The Uganda National Football team took time out on Sunday from their preparations for a game against Kenya to train with young people from streetfootballworld network member The Kids League.

In just over a month, a delegation from The Kids League (TKL) will head to South Africa to take part in the Football for Hope Festival 2010 in Johannesburg.

The training session, conducted by TKL Coach Eddie Butindo, saw the entire Cranes squad train side by side with the boys and girls of TKL.

National Coach Bobby Williamson said that it was important for the Cranes squad to remember their roots and to encourage the young players to be dedicated, noting: “Four of my team have been groomed through Kampala Kids League and TKL programmes and many more are on the brink of recognition. This is the future of Uganda football and I am pleased to see here today that we have a wealth of further talent coming through.”

TKL Coach Eddie Butindo was thrilled to see so many young players now being given the opportunity to play in the national team, saying, “We now are developing a national team capable of qualifying for African and world tournaments."

The sponsors
The TKL tour to South Africa 2010 is jointly sponsored by Stanbic Bank and MTN. Daniel Nsibambi, Communications Manager, Stanbic Bank said that the sponsors were proud to be associated with the Kampala Kids League and TKL youth programmes that are now beginning to yield results at a national level. “We wish the TKL team well in South Africa,” he said. “The kids have achieved so much both locally and internationally over the last ten years. Now we can see an important link developing with the national team.”

TKL Team Leader for the South Africa trip Trevor Dudley thanked the Cranes for taking the time to come to train with the young players: “You are the role models for our kids and thousands like them across the country. By doing well you inspire many kids to play sport. We wish you well against Kenya.”