Dominant St. Joseph's Kitale eyes regional glory in Kakamega

As the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) gets underway this week in Kakamega, one Kenyan school will feature prominently – St Joseph’s Girls, Kitale.

The Rift Valley powerhouses will represent Kenya in five disciplines during the 10-day event scheduled for August 13 to 24 at various venues in Kakamega town. JOGA, as the school is popularly known, will seek to retain regional hockey and rugby 7s titles, which they won in Mbale, Uganda, last year.

Their bid to win the national hockey title failed after going down 1-0 at Shanzu Teachers Training College in Mombasa. They also lost the national rugby 7s title against Kinale Girls in Kakamega last weekend.

JOGA will also fly Kenya’s flag in handball, basketball 5x5, and netball.  Their journey to school games dominance started in 2019 when the current Chief Principal, Rosebella Orwaru, was transferred to the institution.

Before then, St Joseph’s Girls had not even reached county level in any co-curricular activity. However, Orwaru turned the tide, and the institution has become a powerhouse in both co-curricular and academic.

 “There was a little resistance earlier, but everybody embraced co-curricular. We always find a way of balancing co-curricular activities and academics,” said Orwaru. The handball team was the first to make it to the nationals after the games resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Once the team qualified for nationals, it motivated other teams. Since then, we have been regulars at nationals and East African games. The girls are always motivated to qualify for nationals because once they reach the finals, they get a direct ticket for FEASSSA,” noted Orwaru. He said commitment, passion and hard work from teachers and coaches are behind her school’s success.

 The school’s director of sports and hockey coach, John Lusaka, says they are eager to retain their FEASSSA title.

They, however, face familiar foes, Tigoi, Ng’iya and Mwiki from Kenya. Uganda will be represented by Kakungulu Memorial, Sacred Heart SS Namagunga, Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga, and Bweranyangi.

In rugby 7s, JOGA will face Kinale, Paul Harris, St Teresa’s Kithimu (Kenya) and Jinja SS and Nkoma SS. Hockey (Uganda). Rugby 7s will be played in a round robin format.