Following the Impact of the International Sport Connection: Growing the Game for Girls Clinic in Lira

In Lira, Uganda there have been child-abductions, mass murders, and displacement of families because of civil war.  These atrocities were lead by Joesph Kony and the LRA.  Peace-making efforts are important to the recovery of this area of East Africa.  Since 2010, the International Sport Connection has been using sport to bring people together and to provide caring adult mentors through coach training to impoverished youths.  In October of 2012, ISC Coach Instructors, Lisa Berg and Majidah Nantanda, along with Coach Jerrod Roh, a college coach and a licensed goalkeeper trainer, gathered over 300 Ugandan girls and coaches together at Lira Integrated School for a Growing the Game for Girls Clinic.

The players and their coaches, who are sports tutors and teachers from local primary and secondary schools, started the day with group games and they learned how to perform a proper warm-up.  The ISC Instructors then worked with local ISC trained coaches, Ruth and Susan, to organize skills stations that introduced the eager young girls to the fundamentals of soccer.  Everyone enjoyed learning goalkeeping skills, passing skills, and even dribbling techniques.  The day ended with a small-sided tournament with all schools competing against each other.  There were many laughs, smiles, and celebrations throughout the day.  

International Sport Connection would like to thank Lira Integrated Schools for allowing them to use the Lira Integrated Sports Center for the clinic and for them providing water and equipment for all the participants.  The schools were overjoyed when the Coach Jerrod Roh donated balls to their girl’s teams that he brought from the United States.  This was truly an event that will contribute to growing the game of soccer for girls in Uganda!