Overview:
Head coach Adam Masembe, the architect and master-planner of the Central College Nateet U-14 football team attributes their success to a number of factors at play as team work, the right attitude and self belief.
Every aspect on earth has that first time endeavor. Often times, the decision to undertake a project at hand calls for brave souls, super calculated decisions and collective effort as well.
When the school management of Central College Nateete decided to engage in the 2023 Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) Ball Games 2 under the U-14 docket (boys), a lot was put into consideration.
First things first; this was envisaged as the golden platform to give these budding footballers a viable platform to showcase their potentiality and develop in the game.
These youngsters are being built into prospective potential “Phillip Omondi’s”, “Kalusha Bwalya’s”, “Roger Milla’s”, “Mark Fish’s” and the “Nourdine Naybet’s” of this continent, Africa.
To cut the long story short, the U-14 players of Central College Nateete did not at any one moment disappoint.
Despite playing almost all the games with three men less, they largely impressed and won many neutralists in Kabale at the games hosted by St Mary’s College Rushoroza.
In convincing fashion, they humiliated the hosts 6-0, hammered Ndejje S.S for good (5-0), held the eventual winners St Mary’s Kitende (0-0) and narrowly lost 0-1 to Royal Giants Mityana.
Head coach Adam Masembe, the architect and master-planner of the team attributes their success to a number of factors at play.
Right from the good preparations, the right attitude and self-belief from players to the well-coordinated display, Central College Nateete had it all, and in abundance.
“We prepared well” Masembe cites before hinting on their key weapons.
“The players were united and yearned to play good football, obeying the instructions given to them” he adds.
Team composition:
Central College Nateete’s 9-man team had the likes of Benjamin Ssali (goalkeeper), Amiri Waiswa, Eze Kombi, Balaka Guloba, Emmanuel Ssenyonjo, Herry Musengi, Moses Nsubuga, Brian Olwa and 12-year-old Jacob Kakande.
Kakande only featured in one game and sadly got side-lined by an ailment before missing the rest of the championship.
The U-14 tournament was a qualifier for the 2024 CAF schools’ championships.
St Mary’s Kitende overcame Amus College 1-0 in the final to secure this berth.