By: Kayiira Jackson
Every athlete has his or her own tale and it’s upon you to believe or reject the story.
On the menu is the longest serving player at Finance Trust Women Super league club, Lady Doves FC, Lydia Nyandera.
The midfielder who was born on the 12th day of January in 2000, (24) narrates her football tales since she joined the beautiful game in 2014.
The workaholic midfielder who was among the team that won Lady Doves the maiden Super League trophy (2021) and a bronze medal of the inaugural CAF Champions League CeCAFA zonal qualifiers believes that football has been great for in the decade she has spent in it but losing two finals in the same year is unforgettable moment.
“I can’t say that football didn’t do great for me but again it’s a disappointing sport, I can’t forget the year 2019 when we lost two finals, the Elite League and Women Cup.” Nyandera recalls.
For starters, in 2019 Lady Doves FC lost to UCU Lady Cardinals and Makerere University WFC with a uniform defeating score 2-0 in Elite League and FUFA Women Cup respectively.
The Masindi based side reached two finals in her maiden season 2018/19 but lost both of them in space of six days.
Education Journey:
In her education journey, Nyandera did go past senior four for the reasons she reserved, Nyakapiina as she was nicknamed finished her primary education in 2013 at Kiryatete Preparatory primary school Hoima.
She joined Kinyara SS-Masindi for her senior one but spent only one term in the school before switching to Karuguza Progressive in Kibale district.
But during her senior holiday in Hoima, she gotten a football bursary at Kitara SS in 2015, she never returned to Kibale.
In 2017, she joined Kabalore Hillside High School where she sat her UCE.
Nyandera never continued for Advanced Certificate but in 2023, she went back to school for a short course in Entrepreneurship and Development Skills where she got a certificate.
Football Journey:
Though some of her half brothers were playing football, Nyandera never played the game untill her form one last holiday in 2014 when she joined Create Peace Soccer Academy in Hoima.
Nyandera with her work rate and love for the game, she joined Kitara SS in Hoima where she got a football bursary and immediately recruited at the school senior team and in 2017, her school featured in the USSSA ball games one.
While in her form four vacation in Masindi, some of her friends who we players at a newly formed Women football club in the area, Lady Doves FC attracted her to join the club to which she did in 2018. She then, the slimy midfield turned a legend at the club, winning silver medal in FUFA Women Cup 2019, a silver medal in FUFA women Elite League 2019, winning the maiden FUFA Women Super League in 2021 and a bronze medal of CAF Champions League CECAFA zonal qualifiers in the same year.
After the departure of Fazila Ikwaput, Daisy Nakaziro and Leticia Nabbosa, Nyandera was entrusted with the team captaincy armband and she is still holding it todate.
Profile:
Name: Nyandera Lydia
Nickname: Nyakapiina
Date of Birth: 12th/Jan/2000
Place of Birth [Village]: Isagara Village
Mother’s name:Mbabazi Marry
Father’s name: Wandera Francis
Position: Attaching midfielder(8,10)
Strong Foot: Right
Weight: 57kg
Height: 5.4ft
Shirt no. 13
Current Club: Lady Doves FC
Role Model: Ronaldo
Best players played with: Fazila Ikwaput, Nabosa Leticia,Daizy Nakaziro.
Credited people; Director Lady doves(Julius Mugisa)
Achievements: Won FUFA Women Super League, CAF Champions League CeCAFA zonal qualifiers Bronze Medal.
Best Moments in football: When we won the first Fufa woman super league Trophy in 2021
Worst Moment: Losing Two finals in 2019, final of fufa women cup and final of fufa woman Elite league
Ambitions: To become the best player and to play professional football
Youth Football Career:
Create Peace Academy Hoima 2014-2016
Kitara SS Hoima 2015-2017
Kabalore Hillside High School 2017
Senior career (Club level):
Lady Doves : 2018-to-date
National Team Caps: None
