Star Profile: Netball Journey of Joan Nampungu, The “Interception Queen”
As it’s our norm to expose the talents that you may briefly know or not in your medulla, this time round, Voice of Bugerere decided to bring you one of the few She Cranes Stars who went through all the ranks.
Joan Nampungu, the Interception Queen, is the name we are talking about, trading her brand in National Insurance Corporation (NIC) Netball Club and a regular player at the National team the She Cranes.
The defender, Nampungu was born in 1998, November, 11th to Mr. Saazi Cosia Ssebakijje and Mrs. Aminah Najjuma.
Joan is the only biological child for Cosia Ssebakijje and Aminah but have half siblings from both sides and at least three of them took her path (Netball).
The NIC defender, who is good at zonal marking and ball interceptions, is ranked to be among the best defenders the country has currently, actually she is rated second behind experienced and intelligent Prisons Netball Club’s Lillian Ajio.
She walked through all the national teams ranks from U18, U21 and now the prominent and regular starter at the National team, the She Cranes.
The Lillian Ajio secret admirer revealed that her talent was spotted as early as she was in primary five at Mackay Primary School in 2008.
Education Journey
Nampungu sat her primary leaving examinations at Mackay Primary School, Natete, Kampala in 2010. The girl later joined St Mary’s Kitende for her Ordinary and Advanced level from 2011-2016. She did History, Entrepreneurship and Divinity.
Joan went to Nkumba University in 2017, did Bachelor in in Records and Information Management where she graduated in 2020.
Netball Journey:
Joan Nampungu is a real talent for Uganda, her Dad, Saazi Cosia Ssebakijje saw it early that his daughter has gold in her while she is still in primary school.
Since he was a Netball Coach, Joan quickly blended into the game and got skills, in 2008 while in primary five at Mackay Primary School, she was spotted by celebrated Coach in Ugandan Netball, Rashid Mubiru.
Immediately after finishing P7, Mubiru who was at St Mary’s, he took her and she fused into the school senior team as early as form form one.
“I got inspiration from my Dad, he was a Netball Coach, and he was and still supportive to us, so he inspired me and made me to love the game.” Nampungu, point blank told our reporter.
Joan who take She Cranes senior defender, Lillian Ajio as one of her role models, she received the captaincy for St Mary’s while still in senior two, won almost all the titles.
She joined the national teams rankings in 2014 while still in senior four, U18, switched to U21 in 2016 then elevated to senior team in 2018.
Joan is ranked among the best five defenders in Uganda.
“Joan is one of the best defenders, currently, you can’t mention five defenders and she is not among, actually to me, Lillian Ajio is the best according to her experience and intelligence then my second best is Joan, she is good at zonal playing, good at steal those balls, I think is best at that.” Coach Hassan Kato, who is good at spotting talents told this website.
It’s not a lie, Joan also asserts that she is good at interceptions and mentioned one her best games, that came in 2019 against South Africa and Namibia in 2021 when she was named the best defender in 2021 Tri-Nation Series held in South Africa.
She also looked good in the 2018 FISU University Netball championship hosted by Uganda at Makerere University.
“When am going into any game, I set my targets, I task myself that in this game, I want at least three interceptions per quarter, when you steal five balls for example, those are ten goals you contribute to your team, so I mind much about that.” Joan Nampungu.
Nampungu like anything African child, she also wants to trade her talent outside Uganda but also to work hard to see that her siblings in Netball line achieve the best in their talent.
Profile:
Name: Joan Nampungu
Nickname: none
Date of Birth: 11th/November/1998
Place of Birth: Nateete (Kampala Surbub)
Parents: Saazi Cosia Ssebakijje and Mrs. Aminah Najjuma
Position: GoalKeeper, Goal Defender and Wing Defender.
Strong Hand: Right
Weight: 68kg
Height: 179cm
Previous Club: Police Netball Club
Current Club: National Insurance Corporation Netball Club
Role Models: Lillian Ajio, Betty Namukasa, Geva Mentor [England], Laura Gatzi [Australia].
Hardest opponents: Stella Oyella [NIC], Peace Proscovia, Mary Nuba
Credited people; My Dad [Saazi Cosia Ssebakijje], Coach Rashid.
Achievements:
(National teams)
2014: Gold Medal U18 (Botswana host)
2016: Bronze medal in U21 World Cup (Bostswa host)
2018: Gold Medal Africa Nations Championship (Zambia host)
2018: Gold Medal FISU University Netball championship (Uganda host)
2019: Qualified for World Cup (England host)
2019: Bronze medal Africa Cup (South Africa)
School level (2011-2016):
Five national championship titles with Kitende.
Six East Africa Championship titles with Kitende
Five District championship with Kitende.
Club Achievements:
Four National Rally titles with NIC [2017,2018,2019,2020]
Two National League titles with NIC [2017,2019]
One East Africa Championship title [2019].
Individual Achievements:
2016: Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA) Player of the Year.
2017: Best Defender, East Africa Championship
2021: Real Stars Monthly Award winner (March).
Best Moments in Netball:
My best moment is when I was summoned for National team duty in 2018.
Worst Moment:
My worst moment, when I was dropped from the team that went to Africa Championship in 2017.
Ambitions:
To play professional Netball in near future.
Youth Netball Career:
2011-2016: St Mary’s Kitende
2014: U18 National Team
2016: U21 National team
Senior career (Club level and National team)
2016: Police Netball Club
2017-todate: National Insurance Corporation Netball Club
2018-todate: National team the She Cranes