Triumphant Kaya Tiwi eye East African title

What you need to know:

  • Coach Onyango carries Midas touch with him to claim two titles thus far this year
  • The East African Games will be held in Eldoret from August 25 to September 7.

Newly crowned National Secondary Schools netball champions Kaya Tiwi High School have now set their sights on clinching the East African title in August.

The Coastal region school beat four-time champions Obambo Mixed from Lake Region 26-24 in the final played on June 18 at the Kangaru School, Embu County during the National Term Two A Games.

The school made history with the achievement, winning the title on their debut, and barely three months after their basketball team also clinched their maiden national title during the Term One Games Finals in Bungoma in April.

In both finals, the squads were coached by the experienced Philip Onyango.

Onyango joined the school from Shimba Hills, where he led the girls’ basketball team to nine national titles and five regional crowns.

“It is always a great feeling to win the title on your first attempt because no one really thinks you can do it,” Onyango said.

The outspoken coach, who moved to Kaya Tiwi with a number of Shimba Hills’ players attributed his success to hard work and discipline.

His success at Embu puts him alongside Kakamega High Coach Oliver Minish who led the team to 11 national football titles.

It was sweet revenge for Onyango whose Shimba Hills team lost to Obambo in the previous three finals.

The squad consisted of inexperienced players drawn from Form One while Obambo had the same squad that won the title last year. Onyango, who lost his daughter, Vera Atieno during the Term One Games, further dedicated the victory to her.

Led by skipper Elsa Anyango, Kaya won all their Pool A matches sweeping aside Mukuyu (Nzoia), Metropolitan’s Syumile and Aberdare Region Champions Karuri to storm the semi-finals with maximum points.

The team scooped a double after forward Maureen Olunayo was voted the Most Valuable Player in the discipline. Kaya Tiwi are hoping to become the first Kenyan school to win the East Africa Games netball title.

The East African Games will be held in Eldoret from August 25 to September 7.