National Secondary Schools Games for Term One Kickoff
National Secondary Schools Games for Term One Kickoff. At Hill School and Moi Girls in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) tournaments will get underway on Tuesday, April 25, and last through Sunday, April 29.
Teams arrived on Monday and did some light practice in front of the competition, which will be officially launched by Education Principal Secretary (PS) Belio Kipsang.
In six sports, more than 2,000 pupils are expected to compete:
- Swimming,
- Rugby 15s,
- Basketball,
- Netball, and
- Athletics.
However, the spotlight will be on Rugby 15s, where a new champion is expected to be crowned following Kakamega High School’s elimination from the competition at the Western Region Term One matches.
Three-time champions Mang’u High from Central will have to contend with All Saints Embu High from Eastern and rookies Ofafa Jericho from Nairobi, who overcame 2018 champions Upper Hill in the Nairobi Region finals, in Pool A.
The St. Patrick High, Iten team from the Rift Valley will also compete in the finals.
In Pool B, Butula Boys will compete in the 15s competition for the first time. They will compete against other newcomers St. Anthony’s Boys High School, Kitale from the Rift Valley, Kisii High from Nyanza, and Kwale High School from the Coast Region.
In basketball, Pool A will have Friends School Kamusinga from Western competing against Thika High from Central, Dagoretti High from Nairobi, the defending champions, and Lukenya from Eastern, while Pool B will feature Laiser Hill from the Rift Valley, Onjiko High from Nyanza, and Dr. Aggrey High from Coast.
St. Anthony from the Rift Valley, Nyanza’s Maseno School, Meru School from Eastern, and Nairobi School make up Pool A in the boys’ hockey competition. Mang’u High School will compete against Kapsabet Boys, St. Charles Lwanga, and Musingu in Pool B.
In the absence of defending winners Trans Nzoia Mixed, a new winner in the girls’ hockey competition will be announced. St. Charles Lwanga from the Coast will compete against 2017 champions St. Josephs Kitale in Pool A, which also includes former champions Hillcrest and Nyamira Girls from Nyanza.
Along with Tigoi, who took home silver in 2016 and 2018, Loreto Girls, and AIC Nyayo Girls, Afraha will be the focus of Pool B.
Linah Barasa, the team manager for St. Joseph Girls, asserts that she will not undervalue any squad that has advanced to the championship game.
Every competitor in this competition, according to us, is a victor, and we consider every squad to be strong, said Barasa.
The Tigoi head oach responded, “I haven’t been here in five years, so I can’t just show up and take part. To lift the trophy is my goal.
Following the implementation of NEMIS, KSSSA Secretary General David Ngugi has committed to guarantee that incidences of age cheating remain a thing of the past. He reports that all of the teams have come and the grounds are prepared for the event.
“You receive a NEMIS number during registration that contains all of your information. We will take serious measures against the offending teacher and the institution if there is a problem like that (age cheating).
After being postponed for two years due to the CoVid-19 pandemic, the national championship will resume in full for Terms One and Two.