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The little things that could improve Ugandan rugby
Over the recent past, the level and quality of Ugandan rugby has been at a near-constant level with small upward or downward changes. Some will say that it has taken a dive from where we were and should be in under 5 years. There are many reasons to explain this trend, like administration and finances.
Imagine Ugandan rugby is like a big jigsaw puzzle and there are thousands of small pieces needed to complete it. Each of these small pieces would need to be placed systematically in the right place for the puzzle to be completed. And I’ve been thinking…
What are some of the small things that can be done to improve rugby at all levels in Uganda?
- Prioritising statistics and data: Kenya Simbas head coach Paul Odera said that one of the ways he will send Kenya to their maiden Rugby World Cup appearance will be through the use of data and analytics to select the best players for his team from all over the world. Data and performance analysis can go a long way in improving rugby in any setup when used well.
In Uganda, data like starting line-ups, scorers and cards is recorded, but that is not enough. The challenge at the moment is in storage and access (by interesting parties) of what is collected, which is already being improved. From as low as the community to the national team set up, we need to start collecting and analysing more rugby-relevant data that paint a clearer picture of how a match or session went. This will help in decision making for selectors, and knowing where to focus more for the coaches. - Advice and sensitisation on good player nutrition and behaviour: There is no control of what players do in their personal time or put in their bodies when they are outside residential training camps. Maintaining good nutrition, gym routine and sleep schedule takes a lot of discipline and investment, which our players cannot afford and/or do not know how to do.
That said, our clubs and national teams can sensitize players through seminars, chat sessions and clinics on how to use the resources available to improve their nutrition and behaviour for better athletic performance. Also, where possible, the players can be supported financially and logistically to maintain good routines and plans. - Mental health awareness and player welfare: Mental health and player welfare, in general, are important in having athletes performing at their best level both in and outside rugby. Because players are also human. We all need to create an environment that enables players to perform and also be free to express themselves.
- Improving the fans’ experience: The fans are the one-man advantage a team will always have when playing on their own turf. But this advantage is close to non-existent for some teams during local games, and sometimes when the national team is playing.
In addition to “winning every game”, it is not so complex to have an idea about what the fans need to influence their support for the sport. And some of these things, like security, news and updates, team merchandise can be provided to improve the fans’ experience.
In my view, these are just a few of the things that do not require breaking the bank or going back and forth in meetings. I believe we can make it work even at the grassroots level.
Let me know what you think.
This week’s quiz question:
In which year did Kobs Rugby Club win their first Uganda Cup title?
Answer is at the end of this newsletter.
For you:
- October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Uganda Women’s Rugby fraternity concluded the campaign with a workshop during which Dr. Steven Buyongo lectured about the silent killer epidemic in Uganda and carried out private breast cancer examinations.
Quiz answer: 2005.
Let’s have a chat about the little things that can cause a marginal gain in Ugandan rugby. Reply this email or reach me personally via ernest@kawowo.com
Cheers!
