Highway Secondary School football players / HANDOUT
Highway Secondary School head coach Daniel Mwaura has urged his players to remain focused after booking a place in the Nairobi Region boys’ football final of the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Term Two Games.
Highway edged Starehe Boys Centre 1-0 in a tense semi-final played at Jamhuri High School on Friday, with Mwaura crediting his players’ discipline and composure for the hard-fought victory.
The win leaves Highway just one match away from the regional title and qualification for the KSSSA National Term Two Games, scheduled for July 28 to August 1 at the MPESA Foundation Academy in Thika. “The boys executed our game plan well and showed great discipline throughout the match. We knew Starehe would be a difficult opponent, but the players remained focused and took their opportunity,” said Mwaura.
While pleased with the performance, the coach cautioned against complacency ahead of the final. “We have achieved one objective by reaching the final, but the job is not done. We must remain focused because the most important match is still ahead of us,” he added.
Highway will face either Olympic High School or Upper Hill School in the final as they bid to secure the Nairobi title and a place at the national championships.
The Nairobi regional competition forms part of the nationwide KSSSA Term Two Games, which have brought together thousands of student-athletes across the country’s eight regions in football, volleyball, rugby sevens, netball, basketball 3x3, badminton, table tennis, lawn tennis, chess, scrabble, cricket, lacrosse, beach volleyball and baseball.
KCB Bank is sponsoring the event to the tune of Sh20 million. The sponsorship includes Sh12 million for playing kits and trophies, while Sh8 million has been earmarked for fan engagement and educational activations during the regional and national championships.
KCB is also using the competition to promote environmental sustainability by sensitising students to clean energy solutions and conservation. Regional champions will qualify for the national finals at the MPESA Foundation Academy, where they will battle for national honours.
