Diaz Kambere

{{short description|Ugandan-born Canadian soccer player (born 1985)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Diaz Jamin Kambere

| image =

| fullname = Diaz Jamin Kambere

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|10|18}}

| birth_place = Kasese, Uganda

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}

| position = Defender

| currentclub = Africa United FC

| clubnumber = 4

| youthyears1 = 2003–2005

| youthclubs1 = Langara Falcons

| youthyears2 = 2003–2005

| youthclubs2 = Trinity Western Spartans

| years1 = 2006–2008

| clubs1 = Vancouver Whitecaps

| caps1 = 28

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2008

| clubs2 = → Toronto FC (loan)

| caps2 = 1

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2009

| clubs3 = Abbotsford Mariners

| caps3 = 11

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2009

| clubs4 = → Surrey United (loan)

| caps4 = 16

| goals4 = 5

| years5 = 2010

| clubs5 = Victoria Highlanders

| caps5 = 15

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2011–

| clubs6 = Africa United FC

| caps6 = 15

| goals6 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2005–2006

| nationalteam1 = Canada U-23

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| medaltemplates =

| manageryears1 = 2007–

| managerclubs1 = Semiahmoo Soccer Club

}}

Diaz Kambere is a former soccer player. He currently plays for Africa United FC in the Multicultural Soccer League of British Columbia. He serves as the senior girls coach at Delview Secondary {{Cite web |url=http://www.msasoccerbc.com/resources/team-directory/player/0/297 |title=Diaz Kambere - Multicultural Soccer Association |access-date=2014-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819114740/http://www.msasoccerbc.com/resources/team-directory/player/0/297 |archive-date=2014-08-19 |url-status=dead }} Born in Uganda, he represented Canada at international level.

Career

=College and amateur=

Kambere was born in Uganda, but moved to Surrey, British Columbia with his family as a child.{{cite book |last1=Association football |title=Diaz Kambere |date=14 August 2011 |publisher=Acu Publishing |location=Online |isbn=978-613-6-62018-3 |url=https://www.morebooks.de/store/gb/book/diaz-kambere/isbn/978-613-6-62018-3 |access-date=5 June 2021}} He was a student at Centennial Secondary School in Coquitlam and John Norquay Elementary School in Vancouver, played youth soccer for Vancouver's Italian Canadian Sports Federation (ICSF) and the Eagle Ridge Rogue Selects in Coquitlam, BC, and was also a member of the British Columbia provincial team at the U-15, U-16, and U-18 levels. After moving with his family to the Lower Mainland in 1992 he attended Langara College and then Trinity Western University, where he studied Human Kinetics and Psychology.

=Professional=

Kambere signed for the Vancouver Whitecaps of the USL First Division in 2006, subsequently playing in 28 games over two years with the team. On September 6, 2008, he was signed to a 'one day contract' with Toronto FC to be able to play in a game against Chivas USA, due to that squad missing nine players to international duty.

On December 10, 2008, Kambere was released from his contract with the Whitecaps.{{Cite web |url=http://www.whitecapsfc.com/archive/feature12050803.aspx |title=Baldock, Kambere, and Leslie released |access-date=2008-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224210352/http://www.whitecapsfc.com/archive/feature12050803.aspx |archive-date=2009-02-24 |url-status=dead }} Having been unable to secure a professional contract, he signed with the Abbotsford Mariners of the USL Premier Development League for the 2009 season.{{Cite web |url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2009/22292.html |title=2009 Abbotsford Mariners roster |access-date=2009-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510124304/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2009/22292.html |archive-date=2009-05-10 |url-status=dead }}

After a brief loan spell with Surrey United in the Pacific Coast Soccer League, Kambere joined Abbotsford's PDL rivals Victoria Highlanders in 2010.{{Cite web |url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2010/13598696.html#ROSTER |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |access-date=2010-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728002148/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2010/13598696.html#ROSTER |archive-date=2013-07-28 |url-status=dead }}

=International=

Kambere represented Canada in the 2008 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament.{{cite web |last1=The Vancouver Whitecaps FC |title=Kambere earns Olympic team call-up |url=https://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2008/02/22/caps-affiliates-set-super-y-launch |website=The Major League Soccer |access-date=5 June 2021}}

Personal life

Before moving to Canada Kambere's father, Amos Kambere, served as a member of the Ugandan Parliament.{{cite web |last1=Kwantlen Polytechnic University |title=Board Members |url=https://www.kpu.ca/governors/members |website=Kwantlen Polytechnic University |access-date=5 June 2021}} His older brother, Donald Kambere, played alongside him at Abbotsford, and he has two younger brothers, Jethro and Kule.{{cite web |last1=play maker |title=Diaz Kambere |url=http://www.playmakerstats.com/player.php?id=105275&epoca_id=0 |website=play maker |access-date=5 June 2021}}

Coaching career

He has coached soccer for the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy, Perform All Out, SFC Pegasus, LFUSA, and CCB Men’s Premier Club who won the men’s 2019 Provincials and Nationals. Diaz also coaches soccer at Delview Secondary School where he works as a child and youth care worker.{{cite web |last1=Kambere Kicks |title=ABOUT KAMBERE KICKS |url=https://www.kamberekicks.com/about |website=Kambere Kicks |access-date=5 June 2021}}