PALLISA — Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) First Vice President Harriet Apolot Elilu has urged districts across the country to embrace Weekend Leagues as a platform for talent development.
Apolot made the call on Saturday during the launch of the Weekend League at Pallisa Secondary School in Pallisa District.
She said the Weekend League was introduced to address the limited competition opportunities available to school athletes outside the traditional school sports calendar.
According to Apolot, the conventional USSSA calendar largely revolves around competitions held during the first and second school terms, leaving athletes with fewer opportunities to compete during other periods of the year.
“The Weekend Leagues will provide schools with an opportunity to continue competing against institutions within their surrounding areas while giving athletes more playing time,” Apolot said.
“Today we are gathered here to launch the Weekend League in Pallisa District, and introducing it means giving school athletes more opportunities to compete outside the association’s regular national school sports calendar,” she added.
The inaugural launch, held on October 17, 2026, was welcomed by Pallisa Secondary School Headteacher Francis Ezaati, who appreciated the initiative and its potential contribution to school sport.
Ezaati noted that sports in schools go beyond winning trophies, explaining that they instil discipline and help shape students’ character.
USSSA Pallisa District Chairperson John Odeke described the Weekend League as part of the association’s mass sport approach, aimed at ensuring that every student has an opportunity to participate in a sporting discipline.
“This is our bid for mass sport, to make sure that every student, every athlete, has a discipline he or she is participating in,” Odeke said.
He added that the programme would give coaches an opportunity to identify emerging talent ahead of the next season while assessing areas that require improvement.
Pallisa District Sports Officer Abubakar Onya expressed optimism that the Weekend League would expand opportunities for school athletes to compete, develop their talents and experience the broader benefits of sport, including discipline, teamwork, commitment and character development.
The Weekend League kicked off with hosts Pallisa Secondary School defeating Pallisa Progressive School 3–0 in the opening boys’ football match. In the other fixture, Mother Kevin Secondary School drew 0–0 with Kauka Secondary School.
