The opportunity to inspire the young players and improve Kenya's nose-diving performance at the international stage are reasons why veteran striker George Mutira accepted to return to the men's hockey national team.
Mutira 33, announced retirement in 2017 in order to focus on club career with Butali Warriors but was recalled for the African Cup of Nations duty that is going on in Ghana.
The former Amira Sailors player missed on the final 19-member squad after undergoing a minor finger surgery after he was injured in training but was a sure bet to travel was it not for the setback.
"Seeing Kenya lose to Uganda in the friendly matches last year was probably the lowest moment for the team. It was hard to accept the mediocrity," Mutira, who has played for a decade, observes.
"The current squad is young and inexperienced. Most players have not played at the international stage and there's need for a smooth transition and as well help them settle into the culture of the national team," said Mutira.
"Professionalism is important in sports and we've had a lot of impact by the time the team was named."
Mutira was the top scorer in the Kenya Hockey Union league in 2018 with 23 goals. He managed over 30 goals for the three seasons he played for Sailors and has been the go-to man with the sugar millers.
On missing out on the team, he said: "At my age, I wasn't disappointed but I took it with a pinch of salt because this was my last hurrah. I had to swallow it, knowing the injury would have prevented me from giving my best shot."
"The focus is on helping the boys become men. We have been through the Covid-19 pandemic for two years and the senior players had to come back to embark on bringing the team to where it used to be. This will ensure that when we exit, we leave the team in a better place."
Despite gracing the Olympic Games in the 60s and 70s, Team Kenya have been a pale shadow of its former self.
