Sibling rivalry highlights school coach of the year list

Brothers Thomas Walgwe (left) and Victor Walgwe (right) who are both rugby coaches in two different high schools, May 16, 2019. Thomas coaches Upper Hill Academy while Victor coaches Dagoreti High School. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

The Walgwe brothers- Thomas and Victor will seek to keep it in the family after they were nominated in SOYA’s school coach of the year category.

The siblings have competed for most of their lives and will once again take their rivalry to Kenya’s grandest stage in sports; the annual Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year Awards gala scheduled for January 24 in Mombasa.

After painstaking hours of pacing up and down the touchline while shouting their voices hoarse, it’s now the tacticians’ moment to bask in the glory. 

They will trade their tracksuits for the elegant tuxedo suits and rehearse their acceptance speech, for the lucky ones.

Thomas guided Upper Hill rugby Sevens side to their maiden national title, beating the then defending champions Laiser Hill before crowning their enviable season with the East Africa title on an unbeaten record.

On the other hand, Victor led Dagoretti High School rugby 15’s team to winning the Nairobi Region title and finished second at the national and East Africa Games.

Dagoretti High School’s coach Joseph Makokha, who coached their football team to a silver medal at the national games, is the second nominee from the school. The tactician guided his side to the semi-finals of the EA Games before finishing fourth.

Another nominee for the coveted award is Kwanthanze Girls’ volleyball tactician, Justin Kigwari, who guided his team to a double; winning both the national and regional titles. This was the team’s fifth East Africa Games trophy and third in succession.

Kakamega High School’s rugby 15’s coach Amos Wamanga also made the cut after guiding the side to reclaim the national title they had last won in 2017 (8th title). Under his tutelage, Kakamega High also won recaptured the East Africa Games 15’s title they’d last won in 2016.

After being deployed to Mbooni Boys from St. Luke’s Kimilili, handball coach Gerald Juma helped the team win silver medal at the national finals, which earned his side their maiden ticket to the regional Games. 

Others in the 20-man list are Kepha Nyaundi, who led St. Joseph’s Kirandich to their maiden national title in girls’ handball.

Julius Otieno, who helped Buruburu Girls’ basketball team end their 18-year trophy drought by winning the national title before finishing fourth at the East Africa Games, is also in the mix, so is Cheptil Girls’ volleyball coach, Stephen Mutai. Cheptil finished second at both national and regional championships.

Other nominees are Mogonga PAG’s volleyball tactician Nathan Kiptoo, Kelvin Lugalia of St. Anthony’s Boys Kitale (hockey); Peter Mayoyo (St. Anthony’s Boys Kitale football), Godfrey Muleyi of Friends School Kamusinga (hockey), Kaya Tiwi’s basketball and netball coach Philip Onyango and St. Luke’s Kimilili Boys handball coach Wekesa Wangwa.

Others are Edgar Manyara of Wiyeta Girls’ football team, Meru School’s hockey coach Enock Wangira, Rodgers Wekesa of Garissa’s Boystown Secondary (football), Chrispine Odindo of Nyakach Girls (football) and Moi Girls Kamusinga’s handball tactician Godfrey Simiyu .