No hockey league matches in Eldoret

By Joseph Ngure

North Rift Kenya region is teeming with hockey talent as witnessed during inter-schools championship each year.

Schools like Mother of Apostles Seminary, St Patrick’s High School Iten, Tambach, St Anthony, Itigo and Sirikwa Academy have produced teams that advanced to the national level.

But dreams of exploiting their talent and potential to the limit go up in smoke immediately they leave school as there are no hockey clubs in the region.

"We are wasting national heroes and heroines capable of playing at international level. The region is endowed with a lot of talent," said Charles Sitati, a teacher and hockey coach at St Patrick’s Iten.

He said standards of the sport are tumbling due to lack of interest by schools’ games teachers. "Although some schools view hockey as an expensive sport, students love it and play their hearts out during tournaments," added the teacher at the former sporting powerhouse in the region.

Between 1980s and 1990s, the region had a hockey club and despite being owned by an individual, used to absorb school-leavers.

For over 25 years, Eldoret Simba were a vibrant club and teamed up with Nakuru Athletics to finish second overall in the Kenya Hockey Union national league in 1999.

With nostalgia

Nikku Lochab was a member of the club and recalls with nostalgia how players used to flock to the field during training sessions seeking a chance to play.

"The number of players was overwhelming. Being the only hockey club in the region, it was not easy to lock them out. They were all good players and it was a headache to decide on who to sign," said Lochab, now the KHU North Rift Kenya branch chairman.

However, Lochab said it was difficult for an individual to run the club especially when it came to honouring away league fixtures.

"I managed the club for 12 years, but could not continue because of the economic burden. It is not easy to go about it without sponsors," said the Edloret-based businessman.

Eldoret hosted a national event, Sandy Lochab Memorial Tournament, for seven consecutive years in memory of Nikku’s elder brother, Sandy.

But for the past six years, the region has had no hockey league activity, with the last competition having been staged in 2003 at 64 Stadium.

This is in sharp contrast to what is happening at junior level as schools in every district are jostling for a chance to host junior open tournaments.

Schools like Tambach, Kapkenda and St Patrick’s Iten in Keiyo, Moi Girls in Eldoret and Itigo in Nandi have been organising hockey tournaments each year.

Club level

"It is true the sport is alive in schools in the region, but they need to graduate to club level," said Lochab, adding that students should not be local heroes only.

However, the region has something in the offing after almost two decades of hockey league inactivity in a sport that is played at the Olympic and the Commonwealth games.

Because of his love for the sport and after his elevation to the chairmanship of KHU North Rift branch, Lochab said he would revive the game in the region. He said he had already sent out invitations to young players to come forward and start training.

"I have been going round looking for sponsors and I am proud to announce there is good news for local hockey players. I will revive Eldoret Simba Club in a month’s time and I need players," said the businessman.

"All is not lost. I have to sacrifice to see the sport is not only revived, but moved to the next level," he added, and appealed for more sponsors to come on board.