The Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) recently held their inaugural Excellence Awards ceremony at the Imperial Royal Hotel in Kampala. This event was established to recognize and celebrate the achievements of the Most Valuable Athletes of the year 2023 in secondary schools Sports across Uganda.
Breaking, Popping, Afro and Hip hop Crews DanceSport Battles, Latin & Standard are among the DanceSport disciplines that were competed at the National Secondary Schools Sports Games. Students from 87 schools participated in DanceSport from Zonal Regional levels to the National finals of USSSA Games 2023 hosted by St. Mary’s College School Rushoroza in Kabale, Western Uganda.
The National Council of Sports, the Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Commission for Sports are confident that this initiative by USSSA to recognize and award Excellent athletes each year will have a positive impact on sports development. USSSA recognized the most valuable athletes in various aspects of sportsmanship expressed by the students.The Nominees of DanceSport were
Male MVP Athletes
- Ssengooba Ramathan (Poping) from St Marks College School – Namagoma
- Alexandar Noel (Hip hop) From Mbarara High School
- Mustafa Perez (Afro) From St Teresa of Calucata Secondary School Gulu
Female MVP Athlete
- Kawala Sophie (Breaking) from St Julian High School Gayaza
- Nakyanja Jackie (Afro) from St Andrew Kaggwa Gombe High School
- Ampumuza Denise Lala (Latin & Standard) Nyakasura School Fort Portal
Ssengooba Ramathan was voted as the Best Male DanceSport athlete of the year. He is a candidate of Senior four class 2023 at St. Mark’s College Namagoma and is the School Captain of the DanceSport team. They won the Uganda National Schools Overall Championship in the Boys category in 2023.
Kawala Sophie, also known as Bgirl Sophia, was crowned as the Best Female DanceSport athlete of the year 2023. She is in Form Two class of 2023 at St. Julian High School Gayaza and is a two-time UDSF National Breaking for Gold Champion for the years 2022 and 2023.
The awards ceremony was presided over by Rev. Dr. Duncan Mugumya, who represented the State Minister for Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwanga. It was attended by Mr. Ambrose Tashabya, the Chairman of the National Council of Sports, Dr. Bernard Patrick Ogwel, the General Secretary of the National Council of Sports, as well as the Presidents and General Secretaries of various National Sports Federations.
Representatives from the Uganda DanceSport Federation were also present, including National Breaking Coach Edrine Serwakulya, Mrs. Birungi Eunice Joanita, the UDSF Delegate for Rwenzori Region, and the General Secretary, Ssebuyungo Barnabas. Mr. Barnabas had the honor of presenting the MVP award for Beach Volleyball in 2023.
