The sun rose gently over Kyadondo on Monday morning, but the warmth that filled the air came not just from the sky, it came from the hearts gathered to honor a man whose legacy stretches beyond trophies and titles.
Muhammad Athiyo, the long-serving head coach of Heathens Rugby Football Club, stood before players, fans, club officials and old friends at a heartfelt farewell breakfast organized in his honour.
His departure, a week after stepping down from the role he has held since 2016, closed a remarkable chapter in the club’s history.
But as Athiyo made clear in an emotional speech, the real triumph of his nine-year reign wasn’t in silverware, it was in brotherhood.
“I am deeply honoured by this function, this recognition of all that I have achieved,” he began, gesturing toward the display of trophies and accolades.
“But that actually isn’t my greatest achievement. My greatest achievement in this game is the friendship I have built with most of you here.”
With those words, Athiyo set the tone, not of farewell, but of gratitude. The coach who led Heathens to five XVs league titles, three Uganda Cups and a historic treble in the 2023-24 season chose to measure his success not by the banners in the clubhouse but by the bonds formed in locker rooms and muddy training grounds.
Athiyo’s journey with Heathens began long before he took over the reins in 2016. A former player himself, he transitioned into coaching and went on to oversee three generations of players.
Through smooth transitions and inevitable rebuilding years, he kept Heathens a perennial title contender, no small feat in Uganda’s ever-competitive rugby scene.
His teams delivered dominance, two unbeaten seasons, seamless player transitions and consistent finishes near the top. The lowest was a fifth-place finish in 2017-18, a brief stumble early in his tenure.
Yet, as the 2024 season closed with Heathens crashing out in the playoff semifinals and murmurs of time catching up with the coach began to surface, Athiyo responded with dignity and perspective.
“To me, this isn’t a farewell,” he told the crowd with a wry smile. “I simply say, as Vincent said, I need kids, man.”
The room erupted in laughter, but behind the humour was a man seeking balance, a chance to rediscover himself beyond the chalk lines of Kyadondo.
In a touching segment of his speech, Athiyo singled out two young men, Claude Otema and Munguachel Sylvester, affectionately known as “Siri.”
“Claude was my kit-boy,” Athiyo revealed, drawing gasps and smiles. “And I’ve watched him grow into the player that he is today valuable to the Heathens, valuable to the national team.”
Of Sylvester, he said, “This young man, every time I walked into this pitch, I saw him training. Without supervision. Just training. I told him before I step down, my target was for him to make the national team. And he did. That’s something.”
His pride in their progress and in the mentorship he provided was unmistakable. In these personal triumphs, Athiyo saw the true weight of his contribution.
The man to inherit the helm is no stranger, Uganda Men’s 7s head coach Tolbert Onyango, who returns to active club duty with Heathens.
“Coach Tolbert is my coach. I actually learned from him,” Athiyo said, offering full confidence in his successor. “If these boys give you a hard time, please call me. I have a stick in the palm.”
That closing line, part-joke, part-promise, brought cheers. The message was clear: Athiyo might be stepping away, but he’s not gone.
“I’ll be on the sidelines cheering you guys on. All the best, gentlemen.”
Athiyo’s farewell wasn’t about endings. It was a salute to a journey filled with passion, purpose, and people.
For Heathens RFC, his name will forever be etched not just in the record books, but in the hearts of those he coached, mentored and stood beside.
“I played with Aaron, Michael, Tony. I’ve had the pleasure of coaching them as well. Gentlemen, it has been my honour. It has been my pleasure in sharing the field of battle with you guys.”
And with that, Muhammad Athiyo stepped aside, not into the shadows, but into the light of a legacy that will long outlive the scoreboard.
