The long awaited debut of American flag/tag football in the Acholi Quarters finally took place on Saturday, May 4th 2024, despite the heavy downpours.
Aliguma Foundation, in partnership with the American Football Federation in Uganda (AFFU), organized the first-ever flag/tag football event in the community of Acholi Quarters in Uganda. The event took place at Kireka Recreation Park.
In Uganda, sports such as football (aka soccer) , netball, rugby, athletics, cricket, basketball, and volleyball are popular.
However, people who haven't developed their skills in these sports may notĀ enjoy playing them.
That's where flag football comes in handy. It's a modified version of American football where players wear flags on their waist/hip instead of tackling. It's a less physical sport, making it perfect for recreational leagues, schools, and organizations.
The game rules are similar to tackle football, and it can have 5-8 players per team, usually played on smaller fields.
Ritah Aliguma, the CEO/Founder of the Aliguma Foundation, was nominated by the United States of America (U.S.) Embassy in Uganda (under the U.S. Department of State) to participate in the Global Sports Mentorship Program (GSMP) in 2023.
During the program, Ritah was introduced to flag football and one of the main sports leagues in the USA, the National Football League (NFL). It was an eye-opening experience for her and the Aliguma Foundation, at large, hence the decision to adopt the sport and use it to help the community of Acholi Quarters in Kireka.
The characteristics of flag/tag football make it an ideal sport for the community of Acholi Quarters. It can be played by people of all ages and skill levels, and it's an interesting sport that can attract a lot of attention. Therefore, it can be used for community mobilization and awareness creation on all the other issues affecting Acholi Quarters.
Aliguma Foundation's CEO and Founder, Ritah Aliguma's GSMPĀ Ā Class of 2023 encounters and experiences with NFLĀ league in the USA and one of its franchises, LA Chargers. This is what inspired Ritah and The Aliguma Foundation to explore this sport in Uganda. (Photo Credits: The Aliguma Foundation, Inc.)
Stay tuned for future similar events. š
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