Nsubuga will be playing at his third world championship after exploits in 2014 (USA) and 2018 (Israel).
His experience will therefore come into play at all times.
Finn Phillips:
Finn Phillips is 18 years old. He is the older brother to Max Phillips, a defender on the same team.
He recently graduated from the International School of Uganda (ISU).
Like his brother Max, Finn was born in Coraldo but qualifies to play for Uganda having spent the mandatory 7 years in Uganda where he had all his education.
Uganda Lacrosse senior men’s national team
- Goalkeepers: Andrew Asimwe, Allan Amone, Daniel Otimu
- Defenders: Innocent Anyala, Benard Otim, Max Phillips, Damson Lyaleng
- Long Stick Midfielders: Chris Palanda
- Defensive Midfielders: Solomon Adiyo, Francis Odong, Martin Komakech
- Midfielders: Roger Anywar, Keith Lubangakene, Owen Waluku, John Brian Mukaga, Yosef Ngowe, Paul Mbusa, Edward Komakech, Aaron Lyaleng
- Attackers: Swaibu Meliga, Benjamin Ojok, Faisal Nsubuga, Finn Phillips
