Hassan – a Gifted Future Soccer Coach

Hassan was born and raised in the Kibuli slum in Kampala. He is of Nubian ethnicity – his family is Muslim. He grew up without a father. His mother raised him and two younger brothers.  She operates a small shop in the Kitooro area which sells food items like bread, cakes, posho, rice and donuts. His nickname is “Baby Lee”.

Hassan became involved with Sports Outreach Ministry Uganda’s (SOM’s) soccer program in 2003 when he was 6 years of age. He found that the coaches were friendly and loving, and over the years he became engaged in more and more of the “off the field” things that are such an important part of our work.   He was a beneficiary of the feeding program, the regular Bible Study/Devotions sessions, and he was always willing to participate in the community service work his coaches did.

As he became a teenager, his coaches, Paul, Henry and Sam, recognized both his gifting in the game of soccer and his leadership capacities as well.  They continued to mentor and disciple him, gradually giving him more and more responsibility on the SOM Kibuli soccer team, the “Divine Destiny Football Club”.  Currently, he is a captain, and the treasurer of the team.  

Hassan is a disciplined and hard-working young man.  His character is strong.  Once, Coach Henry asked for volunteers to help keep their soccer equipment safe.  Balls, nets, and other practice gear are very valuable in the slums, and often stolen.  Of the forty people there, only Hassan raised his hand to help.  He is a trusted leader on the team and one who younger kids look up to.

Henry and Sam saw in Hassan the capacity for coaching, so for several years they have been mentoring him as a soccer coach.  He works with the younger groups of kids, and his SOM leaders encouraged and helped him to participate in a couple of different coaching clinics.  (One is called WASH – it integrates soccer training with training on personal sanitation and hygiene.). Gradually, Henry let him begin to coach the Divine Destiny team in some of their drills.

In late 2019, Hassan got an opportunity to train some young children at a soccer academy in another part of Kampala.  Many of the kids were children of American and European expats working in Kampala.   He did this for several weekends, and after one training session, one of the fathers approached him and asked him if he had ever had any formal coaching training. This man asked Hassan if he could see his certificates from earlier training.

 After further discussion, this man gave Hassan an amazing opportunity.  He offered to pay for him to go to Germany for two years to continue to learn to coach in an elite program there.  All of Hassan’s expenses would be paid, and in February 2020, he boarded a plane to Munich!  

Hassan’s opportunity has been an amazing example to other young people in the Kibuli slum.  His coaches have pointed out that Hassan’s hard work, discipline and character have played a big part in his having an opportunity to get out of the poverty of the slums and have a chance at a coaching career. Henry has used Hassan as an example to bring Colossians 3:23-24 to light. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.”

 But there’s one more important part of the story. Hassan is not yet a Christ-follower.  The challenges of leaving his family’s Muslim faith are difficult.  Hassan’s SOI coaches have invested fourteen years in his life – mentoring, discipling, teaching him the Bible, sharing the Gospel.  God has not yet called Hassan to faith… but… the Sports Outreach team has planted many seeds over time.  Henry and Sam trust that in due time, God will complete the opening of his heart.