Entering the 2020 season, NYRB II assistant coach Ibrahim Sekagya was embarking in his sixth season with the club.
“Six seasons is quite a milestone and personal achievement for myself,” Sekagya said. “I am looking forward to many more seasons ahead.”
In his six seasons with the club, he has helped lead the team to five playoff appearances, three USL Championship Eastern Conference Finals, and a USL Championship Final, which they won in 2016. For Sekagya, there was one word to describe this season: weird.
“Regarding this season, it was weird. It has been a roller coaster in all aspects, emotionally, psychologically, mentally, and physically to all of us,” Sekagya said.
Despite the tough season, the Kampala, Uganda native was able to learn and adapt to the tough environment that presented itself every day.
“It was tough on a daily basis, but I managed to learn how to virtually connect with the players and keep them engaged,” Sekagya said. “Despite the things we all had to deal with, we were able to keep the season alive and I am very proud of that.”
During quarantine and throughout the season, Sekagya was helping two other people train: his two sons. His sons currently both play in the Red Bulls Academy for U-13 and U-19 teams respectively.
“It feels great to see my boys being a part of the Academy teams,” Sekagya said. “Being able to see them chase their dreams of following in my footsteps makes me a really proud father.”
The former New York Red Bulls defender has also noticed and admired the work the Academy coaches are putting in during this trying time.
“I give a lot of credit to the Academy coaches, who give my boys and the other players the best skills and tactics and the materials to succeed,” Sekagya said.
The 2020 USL Championship season ended on October 4th and Sekagya is already looking forward to next season.
“I look forward to another successful season next year. I am quite optimistic that we will be much more focused and stronger than ever before,” Sekagya said. “I want to thank the fans immensely, even in their absence, we still felt their presence and their motivation is what drives the players to get better every day. No matter how tough the situation is right now, we will always have them behind us, and we appreciate that so much.”
