Uganda native Zack Sebuliba Ssebatindira was recently announced as head coach for Chestnut Hill College Men’s Soccer. Chestnut Hill College was founded in 1924 as a Roman Catholic, four-year, liberal arts college for women and opened its full-time undergraduate program to men in the Fall of 2003.
Chestnut Hill College recently hired Uganda native and Philadelphia resident, Zack Sebuliba Ssebatindira, as its head men’s soccer coach.
"I am excited to have Zack join our staff as our new head men's soccer coach,” said Lynn Tubman, director of athletics and recreation at the coeducational Roman Catholic college. “I believe his experience, character, and coaching philosophy will provide our soccer program with the strong leadership it needs to continue to grow in a positive direction and compete at a high level," Tubman said of Ssebatindira’s hiring.
A former assistant coach – specializing in goalkeeping, Ssebatindira assumes his first head coaching position at the collegiate level. Before arriving at Chestnut Hill College, Ssebatindira served on the men’s soccer staff at Philadelphia University and as the assistant men's and women's soccer coach at Penn State University’s Abington campus.
"First and foremost I would like to thank Lynn Tubman, President Carol Jean Vale, Jesse Balcer, and the search committee for entrusting me with leading the men's soccer program here at Chestnut Hill (College)," said Ssebatindira.
"Throughout the interview process the heritage of the college was made clear to me,” he said of the higher education institution, located in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded by the Sisters of Saint Joseph in 1924.
“There is a special community of people here and an abundance of opportunities for growth ahead. I am deeply humbled by the opportunity to add my name to the ledger," said Ssebatindira.
In two seasons under Philadelphia University head men's soccer coach Ptah Myers and alongside fellow coach Carlos Pinnace, Ssebatindira helped direct the Rams to back-to-back CACC Men's Soccer Championship Tournament appearances. In 2015, the Philadelphia University goalkeepers ranked first in the CACC for goals against (17) and goals-against-average (0.87 GAA), and second in shutouts (7) while only needing to make – a league-low - 47 saves.
"As a young coach, I had the opportunity to apprentice under exceptional leaders in the Philadelphia athletics community; my former athletic directors, Tom Shirley (Philadelphia University) and Dr. Karen Weaver (Penn State Abington), and my former head coaches; Ptah Myers and David Castellanos (Penn State Abington).”
“The lessons I have learned along the way will stay me as I begin my time here at Chestnut Hill," said Ssebatindira, who coaches with the Continental Football Club and possesses both a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National D License and a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) State Goalkeeping Level 1 certification.
Appreciative of education, last year Ssebatindira earned his master's degree in business administration for finance from Philadelphia University, competing as a member of a Chartered Financial Analyst Research Challenge finalist team earlier this year.
An active Drexel University undergraduate student, Ssebatindira was the university’s African Student Association president, assistant coach with the Dragons' Men's Club Rugby team and writer with the student newspaper, The Triangle. Earning his bachelor's degree five years ago from the research-based institution, Ssebatindira also attended The Robert Gordon University and St. Andrews College in Grahamstown, South Africa.
"I am tremendously excited to build upon the foundation that has been laid by my predecessors here, Julian Fernandez and Keith Cappo, as we look to compete both in the CACC and against regional competition. I have inherited a special legacy and together, with our players, look forward to adding to it this fall," Ssebatindira said.
Chestnut Hill College Men's Soccer 2016.