Kikajjo Stars Sports Academy is an establishment that was started and managed by Star Primary School, Namasuba.

The academy provides a chance to take a child’s natural love of sports, and teaches them to play at their best with support and guidance from coaches. 

The academy programme is integrated into the regular academic programmes of Star Primary School with the aim of guiding the pupils( trainees) to be able to finish school in thier prescribed time periods.

Today, Kikajjo Stars Sports Academy  is a sports school running two coaching programmes in the game of Netball and Football.

Through football and netball the trainees learn to work together and above all, it’s a chance to grow in skill and character.

The vision of Kikajjo Sports Academy is to be the leading sports education institution preparing students from all backgrounds to careers in sports industry and providing quality sports education.

The academy advocates for qualified and better training for coaches and trainers.

The academy has numerous young athletes from the ages of 4 to 10 years old and strives to help them reach their sports career and competitive goals which demonstrate the success of the sports academy. 

According the Sarah Birungi a football coach with a CAF D coaching certification, one doesn't have to be great to attend this school. She says, any young boy or girl with interest in football or netball can enroll for the training programmes at Kikajjo Stars Sports Academy in order to become great.

The above sums up the philosophy of the academy.

Pupils who show interest, will, and commitment have the chance and perfectly balanced support needed to reach both their academic and athletic goals.

Kikajjo Stars Sports Academy  allows young talents interested in sports to combine competitive or leisure sports with a high quality academic programme without increasing the duration of their school education.

The academy gives special support and mentoring programmes by both the teachers at Star Primary School and the coaches inorder to ensure the coordination between athletics and academics.

Participation in the sports academy programmes is therefore possible in combination with the school academic programmes.

"Independence and the development of one’s personality are at the core of our philosophy," said coach David Katalemwa.

Katalemwa is in charge of the boys in the age bracket of 7-9 in the football programme.

"We are very keen and responsive to the needs and the development of each trainee and what gives us the fulfillment is seeing them learn and develop some skills and maybe more love for football regardless of their performance levels," coach Katalemwa noted.

"Motivation and pleasure are the decisive elements in helping our trainees to achieve their objectives in both athletics and academics," said Coach Morris Tebusweke.

"We motivate them more in addition to being very patient with their development and progress because our satisfaction comes when we see them learn; grow in confidence and love to have a sports playing career in future," added coach Tebusweke.

Tebusweke holds a CAF D coaching certification and he says that his passion for football and help young players to develop football skills is the reason why he gives his whole to the young stars.

The parents are a very significant factor in the programmes of the academy according to another football coach at the academy, Sarah Birungi.

"The parents are the first supporters and inspiration to many of the kids here," Birungi said.

"They provide their children with all the necessary requirements like the playing boots, training jersey, refreshments and attending training sessions sometimes which gives more moral to the kids," she added.

Under the netball programme which is handled by coach Deborah Zalwango, the kids are amazing and she enjoys working with them on a daily.

The netball programme also has the youngest trainee at the academy, a one Deria Nakiguli of baby class who is only three and half years.

"I love my and being an inspiration, a teach and mentor of such young children is very amazing," noted Zalwango.

"It gives me a lot fulfillment of when I see these girls understand and learn the game. The skills development is a little slow but they have a lot of time ahead of them to develop all the necessary skills," Zalwango added.

"I want to see them play at top level a few years from now and I believe we shall achieve this," she added.

When it comes to facilities, the academy training at a specious ground at the African Bible University in Lubowa.

The equipment at the training facility is amazing with each player having a ball of their own giving the trainees the necessary time they need on the ball.

Admission to Kikajjo Star Sports Academy is open to only children who go to Star Primary School. 

The trainees before joining the academy asked to take a physical fitness test approved by a health professional and also fill out a questionnaire regarding their health status.

The sports academy offers two packages including one training session every Thursday during the school days and four training sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday during the holidays.

Story by Joseph Mary Ssempiira and Jjuko Joel Allan Sewankambo.