Kenya

Scrubs Debut

Tuesday – I had a day off from coaching today, so as I sat at breakfast with the group of doctors, nurses and ultra sound techs that I had joined on this trip who are working at the local hospital I asked Dr. Stice if I could be of any use today? She said ‘yes’ and that I could be a runner between the two hospitals. I thought, sounds decent, I’ll have a bash at that. My room mate Tony had a spare pair of scrubs, so after bombing back to the room, quick change and bombing back upstairs we were ready to go.

On arrival to the hospital the doctors and nurses started prepping for surgery, my main job was to help Michaela continue reorganizing the store cupboard in the old surgery, which is where Dr. Stice would perform her skin grafts.

hospitalThere are a lot of burn victims in Kenya due to people cooking with open flames, Dr. Stice had four surgeries that day and perhaps the worst was a little boy, no older than four with severe scarring from burns on his face, arms and hands. His arms and hands were so bad that he wasn’t able to use his hands at all. I have mentioned before that the sound of children’s laughter filling the air must be the greatest sound, well certainly the sound of a child crying must be the worst. There was a little girl, maybe three who was going into surgery, as she was leaving her mother and walking towards the unknown, her crying and screams filled the corridor to the theater. It certainly is a sound I won’t be able to forget in a hurry. If you look deeper in why the little girl was crying, you have to consider, not only the fear in the little girl, but also her mother who she was leaving, as well as the little boy who was waiting for his surgery. It’s hard to imagine what was going through their minds.

I do have to say what a great opportunity it was to be around all the medical team and watch them go about their business. When you think of the nature of their work, and how life altering it is, how much pressure they must be under to perform and the stresses it places on them all emotionally, you really look at them all in awe. Great great people doing wonderful things, and truly making a massive difference!!hospital

Throughout the day I worked with Michaela, a former soccer player who I coached in Omaha for Toro Soccer Club, and who also trains at Mick Doyle’s gym with my good friend Matt Bentley, a small world huh? She has done a fantastic job cleaning and re-organizing the storage room.

When you imagine a hospital one of the first things that come to your mind is that they epitomize cleanliness, your view might be slightly changed if you were to visit where we were working.

During the day, we handed out gifts that the doctors had bought over with them, to the children in the children’s ward. Certainly not a happy place. Often there were 2 children to a bed, mothers with them, a hot and humid concrete block. Luckily we were able to put a few smiles on children’s and mothers faces :).

Today had highs and lows The highs have to be in watching the work of the medical team that Dr. Stice has assembled, operating often against resistance from the hospital staff, but still working hard and pushing forward for the greater good. Definitely the lows are when talking to the doctors how many of the current cases could have been prevented if they had received the correct procedure or diagnosis initially.hospital board

I feel very grateful for being allowed to witness the work of the medical team and I feel a massive sense of fortune for every patient that was able to be seen by the medical staff from Omaha that day. Omaha – a smaller city in the middle of America making massive difference in people’s on the other side of the world!

Soccer Training, Kit and Lunch

On Sunday we returned to the same town that we visited on Thursday, but this time prepared. Armed with Lunch, enough kit to dress a small army and four different sessions to prepare for.

We were on it!

We arrived and trained the younger boys first. We completed dribbling skills at the start of training and then put them into little chaos practices; small sides games. The boys are first class, again some talent that would fit right into any academy system. Gabrielle was the best player for me, so we kitted him out fully, shorts, shoes and a pair of Adidas boots. I saw him later that day and asked where his boots were, he said they were at home, and already cleaned! What a legend!

We had close to 30 players in the first group so we split the group in two, taking the younger players into the shade to hand out lunch, simply a carton of milk and 3 slices of bread. After lunch we handed out kit, and were lucky enough to have extra lunch and kit to hand out to the young, non soccer players who were at the pitch.sunday

On Thursday I met 3 little boys who were hilarious, playing, giggling, running around, they couldn’t have been any older than four. I saw one of them again, the cutest little man you could meet. little guy beforeOn Thursday he was in tattered clothes, ripped bottoms shaggy shirt. Luckily I was able to kit him out, and he joined in lunch with the boys!! little guy 2From that point on the wee man wouldn’t leave my side 🙂

Later that day we trained a high school age group of boys. The tempo of the session was okay, but not high. I have learned to consider several things for this. Immediately you consider the heat, it was roasting. You then consider that the players are a little nervous when working with a new coach, and obviously there is a language barrier, but perhaps the biggest element to consider is who knows when these boys had eaten last or drank water. As soon as we bought bottled water, the players come around asking for it. It’s a factor you do not have to consider in the western world, you often have to consider if the players ate correctly (did they eat too much?) and at the appropriate time, you certainly don’t need to worry about if they ate at all. Another thing to consider would be equipment, some bare footed, some wearing just one shoe, the toes kicked all the way through, so you can see their socks, that’s if they are lucky enough to have a pair. Through it all though, they players smile, they are attentive and really try to apply what you are showing them.

In all honesty, in the western world, what do we really have to complain about?

The final session was with a group of young ladies from the village. It was a very talented group with some top players who were again on a different level. I think the important thing to consider is that football is all they really have outside of going to school. Their town is simply in existence because of the flower farm, their homes are right next to the farm, from the pitch you can see workers picking weeds. My point is that football is their only outlet and chance to play, there are no play stations, xboxes, touch screen phones, at its simplest form it is just school and football, so it’s no wonder these players are so good, they are always playing.

My feelings leaving the town today are in complete contrast to leaving on Thursday, firstly I knew what to expect and secondly we came prepared. When we arrived some guys from the town were cutting the grass with long blades, they were trying to improve the pitch for the children, again the community working for each other. We then coached over 80 players that day, coached, fed and clothed as many children as we could. Leaving knowing that we were able to do that for the children, made this day, a fantastic day!! Roll on tomorrow 🙂

Side note: Oh on the way home we saw baboons crossing the road. It’s not every day you can say that.baboons

Soccer Training Session For 60

A more relaxing day. Hesbon and I walked into the town, and then had some lunch at our usual place, “Mothers Kitchen”. We were scheduled to visit two orphanages but they were sitting exams at the first orphanage today which put a stop to us going there. We left to visit the second one later that afternoon, around 4.30. It was an all boys orphanage and as we arrived the boys were walking back from school. Excited for a soccer training session they quickly changed into their kit and were ready to go. We allowed them ten minutes or so of free play, so gave them the footballs and let them enjoy themselves. The sound of laughter filled the air. I can’t think of a better sound, especially considering the environment we were in. trainingWe had 60 players in the group, so we decided the best way to accommodate them would be ball orientated relay races to begin with followed by games. The players were, as always, very energetic and it was obvious to see some of the quality, especially in the younger players. One boy stood out, Joseph, he couldn’t have been any older than 5, a tiny little man who had personality in abundance, not to mention ability. He stole our hearts, so we felt compelled at the end of training to give him a full kit, shirts and shorts.

All the boys were great, and the visit certainly raised my spirits considering the emotional day before. Great kids who just need a helping hand to keep them moving in the right direction.

Heavy Heart

A very emotional day, which bought me to tears.

I have never seen anything like it and I know my photos do not do it justice. The poverty in the area we coached in today was so obvious. On the way to the town, we gave a young mother carrying her child a ride, she couldn’t have been older than 14 or 15. Hesbon (the local coach I am working with) told me that families will sell their daughters as young brides for money or in the exchange for cattle. I will let the pictures explain the homes of the people and the streets that the children played in, but as I said, they will not full tell the story.

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We drove to a gated community of houses which are used to accommodate the workers of the flower farm just next door. Basic concrete blocks, rows of them, with wooden doors and shutters for windows. We drove up to the pitch, which was adjacent to the flower farm, never had the image of wealth and poverty been so apparent. You have a farm making so much money on one side, and the very basic homes of the workers on the other…. I can’t help but think there must be a better balance.

On a football side of things, I was very fortunate to work with a team of wonderful ladies. All 16-18 years old and the best team in the district. 3 players represented Kenya U17’s National Team, 2 played for Kenya last week in a tournament in Tanzania, the 3rd couldn’t go as she didn’t have a passport. These ladies could play! And would be an asset to a College Program in the US without a doubt. It was a pleasure working with such quality, but then after the session I began to realize that what I am doing is just a very small drop in a very large ocean. I feel very helpless as I can not do enough, and sadly if I can not help these ladies then the likelihood is that they too will end up working on the flower farm and not fully achieving what they could with the talent they have.

During the second session with the older boys, as the afternoon moved into early evening, the numbers grew, people coming from work, showing up to the pitch to play. It was amazing, a training session, turned into a community match. It was beautiful to see players joining in, grabbing a bib and coming and playing, the quality was high, the commitment levels would rival that of any professional match and the very best thing you could hear was laughter, during training and the match. I can not think of a better sound to hear in players, young or old!

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Despite of the poverty these children live in, they are happy and full of smiles and laughter.

Personally, today was hard and one which I know has changed me…tomorrow we visit the orphanages, I am sure an environment which will change me again!

Thank you for reading!

Kenya is Teaching Me Than I Can Possibly Teach Them

We had to leave early to drive back to Nairobi to buy new coaching equipment. It was obvious upon arriving in Nariobi that the city has some serious money, when you look at the business buildings that have been built and some of the cars that are being driven around in the city. Traffic in the city was hectic, but we eventually made it. The shopping experience was a new experience for me, and I am not sure I can do it justice via text. In the end, we did manage to buy 15 balls, 40 cones and 12 bibs, the cost came to $500. Thankfully I received donations from 3 of the doctors who in traveled with and paid just over $100 myself to cover the remaining balance.
After that we were on our way to a school which was at the bottom of the Rift Valley, a 9KM drive down the mountainside to get into the valley and to the school. We were welcomed when we arrived by the assistant head teacher, the schools coach and other teachers at the school. All the children had uniforms on and the teachers were dressed in long white coats. With everyone wearing the same uniform the feeling of identity and commitment was obvious.
We had 20 female players and 38 boys, all of different ages. The ability levels were high, but the session was challenging with that amount of players, myself leading it and the 15 balls we had purchased. After a big group dynamic warm up, technical work in groups of 4, which for the most part they excelled in and small sided games (4 games of 6/7 aside) going on at once as a tournament were we really able to see the players express themselves.
After the small sided tournament the ladies played 10v10, a great game which was cheered on by the boys, and other students which came to watch. The match went to pennos and then sudden death pennos, there was one young lady in particular who had good ability and the biggest of hearts. After scoring a worldly free kick in the match, she ran off celebrating like she had scored the winner in the World Cup, it was an amazing sight. Unfortunately for her, her team came second in the penno shoot out and she burst into tears. Not only because of her ability, but also her effort and passion, we were able to somewhat lessen the blow by giving her a new pair of Adidas boots. What happened next just blew my mind…. Immediately after receiving her new boots, she gave her old ones to a younger boy who’s shoes were ripped! Such a selfless act!
After the ladies had played, the boys came on, 3 teams, first team to score or 10 minute game, the pace and tempo was incredible, the commitment is something to behold, how hard the boys tackle, how they sprint for every ball, how they get frustrated at themselves when really the fault is in the pitch and it’s lively surface, not the player himself. Two players stood out for me, one boy who calls himself “Santi” after the Arsenal player, he is the best player I have seen so far and would fit and excel in any academy I have worked in. Pace, ability, flair, creativity, he has it all…. And then Stevie, who I would call a technician, great composure and quality on the ball, and a wonderful young man, all while playing in green plastic plimsolls.
After the games had a presentation of new kit and donated boots to the players who their coaches and teachers decided deserved not only through their endeavor on the pitch but also in the class room, we then took on big photo of the group with the mountains in the back ground. A five hour coaching session, 58 players, plenty of smiles, and the sense I am perhaps learning more from being in Kenya than I can possibly teach.
A final note….we gave a boy a lift to his new home, he lost his old home in the recent violence in Kenya, he now walks to school each day, a 3 hour walk there and back, a 6 hour round trip. He does this every day, leaving his house at 4am to get to school on time… #inspirational

The Soccer Skills Continue to Blow Me Away

Today was a wonderful experience, the pitch where we coached today was on the grounds of a wildlife sanctuary, We were surrounded by Zebras, Giraffes, and Antelop.  As with previous days, straight away today it was obvious the players were of a great standard. but in other ways it was completely opposite from the day before where we had 58 players were it was more a case of accommodating the players and providing an environment for them to play in. Today I was actually able to coach with the 21 players. The quality was good and the focus was body shape and pre scanning before they received the ball in order to switch the play. The players are very instinctive, and I don’t want to take this away from them. Their natural quality and innovation is something that must be praised and nurtured, but if I can help add a little something to compliment their game and add ideas to progress their game then I will feel that the coaching is worth it.

After training in the morning and then playing 11v11 in the afternoon our work with this group was done. We were able to hand out kit and supply players with boots who had previously come with broken boots or normal shoes. We took some great photos and then were on our way down the road to a primary school.

We set up, and a group of 18 boys came, around the age of ten, all bare footed and still in their school uniforms. We did little dribbling challenges, 1v1 matches, then 4v4 and 5v5 matches. Before finishing off with 9v9 match at the end “Kenya v Brazil”. I was blown away by their ability. The skills they know already are ones that we have to teach in academies. Little drag backs and step-overs are skills they already have in their locker. They are self taught. I will upload a video later, but from video you will be able to see they also have an understanding that you do not always have to go forward, they are comfortable checking out of pressure and going backwards. Again, I’m simply blown away!!

With it being a small group, we were able to give every player at least one pair of shorts or one shirt. For me this was and will always be the very best part of my day. And I wouldn’t have be able to do this without the help of many people who helped donate kit and those who have helped sponsor my trip. So thank you!!

Great players, great people, great community!

A great first day, we worked with local players from the town of Naiavasha. Boys of high school age, some fantastically creative and imaginative players. They worked extremely hard all day, eager to take on new ideas. The players are very instinctive, street footballers, flair in abundance, back heels, tricks, range of passing all great. I have seen more creativity in one day than I have in a very long time. coaching day 2The pitch was mostly dirt, the goals made of wood and the pitch marked out with lines dragged out by sticks. That didn’t matter though, the standard of play was so high, the players ability to receive and adjust to the ball when it was so lively coming into them was breathtaking. They were able to play of one touch in tight areas, add flicks and tricks and play with total freedom. I can’t help but think that we could learn a lot from these boys.

From the football aside, the very best part of my day was watching the young primary school children coming back from school, boys and girls no older than 4 or 5 walking next to the pitch on their way home. I asked Hesbon (the coach I am working with) about this and if it was safe, he replied “it is the communities responsibility to take care of the children and make sure they get home safe”. Perhaps this is something else we can all learn from?

A great day, which opened my eyes up to not only the quality of the players, but their passion and commitment to football. If you ask them a question about players or teams in the premier league they will have the answer and if you set them a challenge in training, they will work to achieve it.

Great players, great people, great community!