Mbooni Boys and Hospital Hill coaches believe playing in the national handball league will enhance their chances at the Kenya Secondary School Sports Association (KSSSA) games in Nakuru.
Gerald Juma (Mbooni) and Fernwick Opili (Hospital Hill) said competing against top clubs in the Kenya Handball Federation league has made the students better.
Mbooni and Hospital Hill — who are placed together in Pool 'B' alongside Kimilili (Western) and Dungicha (Coast) — play in the 17-team league under the monickers Makueni Bees and Inspired where they are currently placed eighth and 10th respectively.
Mbooni and Hospital Hill booked their tickets to the Term Two school games by winning the Eastern and Nairobi region finals respectively. Mbooni Boys beat Machakos School 31-10 while Hospital Hill hit Aquinas High 40-23.
“The league was a good ground for preparation as we played mature teams and the standards are high,” said Juma.
He remains confident Mbooni High, runners-up from the last edition, will seriously challenge for the trophy this time round.
Opicho, on the other hand, said the four league matches they played over the weekend — were crucial in their preparations for the school games.
“We don’t have any more time for preparations. We are fitter physically and can shoot and run,” noted Opili. “We lost at the group in our last appearance and we hope to do better this time.”
He said the boys, who won two of their four league matches, need to just polish their mistakes ahead of the show.
The winners at the national championships will head to Arusha, Tanzania for the regional games set for September 14-24.
