Jackline Juma, stepping where no woman has stepped before

The number was not on her saved contact list, but the sender’s name was familiar to her.

The text read: “Hi, my name is Godfrey Mwaloma CEO FC Talanta. We would like to bring you to the FC Talanta team technical bench as the Head Coach then we give you the Ladies team to take charge since we feel you can handle the ladies well plus you understand our idea of supporting the youth program to build the FC Talanta.”

Shortly after this text, a phone call followed that sought to arrange a physical meeting between her, Mwaloma, and other club officials at Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) offices, situated just behind the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, in Nairobi.

That meeting took place three days later.

Mwaloma, upon reviewing Juma’s credentials, remarked, “This is a very impressive CV.”

“Even though I had received other offers, my decision to agree terms with Talanta FC was clear,” Juma volunteers.

Elite team

She was announced head coach of FC Talanta on August 10, on a one-year deal, becoming the first woman to handle an elite male team playing in the Kenyan Premiership.

Record are not clear but she could be the first woman to be appointed coach of a top-tier male’s team in Africa and indeed the world.

“Yes this is history and it is great but I don’t want to be the last one. I lead by example to show them they can succeed. I thank FC Talanta for believing in me and encouraging other women not to shy away from opportunities,” said the 38-year-old Juma.

It helps that she one of the highest level of coaching certifications on the continent.

From October 16, 2023 to March 29, 2024, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) conducted a CAF A License course consisting of 17 modules touching on physiology, anatomy, laws of the game, doping, leadership, and management.

This extensive training ensured that the coaches were well-equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their roles.

Out of the 22 local coaches that graduated only two were female -- Juma and Kenya Police Bullets coach Beldine Odemba.

This season, coaches handling FKF-PL sides must possess a CAF A or CAF PRO coaching license.

“We choose her based on her papers because she is a CAF A licensed coach and those are the requirements in the league. We believe in her and we will support her as much as we can. We struggled last season and we do not want that to happen again this season,” said Mwaloma.

“Apart from having the papers, we also wanted a female coach who could handle our girls’ team. Also, our main focus going forward is youth development. We also wanted to balance the equation in our bench because we did not have a female in our bench,” said Mwaloma.

Women’s Super League

Juma, a former Harambee Starlets player, was previously the coach of National Women’s Super League (NWSL) side Gor Mahia Queens.

She replaced Ken Kenyatta, who exited Talanta in April when his contract expired.

“Nothing is impossible. While it’s a male-dominated league that I respect greatly, we’re here to compete. Football is a fair game, and with my experience, I believe we will go out there and give our best effort. The coaches before me did a commendable job, and now we can build on their success and go higher,” Juma said as her eyes narrowed

Acting coach

The former Acacoro Academy coach, will be deputized by Jackson Gatheru who was the Talanta acting coach after Kenyatta’s departure.

This will not be her first stint as coach of a male team.

Juma previously worked with Korogocho Youth, a community football club in Nairobi that competes in the Division One League.

She has also served on the technical bench at Highway Secondary School, a boy’s only institution, and did her internship at KCB FC while pursuing her CAF D license.

Juma met the Talanta players for the first time on Monday morning at Utalii College Grounds in Nairobi during a friendly match against Kariobangi Sharks that ended in a barren draw.

“The players were pleased to have me. The reception was so welcoming.

“The team looked ready for the new season. My focus now is on blending in and matching our experiences. We are also bringing in new and young players to build a formidable side,” said Juma.

Her football career includes playing for Mathare United Women, the defunct Nairobi Eastlands-based Old is Gold, and Division One side Makolanders.

A useful forward, she was part of the Starlets team that wrote history by qualifying for their first ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2016.

Kenya lost all their group assignments -- 3-1 to Ghana, 4-0 to Nigeria, and 3-1 to Mali.

Juma thereafter hang her boots and transitioned to coaching.

“I opted for coaching because I have experience and I have seen how football can change lives. Giving the girls and boys a platform to play football and passion also pushed me.”

Juma acknowledge that, she is inspiring young women and that gender should not be a barrier preventing female coaches from handling teams at the highest level.

“In the past, there was a belief that a female coach could not succeed.

“If the community had been open to granting women coaching roles without undermining their abilities, it would have been a matter of belief and understanding.

“Now, change is happening as people are beginning to see this from a different perspective.”

The Premiership coaching seat is a hot one and Juma knows it. She is targeting a top-six finish and will certainly be one of the closest-watched coaches in the Premiership this season.

She is used to the high profile attention. Juma served as an assistant to Harambee Starlets coach David Ouma in 2018.

She was also his assistant to David Ouma in the Kenya U-17 Junior Starlets in 2019, and asistant to Caroline Ajowi in the Kenya U-20 Rising Starlets in 2017.

In 2023 she was appointed head coach of the pioneer Kenya U-15 girls’ team and the Talanta Hela team to Spain.

Juma led the Under-15 side to a second-place finish in the 2024 Cecafa Zonal qualifiers that were held at MISC last December for the CAF African Schools Football Championships.

In April this year, she guided the Talanta Hela Under-19 team to a second-place finish in the Costa Daurada Cup in Barcelona, Spain. They lost 2-0 to Sporting Portugal in post-match penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular time of the final match.

The mother of two children was raised in Kariobangi, Nairobi where she developed a passion for football.

She went to Riverside Primary School and Our Lady of Fatima Secondary School.

She picked up football in earnest when aged 10 years old and has never looked back.

Now, her children, a boy and a girl, have taken an interest in football and are following in their mother’s footsteps. Big feet that are treading on new ground for women in Kenyan football.