By Sheldon Donnel It’s not uncommon to find kids knocking a football about. On the way home from school, Sundays after church and- even more organized training sessions hosted by upcoming young coaches within Kisumu. The age groups vary too and you’ll notice the Under 10’s considerable separated from the rest (U12 and 14). Theirs I’m told is the age to enjoy the game, play with a lot of freedom so that when their honeymoon ends, be taught about the rigors of the sport. It is also not uncommon to find these kids galloping on the rough murram grounds barefooted while honing their skills. And it has been like this for quite some time. Felix Ochii, a sports photographer intends to change that through his trade and Let The Kids Play- a phrase coined from his desire to equip the boys at an early age, is the initiative that will help him kit the small boys. ‘’I don’t want to see children playing without boots because I believe the foundation must be properly nurtured. I have seen excellent stories rise from such humble beginnings and by later on following the right channels in coaching- the players became household names in country’s football scene. Kenneth Muguna is a perfect example,’’ says Ochii. Kenneth Muguna- Kisumu born and bred, is a Kenyan International who plays for top Albanian side KF Tirana. Having spent just two seasons in the Kenyan top flight with Western Stima and Gor Mahia football clubs, Muguna was quickly taken by the European side but not before he won the league title with Gor. Before
Gor, he had been voted the most valuable player in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) in just his first season in the league with Western Stima. Clearly, there had to be something special about him. Ochii knows what it is. ‘’It is true Muguna is a talented lad but it has to be mentioned that he followed the right channels to get to where he is. His parents first of all were supportive of him and bought him boots while still very young. Secondly, he was moulded by very good young coaches trained by the Kisumu Youth Football Association (KYFA). There was no way he could go wrong from that point. His success has been properly planned and I want the same for the other young players still grappling with the football barefooted,’’ laments Ochii who has worked at Palos Football Club before as a Media Liaison officer. Let The Kids Play targets the junior categories for teams mostly within Kisumu County. Well-wishers and professional football players hailing from the City of Kisumu send sports equipment (mostly boots) and these are given to the most deserving players from the teams participating in the KYFA youth leagues. So far, Ochii has seen like-minded individuals join hands with him in spearheading the cause and in just under two weeks, has kitted eight 8-year old from seven different teams. Amos Ochieng, a local football enthusiast also sees the need for this and has collaborated with Ochii to spearhead the cause.
‘’I am impressed by what he is doing. At least we can finally see action being taken and children getting the right equipment. What we had before was all talk and no action. When as a City we have beautiful stories like Kenneth Muguna’s, we need to sit down and ask ourselves why can’t we produce even ten more Mugunas. It is possible because Muguna was just like the ones you see here.’’
Amos Ochieng
Nothing better than a determined spirit
‘’I am impressed by what he is doing. At least we can finally see action being taken and children getting the right equipment. What we had before was all talk and no action. When as a City we have beautiful stories like Kenneth Muguna’s, we need to sit down and ask ourselves why can’t we produce even ten more Mugunas. It is possible because Muguna was just like the ones you see here,’’ says Amos whom SR Kisumu had caught up with during a friendly match involving Manyatta based Umoja U10’s and Nyalenda –based Bayern U10’s. Felix Ochii vividly recalls the time Kakamega Homeboy goalkeeper David Juma called him after he had posted an action photo from the pre-season friendly matches. Juma, himself a native of Kisumu, immediately sent Felix three new pairs of boots for the kids. From such stories, Ochi believes more can be generated and even admits to plenty of pledges being made from other Pro players hailing from Kisumu. Gor Mahia quadruplet of Wellington Ochieng, Bernard Ondiek, Boniface Omondi and Joachim Oluoch have all pledged boots and so has Chemelil Sugar
trio of Maxwell Onyango, Cliffo0rd Omondi and Benjamin Oketch. Veterans U10’s were taking on Bayern U10’s in a KYFA pre-season tournament when Ochii photographed a Veteran wonderkid by the name Obama. That is the very player David Juma wanted to kit. ‘’Many people have shown support for this initiative and that is why I am very much thrilled by it. Juma sent me three pairs of boots and so did former Western Stima captain Robert Kwaye. Amos Ochieng has also seen his generous donation of three boots kit the Under 10’s,’’ says Ochii. Wilson Lando and Evans Okumu may not be in the City of Kisumu right now- the very place they call home- but they most certainly recall playing barefoot here back in the day. In fact, both of them admit to having had the dreams of one day playing professional football abroad. Okumu, a soldier in the Kenyan Army even had a team of his own a few years before joining the defense forces. ‘’I have been there and I know what it feels like. That is why I will never see a home team strug-
gle if I am in a position to help. We have previously aided senior Kisumu teams in the Div 1 and Div 2 and I feel Ochii’s initiative to target the players while they are young is genius,’’ says Okumu. Both Lando and Okumu fully kitted two Umoja FC U10’s in striker Joshua Okoth and defender Michael Omondi. Ochii’s first batch of donations received went to Renja U10, Bayern U10, Seif Blanco U10, Power Boy U10, Urusi U10 and Veterans U10. He further looks to a giant festival of kids in December that will eventually have a Kisumu ‘Dream Team formed. These kids, while still in their respective clubs, will receive extra attention in the way of nurturing and development. ‘’I am currently collecting equipment from well-wishers so that we reward them to the teams that will participate in that one-day December tournament. We want to use photography to change lives in the sports and this is just a beginning,’’ concludes Felix.
Combating the blazing midday turf