Today we left early, surprisingly everyone was on time to leave, it has become a bit of a gamble on when our companion and driver, John will come to pick me up 🙂 makes it more of an adventure…. Fair to say he is a top man, but his time keeping makes mine look impeccable.
We picked up Millie, the older sister of Mercy who is one of the Kenyan U17 players. She is 20, and has also represented Kenya at the youth level. A very good attacking player, small, but very quick, great on the dribble, good link up play, and for her height, fantastic in the air! On our way to coaching, just over an hour outside of Naiavasha, we stopped and bought breakfast, Millie had been traveling since 6 am and hadn’t had any breakfast yet, a quick stop for yoghurt and some snacks and water and we were on our way.
We arrived at the football pitch, which looked very lively, when we got there, the school team was waiting, Pasnega Girls team, along with the team were Mercie, Maco, Caroline and their Coach, Emman Wabuchi all from Kasarani (where we coached Thursday and Sunday). We were told there was a better pitch up the street at a Cathedral so we headed up the road and got ready for training. We worked for around an hour and forty-five minutes, completing coerver footwork in pairs before going into a little passing session. The objective was to improve body shape, and movement before receiving the ball, as well as continue to emphasize awareness and scanning. By the end of the session the ladies began to understand it, as always they worked incredibly hard and we an absolute pleasure to coach.
We broke for lunch, and headed back into town, buying water for the ladies, along with bread and milk. After lunch we had arranged for another school team to come and play in the afterno
on.
For this match we had a surprise for the ladies, a full kit donated by Barry Richardson from Wycombe Wanderers. The girls were buzzing to say the least. So after a light lunch, fluids and new kit we were ready to play. The ladies lead a warm up and then we kicked off…..
I can honestly tell you that I witnessed some of the best, most creative and enjoyable football I have seen on this trip. Maco, bossing the midfield, she reminded me of Gascoigne, flicks and tricks, keeping the ball ticking over, threading passes through to front men and wide players. What a player!!!! We then come wide to Mercy, playing wide right, a slight winger with plenty of tricks and pace, who can also come off the line to link up play, a bit like Januzzi at United, great quality and you know there is plenty more to come. Caroline, an uncompromising central defender, tough as nails, great in the air, quality as a one v’s one defender and very comfortable playing off her right side and going forward with the ball. Captain of the side with great leadership qualities. Because of her lack of height at center back we will liken her to Cannavaro. And finally there is Millie, I’ve already described her earlier, it could be possible to liken her to Tim Cahill, just because of her great aerial ability considering her height. 
The girls were fantastic, passed the ball very well on what was still a lively surface in comparison to what we all may be used to playing on. Looking to take players on, playing from the back and enjoying their time on the ball, an absolute joy to watch.
After the match both teams gathered in the middle of the pitch, we talked to the ladies about how their athletics should go hand in hand with there academics, we handed out kit and boots to both teams and then surprisingly a gentleman from the Kenyan Football Federation appeared. Somehow he had heard about the match, and came to watch, it was great to have him there, to talk to the ladies and endorse what both Hesbon and I were doing, to top it off, he donated money to the ladies to buy snacks on the way home! Happy days!!
It was a great day, again, we coached players, we fed players and we were able to hand out kit, it doesn’t get any better than that!!
Two things that struck me today, firstly, at the start of the day where we were lead in prayer by a young Muslim lady, everyone joining hand in hand in a circle, everyone else Christian. The fact that we did this showed that everyone is equal, what an ideal notion 🙂 Secondly, some ladies began cramping in the afternoon, Mercy included. As you may know one of the primary causes of cramping is dehydration, lack of fluids. It is a necessity for these ladies and indeed all athletes to take fluids, so for next time I will know to budget much more for a this trip so that I can ensure we have plenty of water for the players.
Simple things make for the biggest of differences.
Thank you for reading and thanks again to Bazz and Wycombe for the generous donation!!
footybriggsy 