Namiiro Esther Kwagala '22 Recruiting Profile

My name is Kwagala N Esther. I am from Uganda, East Africa. I was born and raised in the capital city, Kampala by my grandmother who I can attest has been the cornerstone to my life's event. 

The few times I traveled out of Uganda,I was to Australia under my new family that has grown to be my family. We used to have trips for church purposes to sing and preach to masses. Oh Lord, how I loved my time at the podium melodically rhyming to the Gospel songs-the smiles we received!

 I don't want to think that my grandmother's spirit was at peace the day she gave me away to the Watoto Community. This is a church based organization that gives home to the less advantaged in the community. At the end of the day she had to make that tough decision since my mother or father - that I have never met - should face to support their offspring.

Watoto soon became home and everyone just became the family that I never had. Forget about the academic focused schools back home, Watoto had a different vibe. Extra co- curricular activities like music, dance and drama, arts, and sports kept us moving. It's through these activities that our bond grew. 

It's all useless if I don't talk about the peace I found on the courts. I got introduced to basketball at the age of 13  and since then I have never looked back. I sang in the choir, danced in the pews, cheered for the actors and actresses but nothing could compare the joy I felt when on the basketball courts. My game grew over time and not even the greatest of my intuition told me that one day I would be smartly clad in the National Team's jersey representing my country.

Other than the trips to Australia, the other trips that are fondest to my memories are basketball trips. Let it be local or international. I never had the chance to play National Secondary School games as my school wasn't a registered participant but I was lucky enough to be among the select girls for different basketball camps. It's from these camps that my knowledge about the sport grew and I developed connections that have continued to be instrumental in my life.

My first time featuring for the National Team U16, I don't think my senses had been prepared for this. Turnover after turnover; honestly I personally don't understand what befell me during those games. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, they say. This was my first attempt at representing my country and land. I never looked back. My game has improved from the first time I set foot in the National Team's jersey.

When I talk about basketball, I talk with all the passion a groom would use to describe his newly wed. I talk about the sport that has provided solace to me and disciplined me. Without basketball, I wouldn't have stepped foot in the states. Here, I am 6 years from the first time I touched and basketball, playing for .....high school in the United States of America.