The second phase of the DNSS (Development of National Structures and Systems) project involves hockey clinics for budding coaches and umpires in selected parts of the country. The first phase however involved online courses for coaches and umpires.
The upcountry clinics that tipped off in Central Uganda (Masaka) about a week ago will wind down this week in Northern Uganda (Gulu) after successful engagements in the Western (Mbarara) and Eastern Uganda (Mbale).
The project involves training local community members to take up coaching and umpiring of the sport as UHA (Uganda Hockey Association) seeks to build capacity, structures and also broaden the game’s scope to all parts of the country.
In Masaka the clinic was held at St Charles Lwanga SS Kasasa, in Mbarara it was held at Mbarara High and in Mbale it was held at Nabumali High. In Gulu the clinic will be held this Thursday, 24th September at Sir Samuel Baker SS.
According to DNSS Leader UHA, Michael Nashimolo, majority of the participants in previous events are teachers though other individuals are also in the mix.
“Teachers are our major target but other individuals are also part of the project,” Nashimolo said.
Participants are taken through both coaching and umpiring sessions but they are free to choose which field they want to major in in the future.
After the exercise winds down, Nashimolo is expectant.
“I want to see grassroots development in different regions. Mbale has already promised to start a sports club, the same thing with Mbarara,” Nashimolo said.
“I am hoping for the revival of the game in former hockey-playing schools and also in new schools. I also expect an improvement in match officiating at all levels and also see people progress to the next level,” Nashimolo noted.
To ensure that their efforts yield fruits, Nashimolo says they will conduct visits to the same sites and preach more hockey.
The next phase of the DNSS project involves club leaders (Chairpersons and General Secretaries) workshop that will be held next month. The exercise will be facilitated by experts from the FIH Olympic Solidarity.
The upcountry clinics are part of the entire one-year DNSS project worth thirty-one thousand, five hundred (31,500) US Dollars, with the main objective to take hockey to all the regions (Western, Eastern, Northern and Central) of Uganda; as well as supporting in the development of national structures and systems as the project’s name suggests.
For starters, DNSS project was granted to Uganda Hockey Association (UHA) by the Olympic Solidarity through the Uganda Olympic Committee to develop national structures and systems.
