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With woodball celebrating its position among the 10 priority funded sports by government, the awards gala, which had a little bit of music, plenty of food and a splash out of trophies, was the icing on the cake.
Friday night was for obvious reasons the best time for the woodball family in Uganda. Exactly 144 awards were dished out at Hotel Africana as woodball wound up the season in preparation for the busy 2023 calendar that involves the World Cup.
With woodball celebrating its position among the 10 priority funded sports by government, the awards gala, which had a little bit of music, plenty of food and a splash out of trophies, was the icing on the cake.
Woodball president Paul Mark Kayongo fervently thanked the sponsors especially government, the Chinese embassy, Ndejje University and the media, while the National Council of Sports (NCS) assistant General Secretary David Katende thanked organisers for setting the bar high.
When it came to the actual theme of the night, Joyce Nalubega and Thomas Kedi reigned supreme as University of Kisubi, the best in corporate games, lit the atmosphere.
Hail the champs
Nalubega, 30, was on top of her game both on the beach and grass. She was both the women’s winner of the beach circuit and the professional league while teaming up with Jackie Naula, she was silver medallist in the doubles.
For Kedi, a lone ranger, a win during the elite professional league and also the best singles player in the national league, although he went AWOL at the beach where Muwanguzi reigned supreme, had a season to remember at the podium.
“This is an important award for me as a person. It gives me fulfillment of my effort,” Keddi, the reigning Nile Special Uspa woodball player of 2021, said.
Stop and go
Nalubega, a left-handed player, has formed a formidable partnership with Mukoova since 2014 when she took up woodball with the duo playing together at university, clubs and the national team.
Her golden performances were complemented by Elizabeth Nambeguya and Pauline Nakayenga at Eminents.
Yet for Nalubega, it has been a stop and go journey to her second overall title.
In Primary school, she played cricket at Kasana Parents in Luweero but quickly carved in to the pressure of academics when she joined Kasana Junior in Primary Five. She would resume in secondary school to play cricket but in Senior Three she was taken to St Kizito Katikamu where sports was not a priority. She would later play netball in high school at Nakaseke International School.
At Ndejje University, she decided to play woodball after her brother Robert Matovu, an administrator at the university encouraged her to join any sport for tuition discount reasons.
“I went there for fun. I did not focus on woodball a lot. But when I lost my dad in November 2014 I realised that it was sports to make me either go up or take me down. Since then I started winning because I put in a lot of effort in training. Woodball has helped me a lot because without it I would not have completed my studies,” Nalubega said.
Woodball awards 2022
MVP men: Thomas Kedi
MVP women: Joyce Nalubega
Beach circuits
Corporates singles - men: Raymond Semata, Jackson Masiga & Muhereza.
Corporates singles - women: Noeline Nalwoga, Aidah Namubiru & Justine Balemesa.
Senior singles - men: Israel Muwanguzi, Joel Adupa & Edison Tumwine.
Senior singles - women: J. Nalubega, Tracy Nassanga & Sophie Namuddu.
Corporate circuits
Singles men: Caleb Kiiza, Aloysious Ssekajigo & Timothy Mugarura.
Singles women: Noeline Nalwoga, Joan Najjuma & Aidah Namubiru.
Best teams – men: Kisubi, Ndejje & Bugema.
Women – Bugema, Uneb & Ndejje.
National League
Open singles men: T. Kedi, Robert Mutiibwa & Samson Rugongeza.
Open singles women: S. Namuddu, Jackie Naula & Joan Mukoova
Others
Best media print: Daily Monitor
Best event host: Mbale Sports Club
