By Our Reporter
Last weekend, Airtel Uganda hosted the best youth football teams from Kampala district at Sendi grounds in Wankulukuku for the Airtel Rising Stars Kampala Regional tournament – the first regional tournament of the 2019 competitions.
The 3-day tournament, which had 16 boys’ and 8 girls’ teams, saw Kawempe Muslim SS dominate on both fronts with their boys team defeating 2018 winner Kampala Junior Team (KJT) 5-4 in penalty shoot-outs following a goal-less draw after 90 minutes.
The Kawempe Muslim SS girls’ team also defeated Uganda Martyrs 2 -1 in an exciting and nerve-wracking match watched by Honorable Nabilah Nagayi, the Kampala Woman MP, FUFA leadership led by 2nd Vice President Darius Mugoya and Airtel Uganda Brand and Strategy Manager Ms. Noela Byuma.
Following their victory, both Kawempe Muslim boys and girls teams walked away with a trophy, gold medals each and 1.5 million shillings each. Runners up KJT (boys) and Uganda Martyrs (girls) also took hom a trophy, silver medals for the players and 1 million shillings. Uganda Martyrs’ Kevin
Nakachwa was named girls MVP while Jeremiah Jabel from St. Mary’s took home the boys MVP accolade.
Commenting about this tournament, Airtel’s Noela Byuma congratulated the winners and encouraged all the other teams to continue training for their comeback in the 2020 tournament.
“The talent that we have seen over the past three days has been a clear indicator for the need to continue investing in grassroots talent development. These youth are skilled, passionate and determined and these are the values that Airtel Rising Stars aims to develop as they go on to pursue professional careers in football,” she noted.
Since 2011, the Airtel Rising Stars grassroots football tournament has given talented boys and girls between the ages of 13 and 17 an opportunity to compete against fellow youth from across the country with hopes of being scouted to join the local league, football clubs all over the world and the Uganda national team. Today, the Uganda national men and women football teams both consist of a number of players who took part in this tournament.
Kampala Region has named thirty boys (30) and 30 girls who will prepare for the Airtel Rising Stars National finals due in early September.