The Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) has expanded the scope of the upcoming National Ball Games 1 by introducing four new Under-16 (U16) disciplines, marking a significant development in youth sports. The games will be held from May 5 to 15 at Bukedea Comprehensive School.
The newly added disciplines are Volleyball U16, Netball U16, Handball U16, and Basketball 3×3 U16. These will run alongside existing Under-20 categories, which include Basketball, Table Tennis, Badminton, Tennis, Hockey, Girls’ Football, and Rugby 15s.
A preparatory meeting for games teachers will be held on Monday, April 28, at 11:00 AM at the USSSA offices. Key administrative deadlines include the closure of zone-based replacements on April 25 and the deadline for national payments and final replacements set for April 27.
Teams have qualified for the U16 categories through zonal competitions, and the final list of schools reflects representation from across the country.
In Netball U16, standout qualifiers include Immaculate Heart Girls SS (Kigezi), Mbarara SS (Ankole), Madina Islamic Wakiso (Wakiso), and St. Mary’s College Lugazi (Mukono), among others.
For Volleyball U16, schools such as Ngora High School (Teso), Ntare School (Ankole), Wampeewo Ntake SS (Wakiso), and Trinity Catholic High School (Bunyoro) have earned their spots across both boys’ and girls’ divisions.
In Basketball 3×3 U16, Mukono and Wakiso districts will be strongly represented by Seroma Christian High School, Seeta High School, Mt. St. Henry’s Mukono, and Elite High School Entebbe.
Handball U16 also features a diverse list of qualifiers, including St. Paul Vocational Buyaga (Kigezi), Wampeewo Ntake SS (Wakiso), Ntare School (Ankole), and St. Mary’s College Lugazi (Mukono).