Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) boys’ hockey defending champions St Antony Boys’ will face coast region’s St Georges, Central’s MPesa Foundation and Meru School in Pool B as they look to defend their title when term one national games kick off next week.
The Kitale-based school are favourites in the pool to qualify for the last four but coach Kelvin Lugalia says they have set their focus on winning the first match then plan for subsequent matches as the competition unfolds.
“We are well prepared but no team is to be taken for granted at the national level. This year we have several debutants and it is difficult to plan for teams that I haven’t seen in action so we will take one match at a time,” said Lugalia.
Titles
The East Africa holders lost nine players who helped Lugalia deliver the national and regional titles in Embu and Rwanda respectively but the tactician is not moved as he says it is a vicious cycle he is used to and believes in systems rather than individuals to deliver.
In Pool A Coast region champions St Charles take on Homa Bay High, Kamusinga and Nairobi School. Former East Africa and National champions Kamusinga are making a return to the national stage after a two year hiatus where they had been denied the platform by last year’s bronze medallists Musingu.
The pool also has Homa Bay who upset the rule book to down Kisumu Day, last year’s national fourth place finishers, and be crowned Nyanza region champions for the ticket to Mombasa.
Nairobi School beat national silver medalists Upper Hill at the Nairobi region games to make a return to the games where coach Fredrick Odhiambo hopes his charges will give their best at the competitions in Mombasa.
