Parklands Arya Girls basketball coach Barrack Amamo is hoping to make an impact in the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Nairobi Region Term Two games starting today at various venues within the city.
Amamo said: "We have invested a lot in training and we are ready for any kind of opposition. Our target is to earn a ticket to the nationals."
Besides basketball, the games will feature football, volleyball, netball, rugby 7s, tennis, table tennis and badminton in the three-day event. The national Term Two Games will be held from July 28 to August 7 in Kisii.
Parklands Arya are in Pool 'B' alongside Raila Educational, Precious Blood, Kenya High, OLM SM and Aga Khan.
Pool 'A' consists of Olympic, St George's, Peter Kibukosya, Maina Wanjigi, Clay City, and Claire Nembu while Buruburu, Ngara, St Hannah's, St Teresa's, Dandora and Kibera will form Pool 'C'.
Pool D comprises County Girls, OLM SB, Dandora, Starehe, MEC Moi Educational and Embakasi Girls. Amamo said their biggest challenge is that they lost some of their key players last and lack a proper program as opposed to their opponents.
Besides, other senior players have a tight academic calendar programme and can hardly find time to train.
Despite the challenges, Amamo believes the team he has, have what it takes to realise their dream of featuring in the national games.
"My girls have been working very hard and are determined to perform better than last year," he noted.
In the boys' cadre, Dagoretti High have been pitted against Aquinas, Nairobi School, Mathari Mixed, Muhuru Muchiri and Kibera in Pool 'A'.
Upper Hill, who lost their regional title to Dagoretti High in 2018, top Group B, which also features the 2022 East Africa silver medallists Highway, Pumwani, Zawadi, Clay City and Hospital Hill.
Group C will have Lenana, Lang'ata, Dandora, Peter Kibukosya and Mwiki Secondary. In Group D, hosts Jamhuri will be up against Light Academy, Waylight, Genesis Joy and Moi Forces.
In volleyball, regional champions Ruthimitu Mixed and Soweto Academy will be seeking to renew their rivalry. National boys’ champions Ruthimitu Mixed will be chasing their third title on the trot.
Soweto, who have dominated the region since making their national debut in 2016, start favourites in Pool 'A' where they fight St George's and Langata Barracks.
'Ruthimitu are Group 'A' alongside Woodley and Aquinas High. Former national champions Hospital Hill, who are yearning to return to the nationals having featured last in 2017, are in Group B alongside Mihango and Githurai.
Langata High, who won the 2018 and 2019 regional titles, are also looking to salvage their pride and will fight their way out in Group C where they have been pitted against Shadrack Kimalel and Moi Forces.
In netball, champions St Dorcas Education Centre have Langata Barracks and Huruma Mixed to contend with in Group A. Raila Educational Centre, Parklands Arya and Baba Dogo will form Pool 'B'
In the hunt for a place in the round of 16, boys 'football champions Dagoretti High will launch their title defence against Loresho at St Teresa’s Girls before facing Langata at the same venue.
Former immediate champions Upper Hill are in Group, where they take on Dandora and Lenana School. Rugby Sevens is scheduled to start on Friday.