Uganda to hold U18 Baseball5 tryouts for Eastern African qualifiers

The Uganda Baseball and Softball Association (UBASA), in partnership with the Afro-Unity Sports Foundation, will conduct U18 Baseball5 national team tryouts as part of preparations to host the Eastern African Youth World Cup qualifiers in late June.

The two-day trials are set for May 1–2 at St. Peters’ SS Nsambya.

Ibrahim Kaboggoza, founder of the Afro-Unity Sports Foundation, stated that the primary goal is to build a strong national team ahead of the qualifiers.

“The main aim of these U18 tryouts is to select and prepare a national team for the upcoming Eastern region youth World Cup qualifiers in late June,” Kaboggoza said.

He added that selection will focus on speed, agility, and strength.

“We’re looking for fast runners, agility, strong arms, and players below 18 years, both girls and boys. These tryouts are the best tools to identify talent and develop future prospects,” he said.

The Afro-Unity Sports Foundation is working under UBASA to promote and manage Baseball5 programs in Uganda, overseeing preparations for both the qualifiers and the national team.

The foundation has already conducted training programs across the country. Recently, it partnered with the Olympafrica Youth Centre, where 12 schools participated in training and competition at the Francis Were Nyangweso facility. Standout teams included Olympafrica, Bilal Secondary School, and Mayombe Primary School. Other outreach programs have taken place in Butabika, Luzira, Kisubi University, Luweero, Mpigi, Mbale, Kitante, and Lira.

Kaboggoza noted that Nsambya was chosen due to its history in sports development.

“Nsambya is a long-time breeding ground for players and a pioneer sports school with facilities that fit the scouting program,” he said.

More than 50 players are expected to attend the trials, with only 14 (seven boys and seven girls) advancing to the training camp. From there, eight players—four boys and four girls—will be selected to represent Uganda.

Selected players will gain exposure and development opportunities.

“They will have a chance to show their talent to the world, make friends, represent their country, and access scholarships at our partner institutions,” Kaboggoza said.

To ensure fairness, a team of coaches will assess players based on performance in various areas.

“We have coaches on the ground to select the best athletes. We shall conduct tests on speed, agility, strong arms, and game understanding. It is open for every athlete to showcase their ability,” he explained.

Despite progress, Kaboggoza cited financial challenges affecting the sport.

“We face challenges in funding coaches to spread the game. Many people still don’t understand that sport can be a source of employment for young people. There is also limited government support for some federations,” he said.

He added that Uganda aims to compete strongly on the international stage.

“We want to grow athletes for the Youth Olympics, dominate in Africa, and make Baseball5 a major sport in the country,” he said.

Uganda will host teams from Kenya, Tanzania, and South Sudan for the five-day qualifiers, running from June 25 to 29. Officials are expected to arrive on June 25, followed by team arrivals and briefings on June 26. Matches will take place on June 27 and 28, with finals and departure scheduled for June 29.

The event is part of a continental pathway featuring teams from Eastern, Southern, Western, and Central Africa. Two teams from Africa will qualify for the World Cup.