School on a Saturday

After another great day of Coach Eduction I was itching to get stuck into some schools coaching Gulu. In the morning half the team led by Lee going up to Mary Immaculate we were once again based at Gulu Public primary. With a crowd of children milling about but no teachers yet in attendance and the Headmasters office locked we decided to crack on with the cricket.

As I blew my whistle the milling crowd instantly descended on us, eager and excited to play. We split into 4 groups and got started on some batting, bowling, throwing and catching. I was very impressed by the focus of the children on a particularly hot morning – we were lucky to be at Gulu Public primary who have a water pump on site so the children could run for a drink if it got too much.

After about an hour we were joined by students from Gulu Prison school, accompanied by their teacher. This teacher had taken part in the Coach Education session the previous day and it was fantastic to have him get stuck in and involved as they rotated around the stations, organising the group and offering coaching points in a concise and easy to understand way.

Before long our time at Gulu Public primary was up – Joseph returned with the rest of the team and the bus and we scooted off to the supermarket to once again clear out the hot counter of sausages, pizza, and a few very tasty egg and potato rolls that I absolutely demolished.

Our next stop was the all girl Catholic secondary Sacred Heart. A little further out of town, I was immediately impressed with the school. Wrapped in an tranquil calm, the trees were all marked with inspirational quotes by women, and the girls moved around with a happy confidence.

We set up on their bottom field, competing for space with laundry laid out in the sun to dry. To my amazement and joy the captain of the cricket team was summoned, to be tasked with rounding up a group of girl to take part in the session. Her name was Winnie, and I have rarely met a more impressive 17 year old – intelligent, articulate, empathetic and a natural leader. She quickly had a gaggle of girls organised and we get started with some silly catching relays and followed up with a few games of rapid fire.

The group of teenage girls started the session quietly demure, but as the action ramped up they were soon shouting and giggling, cheering each other on as they raced around the sets of stumps.

Finally we turned to the wrap up we were able to not just cover the ABCs but also emphasise the importance of our ability to play the game no matter who we were, particularly emphasising that we could play alongside boys (and beat them!).

As we said our farewells I stopped to have a chat with the wonderful Winnie, and as we talked she explained that she was off to Kampala next year to complete her A-levels. There is no doubt in my mind that she will be one to watch, no matter what she sets her mind to doing, although of course I would love to see her as a leader in Ugandan cricket within a few years – she certainly has the potential!