Mulisa calls for more efforts to revive inter-schools competitions

Former Rwanda international Jimmy Mulisa has emphasized on the need to invest more efforts in inter-schools football competitions as a fundamental to football development. The current Amavubi assistant coach made the call during the 19th edition of the National Dialogue Council ‘Umushyikirano’ in Kigali on Wednesday, January 24. READ ALSO: Inside Jimmy Mulisa’s football development Academy Mulisa expressed his concern about the decline of football competitions in schools, a stage which he believes is fundamental to the player’s development before reaching the elite level. We used to play football in schools. Only, this competition doesn't seem to exist anymore, claimed Mulisa. You come to realize that players who lack basic development skills during their journey to the national team, because they skipped certain stages and, if I am to ask for one thing, it would be to bring back the level of competition in these inters-schools competitions. Let the children play and put a lot of effort into it. As someone who has had the opportunity to play at a high level, I can say that sports is one of the industries that provides jobs to many people and can earn enough money compared to other sectors, he added. President Paul Kagame also weighed in, suggesting that those responsible for sports should look into the matter and support its development wherever it’s due. After all, that's what they are responsible for, Kagame said. Mulisa nas been championing football development from grassroots level since 2021 through his foundation 'Umuri' which currently brings together 400 young players aged between seven and 17 years old. The coach’s initiative is already bearing fruit where three young players from the foundation were selected to represent Rwanda in various youth competitions. For instance midfielder Patrick Gisubizo was part of the national team that took part in the 2023 CECAFA U-15 tournament held in Uganda in November 2023 while Jean Paul Irakoze and Byiringiro Eric they were in the U-18 team that participated in the CECAFA U18 held in Kenya in December, 2023

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Mulisa calls for more efforts to revive inter-schools competitions