In Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic
Most football players, upon retirement, choose careers within the sport.
However, for Elizabeth Ochaka, captain of the Kenya Junior Starlets, which debuted at the 2024 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic, her vision is different.
Ochaka, 17, aims to join the Kenya Police Service after her football career.
The talented defender plays for the FKF Women's Premier League champions, Kenya Police Bullets, which she joined on a three-year deal as a free agent at the start of the season.
"This is who I wanted to be growing up. Instead of following the usual paths of transitioning into coaching or football-related activities, I want to join the police service once I hang up my boots for good," Ochaka shares, having completed her KCSE exams last year at Wiyeta Girls High School.
Ochaka’s current team follows a tradition similar to their male counterparts, Police FC, who also recruit players into the Police Service.
A natural athlete from an early age, Ochaka began in athletics, participating in long jump and high jump events for Shirakula Primary School. Her talent was quickly noticed by Wiyeta’s coach, Erick Wafula, who offered her a four-year scholarship and encouraged her to focus on football.
"Wafula asked me to concentrate more on football as a defender because of my height, and things have never been the same since," Ochaka, who is 176 cm tall, reflects.
At Wiyeta, Ochaka captained the team to multiple titles in school competitions. The 2020 school season was canceled due to Covid-19, but in 2022 she led Wiyeta to the national title, which qualified them for the East Africa Games. In 2023, they qualified again, finishing second in the nationals and going on to compete in Rwanda.
After high school, Ochaka was awarded a scholarship to study Electrical Engineering at Amus College in Uganda, where she also played for their women’s team. But she has since decided to return to Kenya and continue her studies.
"I will go back to school and enroll at Zetech University to study Electrical Engineering since it has always been my aim. Coaching involves time-consuming courses to move into management, something I intend to step away from concerning football," she says, explaining her decision to focus on a career outside the sport.
"With carrying guns and providing service to my country at times it is considered a male job, but as a female footballer, we are not favored by age compared to our male counterparts; we have to make our retirement plan early," Ochaka explains.
Last year, she would have debuted for the Under-20 Rising Starlets team, but was unable to travel due to a lack of documentation. However, in April, she was named captain of the Junior Starlets and successfully led Kenya through four rounds of World Cup qualifiers.
In the qualifiers, Kenya faced Ethiopia and Burundi, securing victories that guaranteed their spot in the World Cup.
At the tournament, Kenya finished third in Group 'C', competing against North Korea, England, and Mexico. Despite losses to England and North Korea, they ended on a high note with a historic 2-1 victory over Mexico.
Ochaka assisted in the opening goal, scored by Valerie Nekesa, who became the first Kenyan to score at a World Cup. Lorna Faith added a second goal, earning Player of the Match honours.
"We gave our best in the tournament as we did not concede many goals with the fact that we were debutants. We went to compete with the best and gained a lot to bring back home," Ochaka says, reflecting on the team's experience.
"As we prepare for the qualifiers next year, we need to do early preparations like our opponents. They have taken the women's game seriously."
Born in Shirahaa village in Kakamega County, Ochaka hails from a sports-loving family; her father and older brother both played football recreationally. Passionate about her family’s well-being, Ochaka also runs a boutique selling beauty products, which she launched with her football earnings.
"For women’s football in the country to grow, proper investment should be done, just like for the men," she says, advocating for equal support.
Her World Cup experience and captaincy have strengthened her commitment to inspiring young athletes.
"After playing in the World Cup, we know perceptions about us will change. I captained the team, and this is historic; I am proud to have inspired many boys and girls in rural areas," says Ochaka, whose favorite dish is fish and ugali.
With the Under-17 competition set to expand to an annual event in 2025, Ochaka and her teammates will continue to pursue their dreams on both local and international stages.
