Western Jaguars coach Mike Malungu has said his charges have acquired the experience needed to compete with the best teams in the Kenya Hockey Union men's Premier League.
Jaguars face defending champions Butali Warriors on Saturday in Kakamega.
The Kakamega-based side who finished third last season, have played in the African Cup for Club Championship in February as well as in the Vaisakhi tournament last month at the Dashmesh hockey stadium along Forest Road, Nairobi.
Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Egypt were part of the ACCC tournament in Nairobi. Teams from the United Kingdom and Malaysia participated in the Vaisakhi event.
The match against Butali will be the first of the season for the Jaguars while the sugar millers have already played three matches.
Malungu who doubles up as the under-21 national coach said: "The Vaisakhi and ACCC tournaments have allowed the boys to gain the necessary experience that was previously lacking."
Butali have played three matches thus far. Their fourth fixture against perennial rivals Kenya Police was postponed last weekend because of the heavy rains that made the City Park Stadium unplayable.
"They (Butali) have the momentum considering the number of matches they have played. Being our first match, it was not the right time to meet Butali but we have no choice," Malungu observed.
"We have to tune into the match and let our presence be felt. The team has come off age and we want to pick up from where we left last season."
