St Joseph’s Kitale chase record eight-team FEASSA qualification

St Joseph’s Girls Kitale Senior School are targeting a record eight teams at this year’s Federation of East Africa Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) Games as they prepare for the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term Two Championships in Thika.

The Rift Valley giants have already secured three FEASSA slots after their hockey, handball and rugby 15s teams qualified during the National Term One Games in Kisumu.

The Saints won the hockey title and finished runners-up in both handball and rugby 15s, to book tickets to the regional championships in Morogoro, Tanzania, from August 12 to 23.

Now, the school hopes to add five more teams at the nationals, where they will compete in football, basketball 3x3, rugby 7s, lacrosse and cricket.

Lacrosse and cricket are making their debut in the KSSSA calendar, with the top three teams in basketball 3x3, rugby 7s, lacrosse and cricket qualifying for FEASSA.

In football, the top four teams will advance to the regional championships. School Games Master John Lusaka believes all five teams have what it takes to qualify. “All five teams we are fielding in Thika have the capacity to reach the final. We want to underline our status as a powerhouse by having a record eight teams at the FEASSA Games in Tanzania,” said Lusaka.

He also welcomed the introduction of new disciplines, saying they will broaden opportunities for learners to showcase their talents. “The introduction is a welcome move. It will allow our students to diversify because not all of them can fit in the traditional games,” he said.

Other new sports introduced to the KSSSA programme this year include baseball, beach volleyball, chess and Scrabble. Lusaka attributed the school’s sustained success in both academics and co-curricular activities to the support of the administration led by Chief Principal Rosebella Orwaru.

Meanwhile, teams are expected to arrive in Thika on Friday ahead of the KCB-sponsored championships, which run from August 2 to 6. The tournament will officially begin on Sunday following the opening ceremony.

Football, volleyball, basketball 3x3, rugby 7s, netball and indoor games will be played at MPesa Foundation Academy, while beach volleyball, lacrosse and cricket will be staged at Mang’u High School.

Baseball matches will be held at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), with boys accommodated at Mang’u High School and girls at Mary Hill Senior School.

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