With Booker along the touchline, Kisumu Day remain fearless

Kisumu Day hockey coach Booker Odhiambo speaks to his players during a past match.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

For the past decade, two schools from Nyanza have risen to call shots in hockey.

Their supremacy has been felt not only in Kenya, but also in East Africa.

This is a feat that had been a preserve for schools from Rift Valley, Western and Central regions.

The rise of Sinyolo Girls and Kisumu Day between 2013 to 2017 unsettled regulars Friends School Kamusinga, St Anthony's Boys Kitale, Trans Nzoia Mixed, Kapkolei Girls, St Cecilia Miskhu and Kerugoya Girls, among others.

Many wondered how the two schools were able to ink themselves amongst the best hockey schools in the country. In fact, the kicker is even when they failed to win the national hockey title, they would emerge champions at the best podium back then, East Africa.

All these have been made possible by one man; Booker Odhiambo, a teacher of Chemistry.

"I fell in love with hockey in 1990 when I was at Ambira High School. The funny thing is that I joined hockey to get revenge," he recalls.

"There was this prefect who used to undermine me and since he was a hockey player. I joined the team so that I could hit him with the stick. However, every time I would aim at his leg, he evaded me because he was an experienced player and I was still in Form One," Odhiambo said amid some laughter.

"With each day, I found myself training and playing hockey for Ambira and that is how I grew into the game until today."

In an exclusive interview with Standard Sports, Odhiambo, who is at Kisumu Day, said he started training Sinyolo Girls from 2011 to 2016, before leaving for Kisumu Day.

Despite not being a teacher at the former five-time East African champions school, Odhiambo, who was at Mariwa Mixed Secondary School (2006-2016), would help former Sinyolo coach Aloice Owino train the girls.

"It is true, I was part of Sinyolo's rise in hockey. For the love of the game and the good relationship I had with school, we saw it fit to help the girls excel in the game because they had talent," he said.

Odhiambo, who also coached Lions High School (2004) and St Barnabas Girls (2005-2006), was an umpire between 2001 and 2010.

It was from 2011 that he took coaching seriously and after staying with Sinyolo Gilrs for two years, he helped them win the national title and East Africa title at Lira, Uganda in 2013.

The following year, Odhiambo, who mentored national hockey captain Gilly Okumu of Strathmore Scorpions and her assistant Alice Owiti of Lakers Hockey Club, returned to East Africa, edging out St John's Kaloleni in Tanzania to retain the title.

Sinyolo Girls would win two more East Africa titles in 2015 and 2016 before Odhiambo left to join Kisumu Day.

During his first stint with the current Nyanza region defending hockey boy's champions, Odhiambo lost at the county final, but that did not deter him from achieving his goal.

The following year, he helped Kisumu Day qualify for the nationals, where they finished runner-up before stunning rivals to win the 2017 East Africa title in Gulu, Uganda.

Kisumu Day hockey coach Booker Odhiambo.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

"It was a memorable journey for me. Many people doubted us, but we made it to the top. One lesson that I learnt that year is that it doesn't matter the name or history of a school for it to prosper, but all it takes is hard work, determination and belief," he said.

In 2018, Kisumu Day lost to Upper Hill in semifinals of the national games before being knocked out at the regionals by Homa Bay High School, in 2019.

Last year, Kisumu Day won the regional title, but failed to progress past the group stages at the nationals.

In 2016, Odhiambo was appointed chairperson of KHU Umpires Association Nyanza Region and last year, he retained his position. He mentored six teachers who have joined umpiring including Clemet Wamalwa, Justus Ojwang, Moriss Ominara, Nyakeck and Elias Okal.

Ahead of this year's Nyanza Regional games set to be held at Kisii School from Wednesday, Odhiambo is keen to retain his regional trophy despite surrendering the county title to Maseno School last week.

Kisumu Day lost 1-0 to Maseno School in penalty flicks after playing out to a 0-0 draw in the Kisumu County final.

"The most important thing was that I qualified for the regionals. Yes, it was somewhat disappointing to lose to Maseno, a match we dominated but failed to score because of the field of play, but we are ready for Kisii," he said.

Kisumu Day hockey team during last year's Nyanza Regional games in Asumbi.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

Kisumu Day has been pooled alongside Kisii County champions Nduru Boys, Siaya's St Mary's School Yala and Ringa Boys from Homa Bay whom they defeated last year in the finals.

"It is a fairly tough pool but this year I have team that can hurt you in many ways. We do not have stars but everyone can score. This is an advantage to us because our opponents wouldn't know who to mark and stop," boasted Odhiambo.

In Group A, Maseno School will play Kanyawanga and Cardinal.

In the girls category, defending champions Nyamira Girls will renew their rivalry with Sinyolo Girls in what will be a repeat of last years final in Group A which also has Amaiko Girls.

Migori County champions Agenga Mixed will be in Group B alongside Kereri Girls, Andingo and Lwak Girls from Siaya County.

Keriri will kick off the games on Wednesday against Andingo as Nduru face off against Ringa in day one hockey action.