Uganda Little League Baseball Newsletter March 2008

The schedule for the 2008 Uganda National Championship Tournaments has been published.  There are several significant events that have taken place over the past few months that have a major impact upon our progress.  During the middle of February, construction started on building the new baseball and softball complex on the property of Uganda Little League Baseball.  The three full size fields and three Little League/Softball fields will be leveled and playable by the end of April.  The four tournaments scheduled for June 14th and 15th will be played on the new fields.  Later this year, we will have grass planted and dormitories will be constructed to house visiting teams. 

The tournaments for 2009 will all be played at the complex and each tournament will be several days in length and will be double elimination tournaments at least.  The winning teams will have to play at least four or more games in as many days to become national champions and each tournament may have as many as 12 to 16 teams entered.  They will all be housed and fed while at the tournaments by Uganda Little League Baseball.

Three of our National Champions may be playing in Europe for the right to go to the U.S. this July.  Little League International has signed an agreement with the European Baseball Federation that recognizes Little League as the official baseball program for European children age 12 and under.  This means that what was the European/Middle East/Africa Tournament held in Kutno Poland every July now has to consist of two tournaments.  The first one is only for European teams, the second one will now be for Middle East and Africa teams only.  The winners of both these tournaments goes to the U.S. the middle of August for the World Championships, all expenses paid. Little League International wants Uganda to send their 12 and under baseball champions to Kutno Poland this July and they will help pay for some of the air fare to Poland which may be as much as $25,000 to 30,000 dollars.  Uganda Little League needs to pay the rest. 

We have agreed to make this effort if Uganda Little League can become the host for this tournament starting in July 2009 when our new complex, with dormitories is finished.  Little League International is now evaluating our proposal.  We have also told them that we want to host all the Middle East/Africa tournaments for baseball and softball for ages 12 and under through ages 18 starting in 2009.

There is a possibility that two of our girls softball champions might be able to pay their own way to Europe to play in their respective tournaments this July, with the winners going to the U.S. to play in their World Championships this August.

Uganda Little League Baseball has scheduled several other tournaments during the March-April period and October-November period in Jinja with our Primary and Secondary school leagues.  We hope to do the same for our leagues in the North (Lira, Luwero) and in Mbarara.  Mr. Paul Kataregga should be contacted at 0712372294 to schedule your tournaments.  Mr. Owarra Deusdedit at 0775231828 or Mr. George Mukhobe at 077422708 should be contacted to arrange training programs at your schools.  They only ask that you pay for the transport and house and feed them while they are working at your schools.