STAGE SET FOR BALL GAMES: Airtel Rising Stars offers another chance to showcase talent

Christine Irumbi of Olympic High School

With slots to the national secondary schools Term 2B games at stake, the stage is set as teams get ready to do business.

But first things first, battle lines have been drawn in the county games. It is here that the road to the national games scheduled to take place in Kisumu in August begins.

Keen to witness a successful event, the games sponsors Airtel Kenya yesterday launched the sixth edition of the Airtel Rising Stars (ARS) at Upper Hill School.

In addition to the talent search in football, the Sh12 million sponsorship will help purchase kits for all the teams that will participate from the regional finals.

Term 2B games comprise under-19 football, volleyball and racquet games for both boys and girls. ARS games will begin at the regional finals, where finalists from the eight regions will earn places to the national finals that will take place in Kisumu from August 1-7.

Passenga made history last year when they became the first school from the Aberdare Region (formerly Central Province) to win the football title since the inception of the games in 1970. They defeated Laiser Hill Academy of Metropolitan 1-0. Wiyeta of Nzoia won the girls' title.

Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi said their main objective is to provide the youth with a stage to empower themselves through sports.

"The youth are important to us and we believe in providing them with tools that will empower them and give them a platform to contribute positively in the development of the country," he said.
Director of Quality Assurance in the Ministry of Education Jared Obiero called on coaches, local clubs and federations to find ways of supporting and nurturing talents that are discovered during the games.

"Very many talented players are discovered during their school playing years, but it is disheartening when most of the times, these talents go to waste after students finish school. I urge federations and coaches to help nurture the new players. In the end, they will be capable of adding value to our national teams," Obiero said.

On his part, KSSSA chairman Ng'etich Kimutai urged players to give their best so that the country will have strong squads during the East Africa games in Eldoret in late August.

Kimutai also challenged football teams to work harder and make sure they win the football title that has eluded Kenya for many years.

"All eyes will be on football because we want the best. A lot is at stake for us because we are not just after success at the national level, but we also desire to end Uganda's football dominance," Kimutai said.