Bukedea Comprehensive School Declared Host of USSSA National Ball Games-One 2025

By Emmanuel Sekago

Bukedea Comprehensive School has been officially selected to host the 2025 USSSA National Ball Games-One after delivering a compelling PowerPoint presentation during the bidding process at the USSSA offices at GNS Plaza in Kampala on Friday, October 18, 2024.

The school outbid the strong joint bid by Jinja Senior Secondary School and Jinja College to secure the prestigious hosting rights for the event.

Bukedea Comprehensive School (BCS), established in 2018 by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among Magogo, impressed the panel with their strong case for hosting.

The school recently hosted the 2024 FEASSSA Games, successfully managing one of the region’s largest school sports events, which bolstered its credibility and hosting capacity.

Key Highlights of Bukedea Comprehensive School’s Winning Bid; BCS highlighted their successful hosting of the FEASSSA Games in August 2024, proving their ability to handle large-scale sporting events.

The school intends to build on this experience to deliver a successful 2025 National Ball Games-One, The school’s security setup was a major selling point, with a fully enclosed campus featuring a wall perimeter, CCTV surveillance, and 24/7 trained security personnel.

This ensures a safe and secure environment for all athletes and participants, BCS has first-class dormitory facilities capable of accommodating 3,368 athletes.

The school is also expanding its capacity with the construction of the BCS Annex, scheduled to be completed by December 2024, which will further boost its ability to host large events, St. Anne Block, located at Bukedea School of Health Sciences, will host officiating officials, while additional accommodations in nearby Bukedea Town, Kumi Town, and Mbale City will cater to other officials and guests.

The school’s sports infrastructure is well-equipped, with a Sports Arena for basketball and other indoor games, along with two football pitches. BCS’s semi-Olympic swimming pool (20×25 meters) is suitable for hosting national-level swimming galas.

In addition, the surrounding area has several other playgrounds that will be used during the event, including facilities at Amus College School and Lifeline SS.

The presence of Bukedea Teaching Hospital, located just opposite the school, guarantees immediate access to medical services for all participants and spectators.

BCS also boasts reliable sources of power (hydro, solar, and a standby generator) and water (national supply, rainwater, and underground systems), ensuring no interruptions during the event and Bukedea Comprehensive Stadium will be the main venue for the opening and closing ceremonies, providing an ideal space for the celebration of the games.

Although Bukedea Comprehensive School secured the Ball Games-One hosting rights, the bid to host the USSSA National Swimming Championship 2025 was awarded to Seroma Christian High School in Mukono.

However, BCS remains confident that their semi-Olympic pool can still host high-level competitions in the future.

Despite the success of their bid, Bukedea Comprehensive School faces a clear condition: if they fail to meet the infrastructure completion deadlines, such as finishing the BCS Annex by December 2024, the hosting rights will automatically revert to Jinja Senior Secondary School and Jinja College.

Jonas Gumisirisa, the Director of Bukedea Comprehensive School, expressed his optimism during an interview with Wallnetnews: “We are committed to delivering a world-class event. With the infrastructure and preparations already in place, we are confident that Bukedea will not only meet but exceed expectations as the host of USSSA National Ball Games-One 2025. This opportunity showcases the growing capabilities of schools in the eastern region to contribute significantly to national sports development.”

As preparations for the event gear up, Bukedea Comprehensive School is poised to make history as a host of one of Uganda’s most prestigious school sports events.