Ball-Games Update: Base and Zonal Games

For about the past 11 years Christ’s Gift Academy (CGA) has dominated Girls Football in the Primary School Ball-Games in Mbita District.  Years ago CGA would beat the other school teams by 5 or more goals.  Since the Suba Lakers Football Club started in 2009 that gap has been narrowing.  Much of the reason is that the club focuses on training some of the best players in the area, all whom go to various schools around the district.  Currently, approximately 20 Suba Lakers attend various primary schools around Homabay County. Additionally, since the club began, other schools are now training their girls’ teams on a more regular basis. 

At this year’s Mbita Base games for Primary Schools, it was a fierce competition.  Trying to win the title for the 12^th straight year, CGA (with 2 Suba Lakers) ran up against a strong Usare Primary team in the finals.  Usare has 3 of the best Suba Lakers.  After a scoreless first half, Usare received a free kick about 30 feet out.  Suba Laker Brenda June kicked a perfect spot kick into the upper left corner of the goal beyond the outstretched arms of the CGA goalkeeper.  Usare added a 2^nd goal a few minutes later to win 2-0 and qualify for the finals.  There they met with Mbita Primary who had a couple of their own Suba Lakers.  Usare had a tough time breaking through the Mbita defense of Eunice Anyango and Felistas Atieno (both Suba Lakers), but once again in the 2^nd half Usare broke through for the deciding goal to take home the championship!  Nine of the players selected to move on to the Zonal competition were Suba Lakers.  It was encouraging to us to see the high level of competition displayed during the Mbita Base games.  It shows how far girls’ football has come in Mbita over the past few years.   

With 9 Suba Lakers on the selected team for Mbita Base, the Zonal Games were much less competitive.  The Mbita team trounced Obalwanda in the first match 5-0, and defeated Kirindo (with 2 Suba Lakers) in the finals on post-match penalty kicks 4-0.  Eleven Suba Lakers were selected for the Zonal team that is now preparing to play in the District competition this week.  There they will face off against several other Suba Lakers who play for Rusinga Island and the other zones.  From those different zones, we are sure to build a strong team (of mostly Suba Lakers) to compete at the County Ball-games next weekend.  

Joe is coaching the girls football team at nearly every level.  The season began with coaching the CGA team, then the Zonal team and the District competition is this week!  He also has the responsibility to select the team for each next level; watching all the teams play and choosing the best girls to move on. He’ll continue this up through the Regional Level as the primary coach for the girls’ team from the Lake Region.  For the past few years, even at the highest level, Nationals, he’s been asked to assist the Kenyan coach.  Daneen is always on the sidelines assisting in various ways; encouraging the girls, tending to injuries/sickness, taking pictures, or whatever might come up.

Learn more about Primary School Ball Games in Kenya here.