Wandicho giving back through Embracing Kulture.

When we are born "normal", we often take a lot of God's blessings for granted. However there is a lot more people out there that are born different and because of that they can not afford to take anything in life for granted because that could be the difference between them living a life filled with joy and happiness and them living a life of alienation and despair. After interviewing John William Wandicho for his player profile, he opened our eyes to the way something as simple but fundamentally important to a certain group of people like Rugby can greatly impact and change the world beyond the rugby field. 
Embrace Kulture is a charity organisation in Uganda that advocates for children, with learning disabilities like autism among others, to have equal education opportunities as all other children. Autism is basically a psychological condition, that shows signs at as early an age as three years old, where children have difficulty in communication, forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts. It is very essential to understand that even if there is three types of autism, they all lie on a spectrum and vary child by child. The three types of autism include Autism Disorder, Asperger Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Embrace Kulture through training of special education teachers and setting up special education schools is hoping to get more children with learning disabilities in school where they can learn to be confident in their difference. 
Well here is where John comes in. He made a decision to volunteer with Embrace Kulture just like any other volunteer joins a great organisation with even a better cause behind it. However the more he interacted with these amazing children he realized that there was something he could share with them that could make their days that much brighter. So he came up with the concept of inclusive rugby where children with autism could play on tag rugby teams. If there is one thing that is well known about any child that maybe be considered disabled, its that they are unable to participate in sporting activities. However statistics show that children on the autism spectrum are almost just as capable if not better at certain sporting activities and are more than OK to participate in sports.
Well John took that opportunity to share his love for the great sport of Rugby with these children that quickly became a very important part of his life. Here is what John had to say about the entire experience.

What made you decide to volunteer with Embracing Kulture? I was coaching tag rugby and we were encouraged to have children with disabilities join but I didn't know how to relate with them so when the founders of Embrace Kulture suggested inclusive rugby, I decided to try it out and it made the kids happy so I kept doing it.  
                 
What has been the most rewarding experience from volunteering? Seeing the kids happy and playing in competitions with "normal kids." We also have a deaf boy who trains with us and he is an amazing player!
                 
Do you think these children could use Rugby in their daily lives? Yes I think they can cause they have knowledge of the game though I think they can't do contact rugby due to their conditions.  
                        
Would you recommend volunteering at Embracing Kulture or volunteering in general to other players?  Yes I would highly recommend it because in our society such children are ignored. It's a great experience sharing the skills and getting to know how to relate such children.  
               
Why intellectually disabled children? It could have been any other group of kids. Why kids with special needs? Intellectually disabled kids are just like any other kids and also love to play. They are often ignored or kept away from society which I believe isn't right.
            

What do you hope to achieve through sharing rugby with these kids? I just want to make them happy through playing like the normal kids and change the mindset of people who think these kids can't do anything cause of their different conditions. We started an inclusive rugby program at St. Ursula School of Special Needs in Buwenge, Jinja where we involved the community as well. There is a girls' team from the community that trains with the kids from the school now.
We also reached out to an island called Zinga off the shores of Kigungu landing site in Entebbe. It's an island of about 10,000 people that faces a lot of challenges. We are using rugby as a way of teaching several aspects of life like going to school, basic health through a partnership with Island Mission Uganda. We met a lady who is a grand mother at 30! Her 14 year old gave birth which means she also gave birth at around the same age so the cycle will continue but through rugby, we talk to them about the dangers of giving birth at such a tender age and the importance of education.                        
What has been the effect of volunteering and interacting with these kids, on you as a person and your view on life? I've realized these kids are smart, they can do things like normal kids including going to school. It has taught me to appreciate everyone no matter their condition and appreciate life even more.  

Is there anything else you would like to share? My friends from the Rugby Fraternity mainly Uganda Rugby Cranes National Team players and Coach Robert Sseguya (aka Soggie) will join me for a touch rugby tournament on Sunday 23rd April, 2017 in Entebbe to raise awareness and interact with disabled and disadvantaged children. I encourage everyone to join any of the teams including the Rugby 256 team or just come out and support as we learn more about how to treat, interact with and see that these disabled or disadvantaged children can be like any other "normal" child.
         
For those that want to get in touch with Embrace Kulture for volunteering opportunities, feel free to contact Stephan by email at stephan@embracekulture.org or call Stephan at +256787698871. For more information about Embrace Kulture and how you can join in their movement for change visit their website www.embracekulture.org .                  

We at Rugby 256 are happy to support John William Wandicho and Embrace Kulture with their mission,"to create an inclusive world where all children are embraced for what makes them unique". 
There will be an Autism Awareness Walk on March 23rd 2017 in Entebbe. Feel free to go out to Entebbe to support this great cause. Maybe you can learn a thing or two about Autism. Finally we strongly encourage all of you to go out to the Autism Awareness Touch Rugby Tournament on April 23rd 2017 and support this same cause. If anything join a tag rugby team and play rugby for fun at this event. If anyone would like to join the Rugby 256 team feel free to message us on our Facebook page and we will be more than happy to let you join our team. Lets come together and remind all these amazing children that it is normal to be different, because to be significant, you need to be different. Everyone that is good at something has to stand out to be noticed. So lets celebrate that for every single one of these children.

2016-2017 League Champions #HimaCementHeathens

"The team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion."

The tale of winning and losing is as old as the tale of life. However how does one tell the tale of a legendary team that played a historical season. They came in as the underdogs. Everyone had their doubts about this team. They had just lost a coach, they had no sponsor and it was pure luck to get a full team practice together. They lost too much coming into the season. With a good amount of their squad away representing the country at international Rugby 7s Tournaments, Heathens showed us how versatile their team could be. Under pressure, this team had to pick themselves up and prove that the legacy of the Heathens side was still alive and well. The younger players stepped into big shoes and carried the legacy of this team on their backs. If anything, the young players started the long unbeaten streak that the heathens became famous for this season. With such a big and intimidating legacy to uphold, the younger players showed everyone that they were ready to step up and fill the shoes of the senior players. They may have not had as much experience but they had passion and heart to play for this team and they carried this team on this shoulders long enough for their senior players to return. However what is even more impressive is the fact that the senior players returned and fit perfectly with the junior players like puzzle pieces. They were there to support the younger players and get them even more confident in their playing. Heathens was good at the beginning of the season but they became unbeatable when they formed a perfect unit with all their players together. They gelled so well that they could almost anticipate each other's moves. It became very difficult for other teams to keep up with a side that functioned at the efficiency of a well oiled machine with all its parts moving in perfect sync. 

"A Champion team will always beat a team of Champions."

Well to ever piece of history there is a couple of stories behind it. We at Rugby 256 took time to talk to some of the players on the Heathens team to truly get a sense of what changed for them this season.

Name; Athiyo Mohammed Nyango.
Position; Coach player
Years at Heathens; First season as coach

After playing for the Heathens side for about a decade, being asked to step up as the coach meant Athiyo had to make some tough decisions. Once he became a coach, his career as a player would be put on hold indefinitely or come to an end. For a player with about two or three seasons left in him, he was faced with one of the hardest decisions any athlete has to make. When is it the right time to call quits. No one is ever ready to step up for such a position especially when it is the side you have been playing for, for quite sometime. But this gentleman took the bull by the horns and just went with it. Lets find out how he approached his first season as coach of Heathens. 

Why did you choose to coach Heathens? I believe I owe a certain amount of loyalty to the club. Kyadondo Rugby Club is responsible for the person that I am right now. I was a little bit hesitant because I thought I still had 2 seasons in me to play. I mean I could technically play but I choose not to because I would never put myself ahead of my players. I have such an amazing group of players that I think they deserve every chance they can get to express themselves on the field.

How did you set your goals this season? Upon appointment as coach, we as a team set our targets in 3 phases. In a season we have three cups to win; Uganda Cup, the League and the 7s circuit. Our first focus was to retain the UG cup.  As a new coach I wanted to win the first trophy that came my way. We set our second target which was to win the league. This was a tough one. When you have 30 to 35 team players showing up for training it’s so hard to make a decision on a 15 man team to play each weekend. If you get it right, great! However if you don’t, you have to deal with the consequences and accept them. But I have to commend the team, for sticking with me. I am trying to impart on the team to just love each other, love the team and the sport of Rugby. A team sport works great if you can anticipate what the other player is going to do. I hoped that with love for one another, the players could develop a level of trust for one another that they could easily anticipate each other's moves.

What has made your side so formidable this season? Getting the team to work as one unit which we started during the Uganda Cup campaign. Also getting players to work for their numbers. This created competition in the team among the players. Getting players to play more than one position on the field definitely made the team formidable. If each player could give me a 7 in at-least two positions that was great for the unpredictability of the team. Also the big guy upstairs played a big role in our successful season. We do not come off like a very religious team however God plays a big role in our success. Last but not least, the fans. They were nothing short of amazing!

Whenever most sides are going through a transition, they tend to suffer with some poor results. You guys went through a transition but your side didn’t seem affected at all. How come? I am a firm believer in the fact that to earn people’s respect you must respect everyone. We have more or less learned to respect each other. But just like every family, we are dysfunctional but we figure it out. We play for one another and we try not to put each other down. We try to better each and every one. We started a mentor-ship program. Each senior player takes on an exposed player and helps them through the transition into a specific position. So when there is a retirement then we have someone to take on each position. A rotating wheel system.

What impact do you believe you have had on your players since you became coach nine months ago? Won 2 trophies. Making them a unit. Being there for them.

You have now won two trophies since August. What does that mean for you and the side in general? Going forward, we have to pull up our socks. Getting to the top is easy, but staying there is the hard part. But we intend to continue strengthening ourselves as a team and family.

You guys have the league's most passionate fans. What do they bring to the table? I would like to thank our fans for sticking with us through thick and thin. We wouldn’t have done it without them. They have been part of the backbone of this team. They have supported the players, in different aspects in life. They have looked after the players after training. Food after training. It seems like nothing but it really means a lot to the team.

How easy or hard has it been from day one of the league? We decided to play every game like it was a final. To give it our all every single game. 100%. That was our philosophy this season.

Hardest game? Rhinos; I want to take my hat off for them.Pirates; Second Round. We lost to them second round. Buffaloes; They gave us a run for our money. KOBS; As usual. It never gets old whenever we face them.

This season we thought you guys got the art of team work down! Do you think that was one of the major reason you won the season title? Yes I believe so… For any team sport, you have to make the team work as a unit!  Romano Ogwal, Alex Mubiiru, Bishop Onen, Jamil Nyango, Micheal Wokorach, Vincent Mose, Gamma Faisal, Lawrence Ssebulibba and Evans, are the senior players that mentored the team and supported me through this transition. Without them this season would not have been a success.

Last but not least, what words do you have for the sponsor and corporate world that steer UG Rugby with their lovely brands?  We as the rugby fraternity really appreciate the sponsorship and visibility they bring to the game. They are part of the reason we have gained much needed publicity over the years and I would urge more corporate entities to come through and support a true gentleman's sport.                      

One season as coach and he has two trophies under his belt. Whatever Athiyo is doing with his side has worked this season. But after talking to a couple of his players, they all came to one conclusion. he listens and he is there for every single player on and off the field. Congratulations Coach Athiyo on a well deserved title win.

Name; Vincent Mose
Position; Full Back / 14 (sometimes)
Years at Heathens; Relocated to UG in August 2016. First season.

Vincent Mose, a rather new member of the Heathens team but posesses a wealth of the knowledge about the sport of rugby. After almost 2 decades playing the sport, you can imagine the level of wisdom as well as confidence he added to this side by deciding to join this team upon his relocation to Uganda. He is a very hardworking and passionate guy for the sport, but that doesn't even start to do him as a player justice. Well we got to talk to him about the amazing season Heathens had this year.

Why did you choose to play for Heathens? Heathens sold me their vision, based on their past performance and I bought their vision. They fell short last season but they seemed determined to come back from that. Also a couple of their national team players on the Heathens side are my personal friends so I thought it would be better for me to play the sport I love in a place I feel comfortable. That place just happened to be Kyadondo Rugby Club with the Heathens side.

What goals did you set going into this season? As a team, we were going to go unbeaten during the season. We fell short but none the less we achieved a lot of what we wanted to achieve this season. As a player I have played Rugby for a while. Rugby releases my stress. So I play it to enjoy it. However age is catching up with me and when I moved to Uganda, I was thinking of retiring. But I eventually decided to play a few more seasons even if it meant that it would take a lot more effort to stay in form.

What has made you guys so formidable this season? It was the commitment. There are so many challenges to play in Uganda. Work and school schedules so it’s hard to train a full squad. But players were so committed to training and put in so much effort. Especially for the Uganda Cup. Coach has been awesome. He has given people the chance to express themselves. We prepare a game at a time. Every opponent at a time. I commend the young players for stepping up and working with the senior players. We gelled perfectly.

Whenever most sides are going through a transition, they tend to suffer with some poor results. You guys went through a transition but didn’t seem affected at all. How come? During the transition, we as very experienced senior players together with the new coach decided to do what was going to benefit the team, and not individuals. It was what was going to get us the win. Senior players also helped get people to calm down on the field as well as gain much more confidence on the field.

What impact has Athiyo had on you guys since he came in as coach nine months ago? He has played Rugby for so long and he is very committed and passionate about the sport. When you talk to someone like that you feel in debt to him. He asks every single player including the junior players about the game. He also lets everybody speak. He is very enthusiastic. He gives people chances. The feeling of owing someone gives it a whole new spin however. We all feel like we need to give back to him because he sacrifices a lot of time for us. As coach he is under pressure and stressed and that depresses us sometimes. So at the end of the game, his smile makes us feel so much better. He works out with us as well so he leads from the front. The fact that he can do all the workouts he makes us go through helps a lot to motivate us as players.

Heathens have now won two trophies since August. What does that mean to you and the side in general? We will talk about 7s of course! We will prepare adequately and hope to win something.

You guys have the league's most passionate fans. What do they bring to the table? I have to commend the fans. I have been in the team for a short time but the fans are always there for the team even at away games. They have contribution kits for the players. Contributions for meals for the players and school fees for the young players. It goes a long way when the fans give back. And I really respect them. They have meetings to discuss what to do for the team. They never give up on us. They are awesome as well as their contribution. I have played in so many teams, and I have not seen a more passionate fan base than this one. We always salute them at the end of the game because we recognize their effort! Of course they are driven by Edu. He is very gentle guy who always thanks us after the game. He is one of the most passionate fans ever!

How easy or hard has it been from day one of the league? It has been a hard season. We need to thank God because we had very few injuries and that might be because of all the conditioning and training. Most of our players have been available which is great. It is not easy to win all those games at all but most of all, the league. All teams have given us big competition. It’s the same level of stress in every game. Rugby is a contact sport. Anyone can get hurt in any game. It has especially been very anxiety filled season for me, because it was my first time facing every side. But I have enjoyed the challenge.

Hardest game? About three. KOBS; It took a lot of mental toughness to get through that game.
Rhinos; They really came at us. We were not sure we would win. They have very strong forwards.
Pirates; It was a tough game because our unbeaten run came to an end.

This season we thought you guys got the art of team work down.  Do you attribute the league win to that? I attribute it to commitment and discipline. It goes hand in hand in the game. It works the same way in life and everything. We held onto those principles. To the young players, it doesn’t come easy. You have to train endlessly. I have played for 18 years and I never miss training because I do not think I can ever know everything. I gave up a lot of things, sacrificed and made some tough choices. You will go far if u can keep two things at heart in everything; commitment and discipline.

Will u play next season? Yeah why not. I have enjoyed playing the second center. Uganda is different than back home I would never have played second center. But let’s see what the 7s circuit has to offer.

Last but not least, what word do u have for the sponsor and corporate world that steer Uganda Rugby with their lovely brands? On behalf of the team, I would like to thank the team sponsors Hima Cement for making everything happen. The sport is still armature and no doubt we need more sponsors for the development of the game.                    

It is becoming a slightly too common belief that Vincent Mose is overrated, however he not only has a very long and pretty impressive career and legacy to disprove this statement, but he has tortured every single side that has gone against him this season. If the new definition of over rated is being unstoppable and continuously beating various players at their own game, then he is definitely overrated. We find it hard to believe that this might be the last of Vincent Mose. He will definitely be back next season with even more zeal. And if the same mindset is taken with him, he is about to make so many teams' lives hell for another straight season.  

Name; Lawrence Kayiwa Ssebuliba
Position; Flank, center and Wing
Years at Heathens; 3 years

A true force to be reckoned with. Speed is his greatest asset and weapon against his opponents. Everyone knows what a vacuum Lawrence leaves when he has to represent Uganda on the National 7s team. Once he steps on the field, the game can quickly take a turn for the better. 

What did you choose to play for Heathens? My Rugby talent started at Kyadondo Rugby Club. I had watched them since I was a kid so I was really motivated to join Heathens.

How did you set your goals this season? At the beginning of the season we came in as underdogs. We had lost big players in the team. But we knew we had to put in the hard work to get where we are right now.We aimed to go unbeaten, but unfortunately we lost to Pirates. As a player, my goal was to win the league. The motivation I got from African 7s gave me motivation to win this season.

What has made you guys so formidable this season?? What did u make me hard? We had a junior team that was fully dedicated.

Whenever most sides are going through a transition, they tend to suffer with some poor results. You guys went through a transition but didn’t seem affected at all. How come? The very fast gelling of the team. We expected so many problems with new players and we thought it was going to be hard to gel. But the boys were in there so fast. The player combinations were so right. Gelling from the coach to team management and the team was really good.

What impact has Athiyo had on you guys since he came in as coach nine months ago? He is a good coach. He understands the players. He communicates with everyone one on one, after the game. Even when we don’t turn up for training, he checks in. He consults the senior players a lot. He finds it easy because the coach player communication is really good. He gets direct feedback from his players. For a coach to be successful you have to understand your players.

Heathens have now won two trophies since August. What does that mean for you and the side in general? We are on to win the 7s. We started on such a good note and we really want to finish on a high note. We don’t expect it to be an easy ride but we are trying to bag all the trophies.

You guys have the league's most passionate fans. What do they bring to the table? They are really big on helping the players especially the young players with things like tuition among other things. Which is such a motivating factor for the young kids. They give their all because the team is there for them. And we have the fans to thank for that.

How easy or hard has it been from day one of the league? We have been up and down. Most of our players played in the international season so we missed a lot of starting games and the junior boys filled in. I would like to commend them for doing such a great job. They started the season really well. With us away at sevens, they really stepped up.

Hardest game? Pirates; The one we lost. It looked like the boys lost focus because they knew they had won the cup already and we made it hard for ourselves. It showed that Pirates wanted it bad. The team that was more prepared took it all and on that day it happened to be Pirates.

This season we thought you guys got the art of team work down. Do you attribute your victory to this? Yeah it was a factor in winning the league. The team work we had really worked for us. This being a team sport, without communication and coordination, trust in one another, u can’t go places. Working hard together really helped us. The juniors gelling in also helped a lot. We don't believe, even when going to training, in senior and junior players. We are all equal on this team and we bring our everything for the team.

Last but not least, what word do you have for the sponsor and corporate world that steer UG rugby with their lovely brands  As the Rugby fraternity, we would love to thank all the sponsors. We thank Nile Special who sponsor the national team. I would like to thank our sponsor Hima Cement for all the support, Shell Rimula, Betway and so many other sponsors thanks for supporting this sport.              

Name; Cox Muhigwa

Position; Flanker

Years at Heathens; 3^rd season at Heathens

A dominant name this season and try scorer. Coming off a pretty good season, he came into this season looking to show consistency. However he brought more than that. There was a new level of excellence that had not been exhibited before by Cox. But we believe this is the power of being surrounded by other brilliant players on a side aiming for excellence every single game. 

What did you choose to play for Heathens? It felt like I was playing at home. I didn't really feel like I belonged while I was at Legends Rugby Club but at Kyadondo Rugby Club, I felt comfortable.

How did you set your goals this season? I had a very good season, last season. I was on form. So indeed one of my goals was to keep it up cause I had to prove it wasn’t a fluke season. I looked at the tries I scored and I tried to work harder so that my scoring went up and not down. Having lost the last season. It was a tough time for me as a player because I am very competitive. So I wanted to put in all my effort and see positive results for my team.

What has made you guys so formidable this season? In the beginning, so many teams looked at us as a beatable team. We had issues from losing a coach to losing some players. But for us it was a different story. The legacy of the team was still standing and with it was a lot of help from senior players that we worked to prove them all wrong.

Whenever most sides are going through a transition, they tend to suffer with some poor results. You guys went through a transition but didn’t seem affected at all. How come? Sometimes, I believe tough conditions make one stronger. But then u have to prove that you can get yourself out of the mess you are in. It was painful at the time when our morale was down and not a favorable time for anyone. But we decided to get it together, work harder and make things better.

What impact has Athiyo had on you guys since he came in as coach nine months ago? He has good communication skills. He was a player the previous season. Having come up as coach it was easier for us to interact with him. He was very relate-able to the players. Most teams have coaches that have a huge age gap with the players but for our side the fact that he wasn't much older worked in our favor. His ability to support players on and off the pitch has had a very big impact. 

Heathens have now won two trophies since August. What does that mean to you and the side in general?? What happens when you win the first two, is that you wait for the third. But everyone wants that third one of course so it is going to be very closely contested. We wanted an unbeaten season and we unfortunately didn't get that. So we definitely are going for the sevens trophy so we can get a clean sweep.

You guys have the league's most passionate fans. What do they bring to the table? A lot... A lot... A lot... Because these guys are like parents to the team. When you hear them scream on the sidelines, you feel like there is a driving force behind you. They are so energizing. Its so much more encouraging when you have someone rallying behind you. They also support some of the younger players financially. We surely did it for the fans. You never want to disappoint the fans.

How easy or hard has it been from day one of the league? Hardest moments were when the turn up for training was low. We had to fight it mentally. It had us wondering if players would turn up. It was hard on both players and coaches.

Hardest game?

Pirates.  Because some players came with the mentality that we had already won. Some players were not into chasing the unbeaten record. Even when we tried to push they were not having it.

This season we thought you guys got the art of team work down. Do you attribute this season's win to this? Yes! Sometimes when you have players that accept their mistakes and weaknesses you get results. But if we have players who think they know it all then there is a problem. The respect as well as, the players' ability to take constructive criticism positively, is what has kept us together. 

Last but not least, what words do u have for the sponsor and corporate world that steer UG rugby with their lovely brands?   

When I reflect back the time we started the league, we didn’t have a sponsor. It was demoralizing to a certain extent. The sponsors of the league do so much. Especially in facilitation of referees and officials which helps so much. To our team sponsors Hima Cement, they have been there for us through everything. They have always showed up to support us. They have us all over social media and just showing that they are with us. We might have some of the most active social media pages. 

Micheal Wokorach
What do you think Heathens did this season that made them hard to beat? The fact that Heathens is a brand and family, we managed to work hard and have dedication as a team because we took each game at a time. We also didn't undermine our opponents and always played every game like it was a final, The trust from our coach and vice-versa was also a big factor that helped in making  us hard to beat. The coach always fielded players on merit, which helped each player build on their strength.

What was Coach Athiyo's contribution and impact on the team this season? First, Athiyo is a very good team manager and that's the most important thing for a coach. You need to know how to manage your players and the rest follow. When Athiyo took over he set achievable targets and helped the team achieve that. He allowed players express themselves both in training and on game day. But most of all, Athiyo understands the strengths and weaknesses of all his players.

After winning two Trophies since August, what is next for Heathens as a team? For now we shall take a break to rest a bit as the season has been a long one. We shall then regroup for our next campaign to win the 7s tournament because our goal this year was to win all major competitions.

The fans. What do you think was their contribution this season? Who stood out most and was at almost all games? The fans worked hand in hand with the players to make this season a success. The unity and support from the fans was exceptional as they followed the team to every venue. Big appreciation goes to Edward Kiwanuka who is the head cheerleader. He stood out the most through out the season.


Arthur Mukama
What do you think Heathens did this season that made them hard to beat? One thing that nearly every is over looking is the incorporation of young players (Aarone, Oyet Joseph, Sentezza, Kato ,Azziz..) These lads were the "push effort" in getting us past the white line.It was also fun to see them play... Brilliance!

What was Coach Athiyo's contribution and impact on the team this season? Well, having been a former player, straight off the deck, he has had deep roots and rapport with most players. So I think the coaching aspect was more managerial thus the result. Communication is imperative in this business, once you fail to communicate roles and responsibilities then you have problems.

After winning two Trophies since August, what is next for Heathens as a team? After all the work Heathens has gone through, we go into "slow mode" as prep for internationals.Team shall be meeting weekly as hope to play a few games with counterparts next door. Especially Nakuru, Kyadondo club shall also be organizing an "in house" tournament to keep us busy. At individual level, players should be hitting the gym to build on their weak areas. That having been said, we are still hungry, we need all we can get, all that is up on offer.

The fans. What do you think was their contribution this season? Who stood out most and was at almost all games? Ohhhhhhhh. Our dear fans have been part and parcel. From home games to mbale, Entebbe, Gulu. They shall be there, graced in the mighty earth colors..GREEN!!! The fans have been a strong support system pushing us forward in every game. (The Heathens Fan Club).The base keeps growing cause its a family. We have Eddie Kiwanuka steering ship. Honestly I am not familiar with other names.

Last but not least, what words do u have for the sponsor and corporate world that steer UG rugby with their lovely brand? We are highly humbled and express our sincere gratitude towards Hima cement's efforts, coming forth to sponsor the Team. Sponsorship in sports is dicey in most companies perspective. So they keep away,but I urge the corporate brands to come on board, take on a team.With performance, mileage shall be earned and our beautiful sport will continue to flourish. Last but not least, we recognize and continue to applaud the brands that keep breathing life into this sport.

Joesph Oyet Ojo
What do you think Heathens did this season that made them hard to beat? Well before the start of the season the technical team of Hima cement Heathens made sure that each player wrote down there own goals and what they would like to achieve before the end of the season. The main target was winning the league and the players made sure that they worked very hard to add another trophy in the cabinet, which they did. The mixture of both the old and young players, it really kept us going whereby the senior players were always encouraging us to work very hard and the young players like, Ofoirwoth Aaron, Oyet Joseph (myself), Santos Senteza, Kato Reynold, and many others stepped up and showed that they wanted it more and this made it very hard for other team to bring us down.

What was Coach Athiyo's contribution and impact on the team this season? His respect for players has really played a great role in the team. He has made the future bright for the team and built more confidence in so many players.

After winning two Trophies since August, what is next for Heathens as a team? We look forward to building more confidence and to always get better in both training and on game days.

The fans. What do you think was their contribution this season? Who stood out most and was at almost all games? To the fans, no words can express how thankful the team is for the great support and for standing with us in the 2016/2017 Nile Special Premier League. Thanks for giving us that extra urge to play the game that we guys love. Without you guys we would have not been able to make it. Thanks for being the 16th man on that pitch. Eddy Kiwanuka really stood out among all the fans because he makes sure that he leads from the front line. Thanks a lot for the support that you give us.

Last but not least, what word do u have for the sponsor and corporate world that steer UG rugby with their lovely brand? To our sponsors, thank you for partnering with the team and believing in us. To the corporate companies you're welcome on board and we promise to take you guys places.

Aaron Wanyoto
What do you think Heathens did this season that made them hard to beat? Heathens had good intensity in all that they did as a team mostly in the 1st leg.

What was Coach Athiyo's contribution and impact on the team this season? The coach's impact and contribution towards the team was big mostly selecting the right team to play with all that pressure of having good players within the team.

After winning two Trophies since August, what is next for Heathens as a team? Heathens is looking at defending all those titles and bringing more that will come along.

The fans. What do you think was their contribution this season? Who stood out most and was at almost all games? Heathen fans have pushed the team because they never abandoned the team. On both home and away games, they were there.

Last but not least, what word do u have for the sponsor and corporate world that steer UG rugby with their lovely brand? First I would like to thank the sponsors for all they do to support this great game in Uganda. Sponsors hopefully will inject more and also if possible try to connect various players into the employment schemes so as to motivate more players. At the end of it all, the game will grow big. Otherwise they shouldn't give up on the game.

Santos Senteza
What do you think Heathens did this season that made them hard to beat? It was all about team work, believing in our selves, extra training plus the will of the almighty up there.

What was Coach Athiyo's contribution and impact on the team this season? Coach Athiyo really did a great by making extra training for those who where unfit on the team to reach the fitness level of the team. Giving us motivation by calling each player before the game telling us what to do in the game and those where individual calls. He really knows how to bring out the best in players during the game.

After winning two Trophies since August, what is next for Heathens as a team? Heathens as a team, we are not going to just sit back cause we won. We are going to work harder for next season starting from Uganda cup to the league. We have to take them back.

The fans. What do you think was their contribution this season? Who stood out most and was at almost all games? Really our fans are the best cause they have been with us since day one. We travel with them and they never let us down most especially Eddie the number one heathens fan. We love their chants.

Last but not least, what words do u have for the sponsor and corporate world that steer UG rugby with their lovely brand? I would like to thank our sponsor Hima Cement for being there for us in all ways. We wont let you down. And for the corporate world for being there for Rugby, thank you guys so much.

Kato Reynold
What do you think Heathens did this season that made them hard to beat? Heathens is a team of professional and skilled players who are well committed to what they love most, which is rugby and always have a good turn up for the training sessions. So for every game, they look forward to playing and they always count it as a final game no matter how big or small the team is.

What was Coach Athiyo's contribution and impact on the team this season? Coach Athiyo has pushed Heathens up to the winning point with his coaching skills by providing the team with good game plans and calls. He has also groomed the young players of Heathens who just joined in recently into better players.

After winning two Trophies since August, what is next for Heathens as a team? Heathens is looking forward to winning other games in the next leagues to stay as Champions.

The fans. What do you think was their contribution this season? Who stood out most and was at almost all games? The fans contributed a lot supporting Heathens. With their support and encouragement, they helped heathens to play hard. I can give a shout out to Eddy and Waly because they are the ones I know.

Last but not least, what words do u have for the sponsor and corporate world that steer UG rugby with their lovely brand? I would thank them for supporting UG rugby which has helped us come out on the map of rugby and helped to build talents of the young players to young stars.

"All the talent in the world will not take you anywhere without teammates!"

Heathens has left the rest of the league teams a huge challenge. They have proved that if you keep the team first at all times, there will be positive results and trophies will be won. This season it was Heathens first on that field then everything and everyone else second. After falling short last season, they went back to the drawing board and built their team from the ground up. Their idea of team work was exactly what any team sport side would be looking for. They brought value back in the idea of working as one unit. All parts of their well oiled machine worked in perfect unison and that might be the reason that most teams found it hard to beat them this season.

Yes you won the league and that is a huge achievement. But beyond the trophies and pride, you left a legacy. You will be remembered for bringing back the value of team work in Ugandan Rugby. The reason Rugby is a sport that separates men from boys is because only men are mature enough to dedicate and commit to do everything they can for the greater good of the team. To know how to set their priorities right and give their 100% for the advancement of their team because they know that if anyone brings 90%, the entire team falls apart. To remember that first comes the love for the sport, the team then the individual. If Rugby was all about the individual, it would not be considered a team sport. Thank you for reminding everyone that it is not impossible to have a true brotherhood and team unit on a Rugby side. Because that is the way trophies are won. 

Jason Kidd said it best, "Championship teams are built on being prepared, playing unselfishly and being held accountable." Congratulations to the Heathens, Champions of the Nile Special Premiership 2016-2017 League Title. Good luck during the 7s circuit. Who knows maybe you will have a clean sweep!