The team had won another tournament in the meantime and we were invited to come and visit the training session. There were probably 300 kids from 6-18 already there and more still drifted out from Kisenyi during the day. Weather was quite nice and the pitches had dried out a little, but still they were pitted and lacked vast sections of grass.
This part of KJT’s operation seemed to run like clockwork. Matches ran to time, kids knew where they were going, referees were on the right pitch, flags marked the edge of the pitches.
I kind of toured the site talking to people most of the day and took some good photos. Many thanks must go to David Bale, who sourced three full football kits for me to take over and here are the pictures to prove that they were used!
Not being an expert on football, I’m not the right person to judge skill in football, but I can say that I have never seen better skill in young players before and it is absolutely clear how seriously these youngsters take their football. 7 and 8 year olds were highly critical of their 10 year old elders, claiming poor passing and skills, while the older ones showed amazing ball control but also an exceptional level of sportsmanship. All of the kids were polite and courteous and very motivated to succeed.
KJT’s strategy is to look for support from a Premiership Club or a player, so that they can have some regular core funding and perhaps have their own ground, which they will maintain. If you can help, then please post here. It seems crazy that vast sums of money are ploughed into British Football at all age groups, yet a team built out of orphans and slum kids in Uganda, who beat the best internationally receives absolutely nothing from anyone. This may change soon and if it does, it will be posted here.
They hope too to travel in July to Norway for another international event, but have yet to raise anywhere near the money for it – will they be going? Watch this space!
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