School heads, unsung heroes who nurture soccer talents to become world class pros

 Brothers Wanyama and Mariga in early days while playing for Harambee stars    Photo:  Courtesy

Few Kenyans remember that Njoro High School was once a bastion of school soccer in Kenya. They were national soccer champions for the better part of the seventies. The Principal then was Mr Job Osiako.

Njoro gave us Josephat Murila and Everett Muchuma. Mr Osiako also doubled up as a long serving Chairman of the Kenya National Secondary School Music Festival. Ask any Njoro alumnus and they will tell you how popular Osiako was to those boys. The demise of soccer in Njoro seriously affected clubs around Nakuru like Nyanam FC, KFA, Abeingo FC, Gema FC and the original Nakuru All Stars. Soccer has never been the same in the farming town.

The villagers of Thurgem in Nyakach, Kisumu County will not forget Victor Ali ‘Teargas’ Abondo, George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo, Yusuf Juma, Kevin Oluoch, Noah Abich and Chester Okoyo. These boys passed through the hands of Mr Osuri the long serving Principal at the school.

After staying in the school for almost 20 years, he was transferred to some unknown school in Homabay County. Soccer in Thurgem School went into a coma. The new management deliberately chose to sacrifice all the soccer glory in pursuit of the elusive ‘mean grade’. Almost ten years down the line, they are still looking for it.

Chris Makokha (RIP) was synonymous with Green Commandos at Kakamega High School. He doubled up as a Physics teacher also producing the best results in the rankings. With the former 7-4-2-3 education system, teachers like Chris had 6 years to work with each generation of boys from Form 1–6. He did not disappoint and his passing away will remain a footnote in Ingwe’s history because he was the ‘incubator’ for AFC Leopards. Ingwe scouts had an easy time because Makokha literally rolled out players, fresh from school, but also toughened by playing in the Premier league for Motcom FC in Kakamega.

Kisumu Boys and Kisumu Day High schools had many boys playing for Kisumu Hot Stars and Kisumu Black Stars. The long serving principal Mr Obare allowed football and hockey to thrive and grow the boy’s potential.

K’Ogalo would literally go fishing in Kisumu at the end of every season.

That’s how they got John Okello Zangi, Hamisi Gideon, Hamisi Shamba, Tobias Ochola, Anthony Ndolo, Tom Odhiambo, Goro Oronge and many more. These were boys who played together either in school, inter-estate matches or local clubs.

Enter Peter Orero, the current Principal at Upper Hill School. He made his name earlier on while still at Kamukunji High School. Although unknown and surrounded by the chaotic activities at Gikomba Market, Muthurwa, Shauri Moyo and Machakos ‘Airport’, the school picked boys from the humble neighbourhoods and produced world class stars out of them. Orero is the unsung hero behind nurturing rising stars like Dennis Oliech, Jamal Mohamed, Macdonald Mariga, Victor Wanyama and Patrick Oboya. They all command hefty salaries wherever they are.

With Wanyama in the English Premier League, what other achievement would a Principal-teacher-coach yearn for? After Kamukunji, he did not give up as it often happens. He was transferred and promoted to head Langata High School where he popped up with the stylish Kevin ‘Ade’ Omondi and David Gateri. Langata was a small outfit compared to Upper Hill School his third station in Nairobi. Ask K’Ogalo fans and they will tell you the next good thing that ever happened to their team after the retirement of Peter Dawo is the grand entry of Michael Olunga, an old boy of Upper Hill School.

I once said that nowadays it is so difficult to find a player who gives fans the reason to go to the stadium. Olunga is one such player who has single-handedly lured and motivated more fans to the K’Ogalo matches. He gives them excitement and hope.

Somewhere in Rongo a certain school principal has learnt to balance ‘mean grade’ with soccer. Mr Jeam Agutu of Kodero Bara Secondary School promises to ensure his boys exploit their talent while pursuing academic excellence. One of his immediate success stories is Enoch Agwanda, the burly Sofapaka FC striker, who, once in a while, doubles up as a throw-in specialist for Harambee Stars.

These examples show that the transfer of head teachers can be double-edged. It can help nurture talents at different stations or destroy others when the ‘project owner’ is moved.