Uganda to entertain Kenya in American Football Zonal qualifier

Uganda Generals’ defensive Back Keith Rowan Kabera believes Uganda has done enough preparations that will ensure victory against Kenya when the two sides clash in the 2023 Africa Zone Series, a two-nation event at the Legends Rugby Ground on Sunday.

As he hit the ground running for another round of training with the team on Wednesday, Kabera said the team was ready to avenge their 6-0 loss to the Kenyans at the same ground last year.

“We are ready and better prepared because we have had several American coaches who have come through to give us tips and we are confident of beating the Kenyans this time,” Kabera said.

American Football coaches from the US Donnie Wontoh (left) addresses the press flanked by AFFU president Steven Okeng (center) and William Cotter at Legends Ground, November 8, 2023. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

Addressing a press conference at the match venue ahead of the fixture, Steven George Okeng, the president of the American Football Federation of Uganda (AFFU) also hinted at Uganda’s readiness, vowing that victory for Uganda was within reach.

The match that will be shown live on Urban TV also doubles as a qualifier for the World Championships that will be held next year in Finland, and are also part of preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics which the Ugandans hope to feature in.

“We are very ready for the game and we hope to beat Kenya this time around. With this qualifier we are positioning Uganda as a key country in the development and promotion of American football in Africa,” Okeng said.

“And in East Africa, we are doing very well because we have taken the initiative to take the games to other countries like Sudan, Rwanda, and Burundi; because we want to have a competitive region as far as the sport is concerned,” Okeng who was flanked by American coaches; William Cotter and Donnie Wontoh who works with Barstool Sports, stated.

He said there will be a return leg on December 12 in Nairobi with the results over the two legs determining who will represent the continent in the world championships.

Vision Group Marketing Manager Kenneth Oduka (right) addresses the press, flanked by American Football coaches from the US Donnie Wontoh (2nd left) and William Cotter (2nd right), AFFU president Steven Okeng (3rd left) and sponsors' representatives; Francis Okot (left), Isaac Otuku (3rd left) and at Legends Ground, November 8, 2023. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“But we are very optimistic about our performance; the team is ready, they have trained for a few weeks now and we believe we shall be part of this,” Okeng stated.

Cotter said they partnered with Barstool Sports and one of their sub-companies Pardon My Cheesesteak as well as the Hi-Spirit Ministries, a church in Huston in the US to try and raise some equipment for the game in Uganda.

“American Football is the number one sport in America. People live for football, they breathe and die for football but many people don’t know that the sport exists outside the US. So they will be fascinated to see people playing the sport in Uganda and I think the game has a lot to offer to Uganda because it is a character-building sport,” Donnie stated.

Cotter said he was already very impressed with the talent he has seen in the Ugandan team and emphasized that the sport wasn’t only a game but a lifestyle that is

“It is a union of intelligence, teamwork, execution, discipline, hard work ethic and strategy than anything else on this planet which makes it very important to spread the game worldwide,” Cotter noted.

Sunday’s game will be organized in conjunction with the FHNS Sports Medicine firm that offers sports medicine services like Injury rehabilitation programs and general Athlete health care and performance enhancement through collaboration with sports institutions and consults from individual Athletes, and the Scoris International School-Kasanga and Urban TV who were represented at the press conference by Isaac Otuku, Francis Okot and Kenneth Oduka respectively.

Vision Group Marketing Manager Oduka encouraged the public to come and have a feel of how the sport is played and or tune in because they were in to popularize the sport through TV and Vision Group’s Digital App and Vision Group’s Digital Experience (Vide).