2013 ISC Ugandan Coach Exchange Tour: Visit to the Historic East Coast

Do you know what is so special about Springfield, Massachusetts?  It is where the sport of basketball was invented in 1891 and it is one of the East Coast locations of the 2013 ISC Ugandan Basketball Coach Exchange Tour.

After enriching adventures in Texas, Oklahoma, California, and Arkansas, the four Ugandan coaches finally arrived on the East Coast to enjoy their last stop before heading back to Uganda.  Sam Obol, Albert Aciko, Janet Nakkazi, and Sylvia Twesigye felt the chill of snow for the first time during their tour of historic Boston.  After taking time in Bean Town, they traveled to Springfield, Massachusetts to visit the Basketball Hall of Fame and Springfield College.

At the Basketball Hall of Fame, Sam, Albert, Janet, and Sylvia toured exhibits explaining the history of basketball and spent time reflecting on how the sport that was created over 100 years ago has developed.  Uganda is still developing the game of basketball and the dream of the Ugandan coaches is to develop basketball from the grassroots in their own country through educating coaches, organizing leagues, and growing the love for the game of basketball in children.

The Ugandan coaches stopped by Springfield College to visit with faculty and students.  The delegation shot around with players on the Springfield basketball team and met families that are fans of the projects they are building back in Uganda.

Sam, Albert, Janet, and Sylvia will bring their experiences and new knowledge back to Uganda to help develop the game and influence their communities.  Each Ugandan basketball coach who was a part of this delegation will be local instructors alongside American basketball coaches and sport science experts for the 2013 International Sport Connection Coach Training that will take place in Lira, Northern Uganda this May.

Thank you to SportsUnited, a division of the U.S. State Department for funding this International Sport Connection Cultural Exchange.  For more information, visit www.internationalsportconnection.org.