Gulu clinic boosts Uganda’s push to popularise squash in schools

By Kayiira Jackson 

The Uganda Squash and Rackets Association (USRA) has trained 150 participants from 14 districts in a three-day capacity-building exercise aimed at expanding the sport to schools and communities across Northern Uganda.

The Northern Region Squash Clinic was held from October 7 to 9 at Awach Primary School in Gulu District, bringing together community club members, games teachers and sports officers to acquire skills that will enable them to introduce and develop squash in their respective communities.

The programme climaxed on October 10 with activities to mark World Squash Day, reinforcing the association’s commitment to promoting the sport and identifying new talent across the country.

USRA president Issa Bbaale Sseremba said the training was designed to equip participants with the knowledge and practical skills needed to recruit and train new players.

“These are the people who are going to help us train the new recruits into the game of squash, and we have conducted a successful training,” Sseremba said.

He added that the association was committed to extending the sport to all five regions of Uganda: Northern, Western, West Nile, Eastern and Central.

“As Uganda Squash and Rackets Association, we’re committing to spreading the gospel of squash to all our five regions. We are also committing to supporting these clubs that have formed up,” he said.

Sseremba expressed optimism that squash would continue to grow as the association strengthens its presence in schools and local communities, providing opportunities for more people to learn and participate in the sport.

Among the participants was Achola Jane, a teacher at Afoyo Primary School in Lamwo District, who said the clinic had equipped her with knowledge she intends to share with colleagues and pupils when she returns to her school.

“Squash is a very good game. I learnt a lot; it is very interesting, and when I go back to my school, I will teach them, starting with my fellow teachers before rolling it out to the students,” Achola said.

She appealed to her school administration to support the initiative and help implement the skills acquired during the training.

“My humble appeal goes to my school to support this programme so that we can implement what we have learnt here,” she added.

Her commitment reflects the association’s approach of using trained teachers and community sports personnel to introduce squash to more learners and establish a foundation for grassroots development.

Gulu District Sports Officer Ojara Sunday Blackstone welcomed the association’s intervention, saying the training would ease the process of identifying and developing sporting talent in the region.

He noted that identifying and nurturing talent at the grassroots level can be challenging, but equipping local personnel with the necessary skills would help improve the delivery of sports programmes.

“I am very honoured to have Uganda Squash in Gulu. As a sports officer, identification, development and promotion of talents lie in our hands, and tapping them from the grassroots is not very easy,” Ojara said.

“But the coming of the association here in Gulu, training the team to help in delivering information to other members, has made my work very easy.”

Ojara said his next priority was to ensure that squash activities thrive in Gulu and benefit communities across Northern Uganda.

“We know we have talents that we need to promote, and I will move from school to school and see that the teaching and learning of physical education is on,” he said.

He also urged participants to make effective use of the knowledge and skills acquired during the clinic to promote squash in their respective districts.

The participation of 150 people from 14 districts highlights the potential for expanding squash beyond established sporting centres through community clubs, schools and district sports structures.