The evolution of Goan sports in Uganda
By Armand Rodrigues
IN THE realm of Goans and sport in Uganda, the Entebbe Goan Institute emerges as the flagship. The club dates back to April 24, 1905. Almost all Goan civil servants in Uganda had their start in Entebbe -- which was then the seat of Government -- it is no accident that Goans sports made their debut at the EGI and are inextricably linked to this club.
The Kampala Goan Institute, winners of the Kampala, Entebbe and District titles: D. Pereira, Al Mathias, C. Dias, H. Dias, J. Pereira, Canute Mathias
History will show that sports started
as follows: Tennis 1907; Soccer 1907;
Badminton 1908; Field hockey 1916;
Cricket 1917; Volleyball
1952. Carom and Ping-pong were slotted in between. The
club floated the
E.G.I. Cup for field hockey in 1922 for an annual
competition amongst all sports clubs in the Protectorate. (This cup was the
equivalent of the Gold Cup in Nairobi) The E.G.I won its own cup for the first time in 1938. By inference, there were superior
teams that held them back till then. It is noteworthy that this cup became the catalyst for Uganda’s Olympic
Hockey Team.
Whether one was born a gifted athlete,
whether one’s sporting prowess was inherited, or whether one was influenced by
a pushy parent, are moot points. The bottom line is that Goans have a natural
propensity for sports. And, in Uganda,
the E.G.I. could not have been a better nurturing ground. In their formative
years, the seniors of today and many of their parents developed a healthy
penchant for soccer, field hockey and
cricket’, while at school or university.
Once they got into the workforce in Uganda they diversified into tennis,
badminton, table-tennis and volleyball. The
osmosis transformed them
into all-rounders in sports. A
significant number excelled in one or more
sport and reached
a pinnacle when selected to be on
the national squad. In the process, they brought singular honour to the community
and demonstrated convincingly
that despite our comparatively small number, we could stand shoulder to
shoulder with the best.
With the passage of time, it is far from certain the following list
encompasses everybody with an
E.G.I connection who
played representative sports.
FIELD HOCKEY
Cosme De Souza was honoured on several
occasions to captain the Uganda Hockey team in international matches versus
Kenya, Tanzania, India and Pakistan. Others
who represented Uganda
include Michael Teixeira, Polly
Pereira, Josy Pereira, Ambrose Da Silva, Carlitho Mascarenhas, Willie
Lobo, Felix Britto, Renato Rodrigues, Denis Pereira, Aloysius
Mathias, Tony Pereira, Victor Pereira,
Joe Lobo, Leslie Da Costa, Wilfred Rodrigues, Leslie D’Costa, Alec Rodrigues,
Abu D’Souza, Osbert Remedios, Donat D’Souza and Roland Colaco.
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Zulema Collaco de Souza with the Kololians 7-a-side
winning team in Kampala.
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S.P. Dias was the first Goan to win the Uganda
Protectorate Open Singles tennis title. Later,
in 1952, his son Celly followed in his father’s footsteps and
claimed the title. Others who regularly
played in the Kampala & Entebbe District League include Aloysius Mathias,
Denis Pereira, Josy Pereira, John Sequeira, Armand Rodrigues, Felix D’Mello (Jnr.), Felix D’Mello (Snr.), John D’Mello, Reggie Dias, Claude
DeSouza, Edwin Fernandes and Peter Fernandes. Peter also claimed the Uganda
Singles Junior title. Aloysius Mathias and Denis Pereira won the Uganda Closed Tennis Championship and the Entebbe
Open Tennis Championship for two years. Al won the Entebbe Open Singles Titles in those two years.
WOMEN’S FIELD HOCKEY
Zulema De Souza (centre) with the Kololians seven-a-side winning team in Kampala
Zulema Collaco (nee De Souza) captained Uganda
vs Kenya on
several occasions. Others
who represented Uganda included Flora Gomes, Esmie
DeSouza, Eurema Colaco,
Ella
Gomes, Helen D’Mello,
and Delphine Francis.
Zulema Collaco arrived in (Uganda),
East Africa in January 1961, having represented the Maharashtra Women’s Hockey
Association (Poona - India). She captained the Maharashtra Provincial Team and was instrumental in winning the finals of the All India Women’s Hockey Trophy (1958). News media described Zulema
as a speedy winger with her body swerves, delightful ball control, neat
stick-work and delectable play at left wing. (Deccan Herald, Nagpur Times,
Poona Daily News, Times of India)
Zulema, captained the Poona University Team,
Winning the All India University Women’s Championship for three
consecutive years. She was awarded the
University Gold Medal for bringing great honour and for her contribution
to the Poona University.
When she arrived in Uganda, she was the
first woman hockey umpire, having passed an examination set by the Association
for The Training of Umpires.
With her arrival in Uganda, East
Africa, she taught
High School at
Kololo Secondary School in Kampala, where she
coached and formed
the Kololian women’s hockey team.
The team comprised of young students. Within a year, her team participated in the local women’s tournaments,
defeating practically every other team in Uganda. Many of her
players were selected to play
for Uganda, which in turn defeated the Kenya women’s
team.
When leaving for Canada in 1971, Zulema
Collaco de Souza, was presented a Gold
Medal by the Board of Governors of Kololo Secondary School in appreciation for
her dedication, and contribution to the school. In Canada she represented the
Ontario Women’s Hockey Team on one occasion.
The
Kololians as they were later
named, played in numerous competitions in other countries,
such as India, Germany, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), United Arab Republic and Kenya.
Some of the teams that she played
against were India, Japan, Korea, China, Wanderers from England, and Kenya. Unfortunately, since there were no Women’s Olympics at that time many women
were very unfortunate in not participating in the Olympics.
Please share this and would appreciate any help with missing names!
Please share this and would appreciate any help with missing names!
Kampala, Entebbe and District tennis
titles: D.
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