She Cranes successfully completed her fifth regional tour in Westnile, Arua in particular.
The team’s England based player, Mary Nuba Cholhok expressed the amazing experience she got in her first regional your with the She Cranes.
For starters, Mary Nuba joined the team on Wednesday last week and the Westnile tour found her set to physically meet her fans and those of netball in the region.
“It’s my first tour the girls have done, it’s my first experience of the tour and it’s amazing experience for me and I think we are spreading a lot of love. And have seen the primary school girls playing, we played the men team, the love of netball is very wide in Uganda and it’s amazing to see that.” Says Nuba.
“Making tours as the national team is good and also going back to the routes where it’s players coming from is amazing, like Irene Eyaru is coming from this region, so she is home and we are feeling that warm welcome from the locals, surely these tours are very important for us because the bring great connection between us and the locals, coming to commonwealth games, this is enough alarm tht has sounded to all the areas we have visited, It has exposed the professionals like me.” Nuba narrates her regional tour experience.
Nuba also advised the young ones from upcountry that they can still make it like her despite the fact that they are far from Kampala.
The Uganda Netball Federation President, Babirye Kityo Sarah, with one tour to end the 2022 maiden regional tours, made it clear that the tours will be held annually.
“I am grateful to God because we have had a great regional tour, we have been to every region of Uganda, one would wonder why am saying we have been to every region in Uganda before Kampala, but Kampala is where our head offices are and it’s where Netball is played most and we are visiting Kampala is next and it’s part of Central,” started Babirye.
“This has been an eye opener, not only to us as the Federation but also to the Ministry, NCS, Uganda Olympic Committee and every body that governs Sport. People love Sport, and have talent.
“In every district there is talent, Uganda is so talented. When you look at the way these young people are playing, the people we have come to motivate, it’s like they are already motivated, we really need to put the facilities in place to train the coaches, umpires and help them know what should be done.
“We need to assist them, we need bring these National teams back to them so that they own them after all these are their children and they should grow with them.
“This business of keeping the Sport in Kampala and you think all is well is wrong. At least now as UNF, we know every challenge of each of the region of Uganda. So we are now going back and draw a plan and see how to reach out to every district, County, Sub County, Village and from there we can know how to develop the sport from grassroot.”
Babirye said that they are going to make the tours every year because it’s the only way they can evaluate and make assessment.
She explained: “You can say last year we came here when there was no local club but how many are here now. The fan base. And see where to add effort, what needs to be done best.”
“The Federation Executive is going to move to every district, meeting stakeholders telling them and educating them on the importance of them having this game played in their district, how do they benefit in terms of business, in terms of talent development, we are going to move and grow with them. We are working with Sports Officers, we shall involve all the political stakeholders and local leaders, local people and everybody.
“This being a girl child sport, though it’s also played by men, we need to handle it in a unique way such that we don’t leave anyone lagging behind.”
In westnile, She Cranes played three games, and this time they played against men.
Results
•She Cranes A 25-08 Men Select team [Arua]
•She Cranes B 33-10 West Nile Region select
•She Cranes A 24-23 She Cranes B
The final regional tour is Kampala Region this Friday 8 July 2022 at Weyonje Grounds in Kibuli.
