Games face huge challenges
What you need to know:
- With high demand for the few qualified officials expected, the level of officiating could be affected, seriously denting the credibility of the games.
- Up until last year, Term Two games calendar was spilt into two - Term Two ‘A’ and ‘B’. Term Two ‘A’ games included rugby sevens, under-16 football, athletics, handball and netball, while Term Two ‘B’ had under-19 football, volleyball and racquet games.
The Kenya Secondary Schools Term two games which kick-off next week across the country in the zone levels face the risk of logistical and financial problems.
With the increase of disciplines following the abolishment of the Term Two ‘A’ games, organisers face the nightmare of having to find venues to cater for the expanded games, more officials to take charge of the games as well as the increased costs.
With high demand for the few qualified officials expected, the level of officiating could be affected, seriously denting the credibility of the games.
Up until last year, Term Two games calendar was spilt into two - Term Two ‘A’ and ‘B’. Term Two ‘A’ games included rugby sevens, under-16 football, athletics, handball and netball, while Term Two ‘B’ had under-19 football, volleyball and racquet games.
The Ministry of Education’s directive to have all extra-curricular activities held during holidays saw the Term Two ‘A’ games scrapped and the disciplines re-distributed. Handball, netball and athletics were taken to the term one games, while under-16 football, rugby sevens, heptathlon, decathlon and cross country were be roped together with the initial Term Two ‘B’ games.
This means that restructured Term Two games will now feature 10 disciplines.
Competing schools will need to dig deep for equipment, personnel and also try to find a delicate balance between academics and sports.
Football competitions, for example, will need upto eight standard pitches if the competitions are to run effectively for the days allocated for the championships.
Each of the eight pitches will require four match officials, a centre referee, and two assistants and a fourth official, meaning 32 qualified referees will have to be engaged in every sub-county, meaning other regions could be starved of qualified match officials due to their small numbers.
“I can see several quacks infiltrating these games to make quick money which will in the end compromise the quality of the games and in the long run lower the general standards of football countrywide,” said Mukasa Amboko, the Kwale Girls football coach
Kwale County for example has only 15 accredited FKF referees and Amboko wondered where the other officials will come from, with the games running concurrently across all sub-counties.
Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association Secretary General David Ngugi acknowledged the challenges especially at lower levels of the championships and asked officials to find ways of improvising.
