Kwanthanze Secondary School’s head coach Justine Kigwari, will be eyeing a second SOYA school Coach of the Year award on March 1, as the prestigious category returns after a four-year absence.
The category was suspended following the outbreak of Covid-19 which in turn led to the suspension of sporting activities in the country.
Kigwari, a volleyball coach, will battle it out against 11 other school coaches for the coveted award as per a statement released by the SOYA (Sports Personality of the Year Awards).
“ Eleven coaches are battling it out in the School Coach of the Year as the schools’ category returns having last featured in 2019 before Covid-19 struck leading to the suspension of sporting activities,” the statement read.
Kigwari had a very memorable year with the African volleyball champions despite losing their national title to Kesogon during the 2023 National Secondary School Term Two Games in Kakamega.
The tactician guided them to retain their East Africa title and secure their seventh regional gong.
Kigwari did not stop there as he masterminded their win over Morocco’s Lycee Bin Anzarane at the African Secondary Schools Champions in March 2023.
He will face stiff competition from Stephen Kigai of Nyamira Girls High School who ended their 32-year wait for a second national hockey title last year after seeing off St. Charles Lwanga.
He further went on to ensure the Siaya County School clinched their maiden regional title in Huye, Rwanda ending the reign of Kakungulu Memorial Secondary School from Uganda in August 2023.
Eliud Okwemba of Koyonzo Boys High School, Shimenga Livondo (Butula), Peter Mayoyo (St Anthony’s, Kitale), Gilbert Kaisha (Kesogon ), Isaac Muresia (Namwela) and Kevin Asuba (Shanderema) will also be contesting for the prestigious award.
Completing the list will be Austin Musumba (St Joseph’s, Kitale) and the Butere Girls' duo of Howard Shikanga and Chris Odeke.
Okwemba led Koyonzo to clinch the regional rugby Sevens title after seeing off arch-rivals Vihiga High School.
Okwemba also guided the school to success in the Prescott Cup Western region finals, defeating the reigning champions Vihiga.
Livondo made history with Butula after leading them to a maiden national rugby 15's after crushing All Saints Embu High School 38-0 in the final. The tactician further had success at the regional level as his charges secured silver.
Mayoyo famously known as 'Big Machine' was in the limelight in 2023 as St. Anthony won their sixth national football title after seeing off Dagoretti in the final.
The Kiswahili teacher was also the assistant coach of the Kenyan side that won silver during last year’s Cecafa Under-18 Championship behind Uganda in Kisumu. His star players Aldrine Kibet, Amos Wanjala, Joseph Omuse, and Allan Kasavuli featured in the Junior Starlets side.
Kaisha gained the better of his Kwanthanze counterpart Kigwari during the national finals as Kesogon dethroned the Machakos County school to claim their maiden volleyball crown.
Though Kigwari exacted revenge at the regional level, Kaisha was proud of the second-place finish by his side.
Muresia proved that with determination, hard work, and dedication one can succeed when juggling the roles of a school bus driver and coach to ensure that Namwela Boys High School won the regional boys’ volleyball title after their third-place finish on the national stage.
