National Cereals and Produce Board handball coach men's handball team coach Brian Matthews has set his sights on winning the league and Super Eight titles this year.
The former Kenyan international, who also doubles up as the NCPB women's team tactician, said his squad is hungry and motivated for more this year after winning the East and Central Africa title in December.
“We want more and with my coaching team, I am determined to ensure we maintain our high standards and win everything on offer,” added Matthews.
The tactician, who had a professional stint in Denmark with Division Two side, Nordjurs HK, said the sport needs to be introduced at the primary school level in order to develop players into world beaters.
“We start our handball at the secondary school level and this is very late. Established nations start early and we need to borrow leaf from them if we are to compete with heavyweights around the world in the future,” he added.
Matthews made the remarks when he was awarded the StarTimes Coach of the Month award at the NPBC headquarters in Nairobi.
He won the award for December after leading his charges to win the East and Central Africa Club Championship title after beating Tanzanian champions Ngome 24-18 in Zanzibar last month.
“This award has come as a pleasant surprise to me. I understand I am only the second coach to win this award and that only gives me more motivation to better the handball sport in the country," said an excited Matthews
"I gathered much experience while plying my skills in Denmark as a player. Now it’s time to pass the knowledge to the younger generation," he added.
To win this award, Mathews closely pipped Nairobi Water coach Jack Ochieng, who also led the women’s outfit to the regional competition.
.Others who made it to the nomination list for their impressive performance in various assignments during the month of December include Kenya’s Tong- IL Moo-do team head coach Master Ibrahim Mchumba who led team Jasiri to retain the Mombasa Open overall title.
Meshack Senge of the Strathmore Gladiators hockey team, Curtis Olago ( KCB rugby team), Anthony Ojukwu (KPA basketball), and his counterpart Sadat Gaya who heads the Thunder basketball team were the other nominees.
Speaking during the awarding ceremony, StarTimes Kenya's head of public relations Alex Mwaura lauded the coach for his achievement while also praising the award initiative which seeks to recognize excellence as far as coaching is concerned.
