Handball: Ywaya calls for better youth structures

Kenyan International handball custodian Cajitan Ywaya who turns out for Finish side second division Kiffen handball club has called out for vibrant youth structures saying the continuous success of any team is measured by its smooth ability to gel old and  young  players to function with ease as a unit.

Ywaya told Feverpitch this can be made possible by putting in place feeder teams to enable perpetual supply of upcoming quality players.

“In Africa, for example, a case which would be more popular and familiar to our handball fans, Egypt has been dominating the continent's handball scene due to the smooth transitions generation after generation. In every zone 5 Africa games qualifiers, they have been sending their youth teams, and every other time the teams have been different, with new faces. However, at the games proper only outstanding ones make the cut but their stars have already started shining, in readiness for subsequent international duties,” said Ywaya who turned out for National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) before his professional stint in Finland.

He added: “A case I am well conversant with, every leading European club has at least one or two junior teams in different categories. Most of the players started playing at a very tender age of six, the oldest I've encountered having begun at nine years. This has over the years helped in maintaining standards of the various clubs, which also try to absorb the retired players into various coaching or administrative positions to ensure continuity of the sport,”

Ywaya notes that in Kenya there is a big challenge in terms of infrastructure and resources to match the European nations thus failing in constituting functional youth structures that would comfortably drive the sport to the next level.

“Needless to say, lack of resources notwithstanding, we can surely improvise some resources with reduced effort. It will only depend on the efforts from various stakeholders who are willing to support the noble initiative and the patience we are willing to exercise. I know we may have Jericho Youth Sports Academy , Black Mamba Youth and St. John's but we need more options, and let it spread to all parts of the country not only  centred in the capital,” he said.

He is encouraging the Kenya Handball Federation (KHF) to embrace secondary schools for its youth programme and also embark on serious introduction of the game to the primary schools across the nation by assigning experienced players in every cooperative primary school.

“A big congratulations to Gerald Abunde, a former Black Mamba handball player, who is creating talents in the Western part of the country. I know there may be more former players trying to work with schools out there the likes of Henry Savulane and Samuel Wabwire among others,”