In a bid to offer exposure and training opportunities for young basketball players, Alton Basketball Academy is set to hold its summer camp next week in Kigali, Rwanda.
Founded in 2021, the academy aims to equip players with skills, mentorship opportunities, and special needs programs for both boys and girls, ensuring character development through sports. As part of this vision, a group of 23 players from the academy will participate in a five-day camp in partnership with Rwanda’s Elite Academy. These players will gain essential skills and interact with other players as part of the exchange program.
At a press briefing held today at Fairway Hotel Kampala, academy founder Alton Asiimwe detailed the upcoming trip scheduled for June 17-21. “We want the players to get exposure and build character through this camp. The aim is to have players get the right foundation so that they can play to the highest level and also instill discipline through sports,” Asiimwe noted.
The academy has produced several promising talents, notably Mathew Kisakye and Brighton Galiwango, who are currently part of the Junior Silverbacks team competing in the FIBA U18 Zone 5 AfroBasket qualifiers in Lugogo. Asiimwe emphasized the academy’s commitment to talent development, stating, “In the program, normal kids play with inclusion kids so that they learn how to live with each other. Also, we wanted to ensure that kids get to play the game at the highest level.”
Sixteen-year-old guard Manzi Musoke is one such talent, and he expressed how the academy has equipped him with the fundamentals. “I have been playing basketball since I was seven and I joined the academy two years ago. I have learned to play organized basketball and be more intelligent in the game,” Musoke said. “The trip to Kigali will teach us a lot of skills from the players and coaches we will interact with in Rwanda, and I’m hoping to apply these skills during games,” he added.
The camp will feature practice and competitive games for the U13, U16, and U18 boys’ and girls’ categories. The academy holds sessions every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday at Fast Sports Fusion in Bugolobi.
