KHC pick invaluable lessons from superior Kenyan sides

Good Consolation. KHC Swans goalkeeper Melissa Namuleme poses with the Amadi Open ladies’trophy presented to her team for finishing second in the tournament. PHOTO BY MAKHTUM MUZIRANSA

What you need to know:

  • The stark difference between them and champions Wananchi, who scored 3.18 per game and conceded just 0.68 is easily reflected in the 31 points between the sides.

KAMPALA. During his visit to Uganda in 2016, Africa Hockey Federation (AfHF) president Ahmed Seif said that the game can only develop here if the fraternity works closely with its Kenyan counterparts.
Less than a year later, Kenyan coaches’ mentor Teddy Jhite came down to train local coaches and since then the relationship between the two countries had been strong. Today the U-18 national team is in Nairobi for the East Africa Hockey 5s Tournament while last weekend three club sides; Kampala Hockey Club (KHC Swans and Stallions) and Weatherhead participated in tournaments in Musingu, Maseno and Eldoret respectively to prepare for the new hockey season that starts March 2. “Our first encounter with Ugandan teams was at the East Africa Schools Games,” said Musingu High School and Western Jaguars coach turned Kenyan Hockey Union (KHU) vice president Mike Malungu.

“It was hard to play against them because while we tried to build play patiently from the back, they were hitting every ball from one end to another.”
Malungu was happy to play KHC Stallions, who were comfortable to play the game ‘right’ even on an unfamiliar grass surface. KHC lost 3-1 to eventual winners Western Jaguars in the quarter finals but the lessons learnt are invaluable.

Wasteful
“For us the tournament was a big success but we need to be more lethal in front of goal. There is probably a lot lacking with our short corners because we got many but could not utilize them,” KHC coach Bernard Bwire noted.
With so many chances created against a highly rated Kenyan side, there is no surprise KHC feel there is unfinished business in Musingu. KHC have therefore extended invitations to the Kakamega side for the Easter Open due in April at Lugogo. “We will push and see if we can make it. The challenge is that players do not like to spend much so the club must find funds yet the (Kenyan) league starts end of March,” Malungu shared.
Western Jaguars are currently the only Kenya Premier League side based outside Nairobi.

For a team that spent about Kshs15m (Shs540m) on five trips to Nairobi last season, a trip to Kampala is relatively easier (KHC spent about Shs5m to Musingu) if it does not coincide with their league schedule. More so it reflects to how much cost-effective the Ugandan league is as all seven clubs are based in Lugogo.
KHC ladies’ side Swans had a more memorable outing returning home with the runners-up trophy from the Maseno-Amadi Open.

All to do
But they too played second fiddle in the face of Lakers, who have also been promoted to the ladies’ Premier League in Kenya. The two games played against Lakers – in the round robin stage and finals – showed that defensively, Swans are learning to cope with pressure from superior opponents.

However, the team lacked a creative spark to spur them to victory. In the league last year, KHC Swans scored an average of 0.94 per game and conceded 2.06.
The stark difference between them and champions Wananchi, who scored 3.18 per game and conceded just 0.68 is easily reflected in the 31 points between the sides. Simply put, the KHC sides that celebrate a decade this year, have their work cut out in a bid to close the gap.