Battle for SOYA’s School coach of Year Award heats up

Excitement is already building ahead of the 2023 Sports Personality of the Year Award (SOYA) ceremony set to be staged at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) on Friday 1 March.

The event was scheduled to be held on February 23 but it was delayed to Friday, March 1 due to the untimely demise of the late marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum.  

One of the hotly contested categories is the school coach of the year which has both familiar and new faces.

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St. Anthony’s Boys High School Kitale football coach Peter Mayoyo, Butere Girls High School’s Chris Odeke, Kevin Asuba and Gilbert Kaisha of Shanderema and Kesogon Secondary Schools will be among the leading contenders for the award.

Justin Kigwari, who has helped Kwanthanze Girls Secondary School volleyball team attain incredible milestones in recent years, also made it to the list. 

Others include St. Joseph’s High School Kitale tactician Austin Musumba, Nyamira Girls’ Stephen Kigai and Isaac Muresia and Eliud Okwemba of Namwela and Koyonzo Boys High School respectively.

Mayoyo, who is currently a member of the Junior Stars and Kigwari are the favorites to land the prestigious award.

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Mayoyo guided St. Anthony’s Boys High School popularly known as the Solidarity Boys to the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) national football title.

He brought the best from talented players such as Adrine Kibet, Amos Wanjala and Alvin Kasavuli who have all landed scholarships from the Spanish-based Nastic Academy. 

Similarly, Kigwari also had an excellent 2023 campaign with the volleyball powerhouse Kwanthanze Secondary School.

He guided the learning institution which is domiciled in Machakos County to the East African title, beating Kesogon who shocked them in the national finals staged in Kakamega. 

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Moreover, under Kigwari’s watchful eyes, Kwanthanze Girls Secondary School team secured the prestigious African title, beating Morocco’s Lycee Bin Anzarane in the final. 

The experienced manager has also nurtured some of the brilliant players from the school who went on to feature for the national women’s team Malkia Strikers.

Some of these stars include the European-based Sharon Chepchumba, Emmaculate Nekesa, Esther Mutinda and Lorraine Chebet.

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