Uganda Cricket Association aims to increase number of Indigenous elite coaches

Despite the recent appointment of Abhay Sharma as the new Cricket Cranes coach a more pertinent issue of training local coaches to Sharma’s capacity remains.

There was excitement after the Indian was announced with an immediate task of steering the team through the ICC Cricket World Cup in June, but what is being done to build the local coaches' capacity?

According to the Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John Walusimbi, they have plans to implement that in the future.

“UCA is concerned with the issue of not having local elite coaches with the most profound qualifications so we are planning to roll out a framework for coaches coaching courses from the beginner’s level to the top level,” Walusimbi noted.

Over the last eight years, Uganda has not had a local coach appointed permanently as a cricket boss since Davis Turinawe’s three-month tenure in 2014.

Sharma replaces Lawrence Mahatlane from South Africa who left last year, having replaced Steven Tikolo from Kenya. Peter Kirsten from South Africa also had stints with the national team.

Micheal Ndikp is the last Ugandan to coach the Cricket Cranes permanently.

Ogwang is one of the most qualified Ugandan cricket coaches with a level-three certificate but only got the third level last year before the Africa Cricket T20 Cup in South Africa where he was head coach on an interim basis.

With Uganda on course for ICC’s ODI status from just an associate member, there is a need for UCA to make deliberate efforts to enable aspiring coaches to attain a certain level of coaching expertise.

Walusimbi continues to note Ugandan coaches need more expertise and exposure and it’s the reason why Jackson Ogwang was fronted by the association to attain the certification.

“Ugandan coaches can also merit an opportunity of coaching at the elite level in and out of the country hence the deliberations by UCA to have some like Ogwang attain the top certifications.”

Davis Turinawe and Ogwang are some of the level three coaches followed by Justine Ligyalingi, and Micheal Ndiko level two holders, and Yusuf Nyanga,

All the above coaches attained their certification from ICC Africa which is a good start as Walusimbi confirms the association’s plans to improve on the coach's skillset.

“We are planning to send Ogwang overseas to see that he gets more qualifications and exposure and he will be followed by other coaches in the pipeline.”

The question of when will Uganda be ready to appoint a Ugandan again to the role of coach of cricket cranes is hard for the association to answer.