How Wiyeta maintains status as top girls’ football school
Part of the action between Mogotio (green) and Wiyeta during their Group D girls football match in the ongoing Rift Valley Regional Secondary Schools Term Two at the Nyahururu Stadium Laikipia County on July 20, 2023. Wiyeta won 7-0.
What you need to know:
- This year alone, four players from Wiyeta - Edna Wanda Eunice Nabwoba, Velma Auma and Adongo Sheila - were called up to the national team, the “Harambee Starlets”, for international duty
- They are prepared physically, mentally and emotionally to transform into national and international stars, with the school’s staff also offering good parental and motherly care, a special diet and mental calmness
Wiyeta Girls High School have dominated secondary school football nationally and regionally, having bagged the national trophy 10 times and regional one on five occasions.
They have produced top stars such as Jentrix Shikangwa, Levender Akinyi, Lucy Nato, Nally Sawe, Opicho Shallyne, Maureen Shimuli, Diana Tembesi, all national team players. Other top names include Leah Cherotich, Stella Anyango, Caroline Wanjala and Mary Kinuthia, to name but a few.
This year alone, four players from Wiyeta - Edna Wanda Eunice Nabwoba, Velma Auma and Adongo Sheila - were called up to the national team, the “Harambee Starlets”, for international duty.
What makes this these girls from Trans Nzoia special? The school’s head coach Edgar Manyara puts it down to the school’s conducive training environment.
Motherly care
They are prepared physically, mentally and emotionally to transform into national and international stars, with the school’s staff also offering good parental and motherly care, a special diet and mental calmness.
Unlike many coaches who focus mainly on formation and game plays during training, Manyara spends a lot of time with individual players, drilling them on personal skills like winning the ball from opponents, one-on-one encounters with opponents and one-on-one against the goalkeepers.
His patience and consistency is also something worth noting.
“It is a combination... You see, the Principal’s contribution is very vital for the development of this team. The school pays fees for some players who are unable to complete their fees balance in time,” he explains.
“Imagine sometimes the Principal (Beatrice Kwata) attends our training sessions. This is vital because it heightens the morale of the players and the feel motivated and loved. This works miracles.”
