Archery Uganda eyes schools to boost sport's reach

Richard Mcbond Asiimwe, newly re-elected as President of Archery Uganda, has announced an ambitious plan to bring archery into the country’s schools. This strategic outreach is designed to leverage the existing infrastructure and student populations found within educational institutions to foster wider engagement with the sport.

“We want to take archery to schools because they have the two most important resources: the players and the facilities. There, it may be easier for us to spread the sport to different parts of the country,” stated Asiimwe following his re-election. The aim is to begin nurturing young talent for future participation in major international competitions such as the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.

Beyond school-aged athletes, Archery Uganda is also focusing on para-archers, recognizing their potential to represent the nation at the Paralympic Games.

The organization is working to ensure full compliance with the National Sports Act 2023. This includes meeting requirements for national associations to cover at least 50 percent of the country’s districts. Asiimwe highlighted that while this is the target, it will necessitate increased government funding beyond the current allocation of Shs10 million.

Compliance is critical, as failure to meet the June 7 deadline could result in deregistration and the loss of even the limited funding currently provided. The recent elective assembly also saw the formation of the new Archery Uganda EXCOM, with various key roles filled to steer the sport’s development.