During a visit at Shanzu Teachers Training College for the opening of the Coast regional secondary school ball games on Friday, I was astounded by the spectacular organisation of the events.
I have attended many school games over the years but never had I witnessed such a solid pledge by organisers to revitalise sports in schools.
Right from the leadership of the Coast Region Secondary Sports Association to the student players, the participants shared a deep commitment to finally realising the massive untapped potential for sports in the Coast.
To highlight football, Coast gave us Mahmoud Abbas, popularly known as ‘Kenya One’, who is perhaps the best goalkeeper Kenya ever produced. There was also Ali Kajo, a lethal striker who menaced many an opponent’s defence. Ahmed Breik contributed to the game at many levels, including more recently as club manager at Bandari FC.
For the most part, secondary schools provided the seedbed where these stars emerged. Mombasa High dominated national football competitions for years, and many of its stars went on to play for Harambee Stars. Khamis Secondary School also produced some great football talent.
The Coast, however, seems to have gone into slumber in recent years, with none of their sportspeople commanding national fame. The participants were clear that changing the region’s sports fortunes must start at investing in nurturing the talent of young sportsmen from the earliest stages possible, with secondary schools being the main drivers of change.
Indeed, one of the main causes of the high wastage of sports talent is the lack of clear pathways for high performance. For too long, our education system put a high premium on academic performance at the expense of every other skill. Students talented in sports were not motivated to harness their skills.
With the increased fortunes of sportsmen globally, it is now well known that high academic performance, while it is desirable and should be encouraged, is not the only key to success in life. Sports, if well harnessed, can be one of the vital sectors with a capacity to transform the economic and social conditions of our country. The Coast Sports Association drew parallels between the region’s relative economic underdevelopment and its neglect of sports compared to other regions.
Granted, having a good vision is only one part of what is required to catalyse broad-based development of sports in the school system. Schools have very limited funding for sports, and academics take the most time in the official education calendar. However, these limits should not stand in the way of teachers who want to drive a new ethos of all-rounded education.
Secondary Schools Sports Associations bring together some of the only experts in sports and physical education available in rural Kenya. It is, therefore, incumbent on them to find ways of identifying and nurturing talented students through guidance, training and inspiration.
Large sports franchises such as the New York Yankees baseball team, Real Madrid and Manchester United football clubs and Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team are among the most priced business brands in the world. Indeed, given the prominence of western leagues such as Bundesliga, Serie A, EPL, NBA and Major League Baseball, sports is a major symbol of western soft power.
The government, teachers and all stakeholders should use their influence to promote sports throughout the education system. Talented students should be able to obtain sports-based scholarships for higher learning. A more appropriate reward system should be established for successful sports teachers, among other initiatives.
As Kuppet, we are partnering with the secondary sports associations to improve the quality of the games. Our small but vital support includes sponsorship of events with trophies, water and kits. We are also evaluating our capacities to see how we can more institutionally support sports development in the coming years.
The writer is the national vice chairman, Kuppet
