School games: St John's Kaloleni ready for national duty

Esther Kwendu (left) of St John’s Kaloleni against Albertine Murashema of GS Remere of Rwanda. [Dennis Okeyo]

Former national secondary schools girls' Under-19 football champions St John's Kaloleni from Kilifi County have vowed to spring up surprises on their way to reclaiming the title when national secondary schools Term Two games start in Kisumu next week.

“We are not new at the national school games and we know what it takes to win the title. We are ready for the championships and ensure the title remains in Coast region,” said the team coach Joseph Oyoo.

“We are too ambitious to reclaim the title we lastly won in 2016. I have the girls to do the duty,” added Oyoo, in an interview from the team’s training base at KP Junior School, in Mtwapa, Kilifi County.

St John's Kaloleni won the title for the first time in 2016 after making four futile attempts since 2012.

The school lost the title twice in the 2012 and 2014 finals to Tartar and Butere respectively.

However, in 2015, the school was banned at the national games for fielding ineligible players before they bounced back strongly to win the title in 2016.

In 2017 and last year, the school lost the title at the Coast region level to Kwale Girls, who went ahead to win both the national and East Africa titles.

St John's made it to the next week’s national games after Coast region winners Kwale Girls were disqualified last week for fielding three ineligible players.

Oyoo said all teams that have qualified for the national games are equally good and looking forward to winning the title.

“We will play top teams from each region and we shall not underrate them although we are well prepared for the games,” he said.

The coach said the girls matured in every match at the regional games and are looking forward to a good show.

“I did not have ample time with the girls on their run-up to the Coast region games due to personal commitments but I am now back,” said Oyoo.

Team captain Rukia Jackson, who is also the team’s goalkeeper, hailed the school's Principal Josephine Masimbo for her support.

“Our madam (Principal) has supported us and we are ready for the task ahead. This is our moment to bring back the trophy to Coast region,” said the captain.