Baseball leaders in Uganda are targeting the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) network as a pathway to expand the game’s reach.
Speaking after the USSSA National Ball Games II in Tororo, coach and administrator Timothy Einu said the sport could benefit from the association’s large numbers and national platform.
Seven teams — three girls’ sides from The Allen VR Stanley, Muni Girls, and Panyadoli Self Help, plus boys’ teams from AVRS, St. Peter’s Nsambya, Mehta, and Kakira — showcased the sport at the event. Other schools like St. Catherine Lira, Jinja SS, and Nsambya Police are also involved.
Under the 2023 National Sports Act, schools must take part in at least 15 recognised sports, while federations are required to have a presence in 75 percent of Uganda’s districts.
Einu said working through USSSA could allow baseball to grow faster, as schools can express interest through the association, which would then connect them to the sport’s experts.
Baseball has been played in Uganda for three decades, but high equipment costs have slowed its spread.
“A bat can cost at least Shs150,000, and you need at least seven for a team because they vary in weight and need to match the player’s power and height,” Einu explained.
