Frank Video Anyau, head coach for Amus College Bukedea, one of two Ugandan representatives at the Africa Schools Football Championship CECAFA zone Qualifiers, believes the team is ready to perform well in Dar-es-Salaam.
Anyau told Pulse Sports that the motivating factors for Amus College to perform are three; teamwork, prize money and qualifying for the main tournament in Morocco.
"I have been behind this team from when they won the national schools qualifiers in July in Njeru, it's a talented lot of girls who will perform very well," Anyau noted before adding.
"We are motivated by teamwork, the prize money and playing at the finals in Morocco. Frank Video Anyau never coaches a team to lose, I can assure you were going to Tanzania to win, and we shall," he concluded.
Sixteen schools from eight countries have been confirmed for the qualifiers, with the winner set to represent the CECAFA region at the maiden Africa football championship set to take place in April 2023.
Anyau also noted that the same squad that won the national schools title is intact, and a lot has stayed the same.
"We have not changed the team a lot; the squad is intact with our MVP in Shafiga Mpamisi from the schools' nationals also available. So most of these young girls will be playing for the Crested Cranes shortly."
Royal Giants, who won the boys' qualifiers category, is the other secondary school that will represent Uganda at the regional qualifier. The tournament will run from 17th - 19th February.
The CAF African Schools Programme is an initiative the African football governing body created in 2022 to have a continentally competitive school football competition that encourages young Africans to stay in school as they play football.
Hefty Prize Money
The boys and girls category winners are expected to win USD 100,000 (about UGX366m, while the runners-up will win USD 750,000 (about UGX274m) and the bronze medalists USD 50,000 (about UGX183m).