Excitement filled the campus of International School of Uganda as 70 athletes and coaches from 8 international schools from 8 different countries paraded past students, staff, and parents to mark the opening ceremony of the International Schools of South and East Africa (ISSEA) Tennis and Golf tournament hosted at ISU and the Serena Lake Victoria Golf Course from April 13-15, 2023.  We start these tournaments as individual schools, but by the end of the 3 days of competition we leave as one community with new friends and connections building global awareness and understanding.

ISSEA was created in 1998 through the initiative of member schools: American International School of Johannesburg, American International School of Lusaka, American International School of Mozambique, Harare International School, International Community School of Addis Ababa, International School of Kenya, International School of Tanganyika, and International School of Uganda.  An annual schedule is created to host tournaments and cultural exchanges in the areas of basketball, soccer, volleyball, rugby, swimming, track and field, cross country, tennis, golf, band, choir, drama, visual arts and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

It is always exciting to have your team in the finals our girl’s tennis team placed first in the tournament.  However, ISSEA is much more than the competition.  The competitive aspect of playing sports builds skills and drives athletes to perform at their highest levels.  Many more skills are developed through the process including fair play, supporting each other to grow and develop, and having fun.  The culture that is created between all competitors is the greatest benefit.  Students meet and engage with new people from different backgrounds.  They form friendships not only with team members, but also from other teams, they end up cheering each other on.  At the end of the final game all students come together to form a human tunnel that the 2^nd place and 1^st place students run through to be congratulated by the whole community.  Everyone is now mixed together celebrating what we have all achieved as a community.

At ISU we have a balanced sports program.  We want to be inclusive of all students and to do this we have an extensive after school activities program with options ranging from different sports to arts, to interacting with animals and playing chess.  Students can try out different activities to learn more about what their passions are and what they may like to specialize in.  We hold different tournaments at all the age levels and play together with other schools in Kampala.

We continue to develop our facilities to support our students in all areas of their learning.  Having a 25-meter swimming pool, a full football field, a 400-meter track, 4 tennis courts, a gymnasium for indoor sports like basketball and volleyball, a fitness studio, and an outdoor trail covering the perimeter of campus all contribute to the development of our students.  Our current project is to build a new covered court to replace our outdoor basketball court with new changing facilities and an observation deck to be able to watch all the different activities that are taking place at any given time.

There is nothing better than the energy created when cheering on our athletes and seeing the excitement and pride in their faces when they have achieved their personal best.

Simon Gillespie, Ed.D. is the Head of School at International School of Uganda an International Baccalaureate World School.  Simon has been a leader of international schools in Germany, Philippines, and most recently the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Simon is a co-director of the Next Frontier Inclusion organization, supporting international schools to be inclusive of all students regardless of their learning style and challenges.  He looks forward to continuing to connect with the educational community in Kampala and supporting the development of a strong learning environment for our students.