Africa-Press – Uganda. Artificial turf playgrounds are set up every other day, they are all over Kampala suburbs and many flock them to break some sweat on a daily basis.
They can be used for different sports but football, the world’s most popular sport, is majority opt for.
Despite booming, it is unlikely you will hear of the men behind the scene, the men who get their hands dirty for the rest to play.
Kasibante’s dream
Brian Kasibante, calm as they come, has spent the last seven years in the field as both a consultant and contractor.
As a young boy, Kasibante spent his childhood looking up to his father the late Henry Ssentamu. The latter was an engineer working with Roko Construction Limited before passing on in 2002.
Learns from father
The time Kasibante spent around his father was enough to make him fall in love with construction.
“My dad inspired me into this. He was into construction and I just fell in line,” he recalls. Even as he went about his education through different institutions such as Sir Apollo Kaggwa Primary School, St Peter’s SS Nsambya, Makindye Secondary School, Mengo Senior School and Makerere University where he graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Horticulture Science, Kasibante had always envisaged himself as a future constructor because of his father’s influence.
Turning point
It was during his time at university that a rare opportunity came his way. “I made new friends that introduced me to something new,” says Kasibante. In 2015, he came across a group of individuals that would change the course of his life. They were working with sports pitch construction companies in the United Kingdom, something Kasibante picked interest in after learning it could turn out as good business in Uganda.
“There was almost nothing like that in Uganda by then or very few artificial turfs,” he recalls. That convinced him there was opportunity for the craft to blossom with time. He consulted his new friends on how to take this up and the response was positive. “They helped me to enrol for sports ground design and construction courses with “Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA), an organisation in the United Kingdom that deals with and trains sports pitch construction and maintenance,” explains Kasibante.
On leaving university, he enrolled for the SAPCA courses and within a year, the fruits were visible. Between now and then, Kasibante has established himself as a credible architect of artificial turf playgrounds with 12 third generation sports facilities constructed. He has also offered consultancy services on ten of them on top of renovations and repairs.
How he made it
Kasibante testifies that the education and training received from SAPCA was his only investment in establishing himself. After passing with flying colours, it was time to grind and also put a possible career horticulture on hold.
“The only capital I invested is the education I gave myself,” he says. That education has given him the ability to put in place natural and artificial playgrounds with different specifications such as five, seven and nine aside and FIFA standard 11 aside. This covers basketball, tennis, volleyball and badminton with both polyurethane and acrylic surfaces.
Kasibante’s work is also the kind that is hard to attach prices before doing complete review. “I do not have standard costing for the services I offer, pricing depends on scope of work that is established after doing comprehensive site survey and analysis,” he explains.
Some of his works
The works of his hands can be seen in facilities such as Waves Fitness Harbour, Soccer Planet Namulanda, Twinbrook Sports Academy, Rays of Grace Sports Academy, Volta Arena Bukoto, Al Muhamad Sports Arena and Turf and Kart in Hoima which he has all constructed. The list is bound to grow as the demand is on the rise. The public is embracing healthy living which comes with working out. A jog, a trip to the gym or a neighbourhood playground would all work.
Kasibante plans to extend his business to neighbouring countries. PHOTO/DEUS BUGEMBE
The surging numbers tell why Kasibante spends less time on marketing his profession, all his contracts have come his way through referrals. It is a case of a happy client passing onto the news to the next one and Kasibante’s phone is buzzing.
While all seems to be on track, there is also a number of underlying issues getting in the way of the likes of Kasibante. There is a wish that government spearheads the construction of more sports facilities. With that implemented, the market grows. Kasibante has also observed that most locals clubs, schools or clients cannot afford facilities that match world standards.
“Sports facilities are investment intensive. World standard sports facilities that are recognised by international bodies such as Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), The International Basketball Federation (FIBA), International Tennis Federation (ITF) and World Rugby among others require a reasonable amount of monetary investment that most local clubs, schools are not in position to have,” says Kasibante.
There is also a problem of lingering land wrangles that keep impeding the development and construction of sports facilities. There has been a cry from local contractors in different sectors for being passed over in favour of international companies when it comes to the better contracts. The cries are still out there and loud.
“Some local sports governing bodies do not trust local contractors yet we have the experience and technical know-how to deliver quality sports surfaces,” he states. He wants local contractors given a fair chance. He is also aware that unqualified personnel have invaded the business, tarnishing the image of genuine contractors.
“A lot of people without prior technical knowledge on how to construct an artificial sports facility have entered the trade. You cannot differentiate between a real contractor and masqueraders,” he says before talking of how complex the construction can get at times with high possibility of blundering. “We deal with an extremely delicate business because any slight error in technical specifications can mess up the entire project.”
Getting solutions to these queries would make things smoother but at times it is beyond the contractors. Challenges with land related issues can only be solved by land owners and government. Kasibante spares time to engage different stake holders on what it takes to have world standard sports facility and bring them to terms on the type of investment it requires along with the benefits. “This helps in changing mind-sets,” he suggests.
Seven years later, Kasibante has something to be proud of. Working in this field has come with insurmountable exposure from all over the world. “I have made a lot of friends in the top sports pitch construction companies worldwide such as Canada, USA, UK and China among others,” he declares.
Social capital
Away from earning a living and making a name for himself, Kasibante is grateful for the experience and social capital gained. He has also learnt to deal with different people and to give his best at everything projects throw at him. His expertise and knowledge puts him place to call upon more people to invest in sports facilities. Sports is a multi-billion industry that keeps re-inventing itself, which makes it a fertile ground to cultivate.
“There is a lot of return on investment in the sports facilities and the future is bright,” says Kasibante.
Connection
Seven years later, Kasibante has something to be proud of. Working in this field has come with insurmountable exposure from all over the world. “I have made a lot of friends in the top sports pitch construction companies worldwide such as Canada, USA, UK and China among others,” he says.
How to make money using your sports knowledge
Are you obsessed with sports? If your answer is yes, then there are many ways in which you can start making money on the side.
You just have to put your sports knowledge to use and put in the time and effort that are necessary to make several business ventures profitable.
If you want to know what these business ventures are, then you should keep reading.
In this article, you will find a list of ways in which you can make money using your extensive sports knowledge, ranging from online betting and starting a sports podcast to writing a sports blog, creating highlight videos, and selling sports memorabilia. Take a look.
Start a sports blog
If you have a deep understanding of sports and you love to write about them, there is no better way for you to start making money on the side than by starting a blog.
You can express your thoughts, comment on major events, give advice on sports betting, and do whatever else you like.
You can also make money by placing ads on your blog – the more popular it gets, the more you earn.
Bet on sports
If you enjoy betting on sports, then you can use this passion to start making money on the side.
All you need to do is find trustworthy online bookmakers and start placing bets on various sporting events.
Keep in mind that you will have to conduct thorough research if you want to win a lot of money from betting. To do so, remember to check online reviews and find helpful advice – for example, you can do that on betsquare.com.
Create sports betting aids
If you are serious about betting on sports, then you might want to consider creating aids that can help other people when betting on sporting events. You could, for example, create spreadsheets that show potential matchups and statistics for each team. Or you could create betting odds comparison charts so that people know which teams to pick. The possibilities are endless – you just have to show your skills.
Create sports videos
Do you love to watch sports and share your opinion about it? Well, why not try to express your thoughts by creating videos about various aspects of a particular sport? Many video apps are popular today – for example, YouTube and Tiktok – and people can earn money through them. For example, if you love baseball, you could create highlight videos that feature all of the best home runs, greatest hits, or most memorable moments in the history of baseball. Or, you can make blogs that teach people how they can improve their skills and give useful tips.
Create sports memes
If you are familiar with memes and are good at creating them, then you should definitely use your talent to make money on the side. There are many websites that allow you to create memes for free. However, before you start doing that, you might want to check some articles on creating memes for profit.
Write articles about sports
If you enjoy creating content, then you can start getting paid by writing about various aspects of sports. There are many websites that are willing to pay for well-written content, such as sports betting websites and blogs related to specific topics such as basketball or football. Needless to say, the more knowledgeable about a particular sport you are, the more money you will be able to make.
Sell your sports memorabilia
If there are any valuable sports memorabilia lying around in your house and taking up space, you may want to sell it and make some extra cash. If your items are precious enough, you can consider selling them through online auction sites such as eBay. Just make sure that memorabilia are authentic before selling – otherwise, you risk getting sued or scammed.
Take surveys regarding sports
If you love taking surveys, then there is no better way for you to make money than by answering questions regarding sports. Some online surveys offer points through reward programmes, which you can exchange for free stuff or cashback when buying certain products or services. In addition, some survey companies can even send you free prizes.
Conclusion
Making money using your sports knowledge is not as hard as you might think. The key is to find the ventures that fit your skills the most and start from there. Starting a sports blog, betting, creating sports videos or memes, selling your memorabilia, writing articles, and taking surveys – these are just a few of the numerous ways to earn some money on the side. It never hurts to try out new ideas and see how they work. If you have a few extra hours each week and you are passionate about sports, you can easily start making some extra cash right away—Adapted from: shopify.com.
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