Kitende has better players for East Africa that weren’t eligible for Nationals – coach

Kitende team that played in Fort Portal

i

St Mary's Kitende

SCHOOLS FOOTBALL Kitende has better players for East Africa that weren’t eligible for Nationals – coach

Fred Mwambu • 18:04 - 22.05.2023

Kitende holds the record for most titles at the regional tournament, with 13 trophies to their name since 2004.

St. Mary’s Boarding Secondary School has more ammunition that will boost their chances at the East African games later in the year, their head coach Dan Male revealed.

Kitende won the 2023 USSSA National Secondary Schools Football Championship to match Kibuli SS’ record 11th trophy and qualify for East Africa.

Kitende holds the record for most titles at the regional tournament, with 13 trophies to their name since 2004.

Male revealed that the dominant side has more players to beef up their squad who were not eligible to feature in the National games.

“East African games is another tournament altogether because, unlike National Championships where teams play 35 minutes, matches go for 90 minutes,” Male said after the triumph over St. Henry’s Kitovu on Saturday in Fort Portal.

More ammunition

“So,” he added, “we are going to assemble a team because we have other players who were not eligible for nationals but qualify to play in the East Africa tournament. It will be a competition [for places] for those who have played [in the nationals] and those ones to get who makes the 20-man squad.”

Kitende last won the regional title it in 2019 after beating Buddo SS in Arusha, Tanzania.

The tournament went into a two-year-lull in 2020 and 2021 but the Uganda giant failed to retain their trophy last year, losing to Kenya’s Highway High School in the semi-finals in Tanzania last year.

Kibuli SS went on to beat the Kenyan school to claim their first East African championship.

East Africa Secondary School games – Boys' football

Previous winners

2002 - St. Anthony’s Boys (Kenya)

2003 - Standard High School Zana (Uganda)

2004 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2005 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2006 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2007 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2008 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2009 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2010 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2011 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2012 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2013 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2014 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2015 - Masaka SSS (Uganda)

2016 – Barding HS (Kenya)

2017 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2018 - Buddo SS (Uganda)

2019 - St. Mary’s Kitende (Uganda)

2020 – Covid break

2021 – Covid break

2022 – Kibuli SS (Uganda)

Tags: