So Good

The Juniors also competed in the KYFA tournament in the Under 15 age category. Though several of the teams had older players, our young girls really competed well. In the group stages they won three matches and drew one to win their pool. They went on to win the quarterfinals in dramatic fashion. They celebrated like they had just won the world title.

Due to an unfortunate error, we had to face the #1 team from the other pool in the semifinals instead of the finals. So the two best teams played the match of the tournament in the semis. We went ahead five minutes into the match with some great passing and a classic finish by our smallest player, Teresa Atieno. A few minutes later Port Victoria equalized on our defensive error. We played great football, passing it around and controlling possession, but we missed many chances. In the end it came down to penalty kicks where we were defeated 3-2.

In the third place match, substitute Winnie Akinyi scored a goal in the 2nd half to bring home the trophy. The juniors were rewarded with a nice trophy, medals for each player, and about $7 cash that each player took home.

They played great football and showed how strong they are.

Consolation Champions

This past weekend, the Suba Lakers brought two teams to Kisumu to compete in the KYFA tournament. Our Senior team played in the open age category against some of the best teams in the region. One special part of the weekend is one of the club’s good friends, Kelsey Moore, also played with the team. Kelsey had lived in Kisumu for a couple of years and was visiting again this summer. She has come to Mbita several times to help coach our girls. The players were really excited when they found out she was going to play on their team. It always helps to have another mature player that knows how to pass and move the ball around. Our younger players learn a lot from that.

In the first match, we took charge early and won 3-0 against Kasagam. Kelsey scored two goals and Dorothy Adhiambo one. We thought we had another match that day, but had to wait for the next morning. On Saturday, we started off poorly by losing to eventual champion Victoria 3-0. In the next two matches we drew 0-0 with TYSA from Kitale and 1-1 with Smart Ladies from Kisumu when we scored a late equalizer from Pauline Otieno. So we ended up finishing 3rd in our pool of 5 teams and qualified for quarterfinals.

We were matched up against the 2nd best team from the other pool, Ibinzo. They scored in the first half on a clear off-sides infraction that wasn’t called. In the 2nd half we battled hard and even had a chance to equalize, but missed a penalty shot. The girls were exhausted after playing four matches in one day. Fortunately for us, the losers of the quarterfinals had their own consolation playoff. So on Sunday, we played Kisumu Leeds and scored two goals in the 2nd half to come back from behind and win 2-1. The goal scorers were Dorothy Adhiambo and Pauline Otieno. In the consolation Final, we managed to score a lone goal by Irine Achieng to defeat them 1-0. Seven matches in three days concluded with three wins, two losses, two draws and 18 exhausted young girls.

For winning the consolation bracket they received t-shirts and a ball.

SEP Oyugis Champions

SEP (Society Empowerment Project) in Oyugis hosted their third annual tournament at Kotieno Primary School over the weekend, August 12-14th. Eight boys teams and eight girls teams participated in the event. On the girls side Suba Lakers Girls Football Club hoisted the trophy after their 1-0 victory in the finals against the host SEP team. Pauline Otieno scored the lone goal in the tenth minute of the first half.

Earlier in the semifinals, SEP had defeated ISDAK Kisumu on post-match penalty kicks. IN the other semifinal, the Suba Lakers coasted to a 3-0 victory over Angaza from Thika on 2 goals from Sharon Bismark and a goal from Dorothy Adhiambo. The Lakers had earned the top spot in their pool by drawing in their first match and then winning 1-0 in the second match and 7-0 in their final preliminary match.

The Suba Lakers will be competing in the KYFA Nationwide Ladies Tournament in Kisumu this weekend. They will have a Junior team competing in the 15 and under portion and a Senior team competing in the open age category. THe tournament will be held at Kisumu Polytechnic.

Talented Little Ones

Friday, July 29, 2011

Talented Little Ones

The Suba Lakers 2nd Annual Junior Girls Tournament was a rousing success. 16 primary school teams arrived early on Friday morning, 29th July ready for the 7 v. 7 competition for girls aged 14 and below. Each team played three preliminary games before moving to the knockout stages. Wasaria Primary, Christ's Gift Academy, Mbita Primary and Usare Primary won their respective quarterfinal matches. In the semifinals Usare Primary eliminated Wasaria from title contention with their victory and Christ's Gift Academy dispatched Mbita Primary. In the third place playoff Mbita Primary emerged victorious over Wasaria 1-0 on a goal by the tournament's top scorer (and one of the smallest players), Laurine Achieng. In the Championship game Usare and Christ's Gift Academy battled toe to toe, taking their shots at winning in regulation. The match ended scoreless and went to penalties where Usare won 3-1.

The 200 participants were also taught how to take control of their own lives and make decisions that will help to build a better future. Lucy Ondari from CRADLE shared with them at the beginning of the day and Joe Peterson shared the Gospel with them during a break in the action. The District Quality Assurance Officer also took time to watch them play and share some important pieces of advice.

The day ended with an awards ceremony, honoring the outstanding teams and outstanding individual performers from the day. Each team received a ball and a certificate. The 2nd and 3rd place teams both received cash awards given directly to the participants. The 1st place team also received a cash prize, along with a jersey and pair of shorts for each player. The outstanding performers were also recognized and given jerseys and shorts. The list of awards consisted of:

Best Goalkeeper- Jennifer Awino from Mbita Primary and Lillian Awuor from Usare Primary
Best Defender- Brenda Sharon from Wasaria Primary
Top Goal Scorer- Laurine Achieng from Mbita Primary
Best Young Player- Brenda June from Usare Primary
Best Player- Dorine Ongata from Gethsemane Gardens
Most Valuable Player- Teresa Atieno from Christ's Gift Academy
Winning Coach- Lucy Ondari from Usare Primary

Some of the teams attracted large cheering sections, especially from boys who came to watch. People were impressed at the level of talent that girls could display on the field, especially from some very young girls. It was a 14 and under tournament, but the top two goal scorers were 12 and 10 years old respectively. Mbita continues to demonstrate that they can boast of some of the top up and coming girls in the country.

Hosting 2nd Annual Tournament

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

2nd Annual Suba Lakers Tournament

The Suba Lakers Girls Football Club is hosting the 2nd Annual Junior Girls Tournament on Friday, 29th July. Sixteen primary school teams comprised of girls aged 14 and below have entered this year’s competition at Mbita High School. Gethsemane Gardens will be coming from Mfangano Island, Wasaria and Temo will be coming from Rusinga Island and the other 14 teams will be from the mainland within Mbita District. Last year’s surprise champion was Milimani Academy, a new up and coming school. Temo finished in 2nd place and Christ’s Gift Academy was 3rd.

The competition will have 7 players aside on smaller fields to maximize opportunities for the players to be active and involved in the games. Each team will get three preliminary games before the knockout stages begin. All of the participants will receive lunch and each team will get a ball and certificate. The winning team will be given sh. 3,000 to share among the players as well as soccer jerseys and shorts for each player. The second and third place teams will also receive cash prizes.

Several guest speakers, including the Mbita District Quality Assurance Officer Mr. Ragot, will be coming to share with the nearly 200 girls participating and the spectators about issues that are affecting the girl child in this area.

Everyone is welcome to come and watch these young girls display their abilities on the football pitch.

Sakata Regional Finals

We took our top team to Kisumu this weekend for the Sakata Regional Finals. The best part was that it didn't cost us any money. The tournament paid for our transportation, meals and accomodation. Nothing came out of our own pocket. They put us up in a hotel and some of our girls were using flush toilets and taking hot showers for the first time.

When we reached on Friday afternoon, we trained for a short time and then they brought us to the conference room so a speaker could share with them about life skills. He talked about their future and their dreams. They discussed choices that would help them reach their dreams and obstacles that would derail their pursuit. He shared about discipline and hard work in the classroom and on the field. They received some great lessons.

When the tournament began on Saturday, we were matched against the best team in the semifinals. They were older women that compete in the Kenya Women's Premier League. When we first played them 4 years ago, they defeated us 9-0, then 4-0 three years ago, then 2-0 two years ago and finally 1-0 last year.

After about 5 minutes they scored their first goal on a cross that was headed over the goal keeper who had mistimed her jump. I think many people expected a blow-out, but we quickly rebounded by equalizing a few minutes later on a goal from Pauline Aoko. Unfortunately at the end of the 1st half we gave up another goal to go down 2-1. In the 2nd half Irine Achieng and Dorothy Adhiambo both had good shots at the goal, but were stopped by the goal keeper. Neither team converted another goal in the last half so it ended in a 2-1 defeat for us. The other team went on to win the finals in a lop-sided affair.

Our young girls put up a good fight, but couldn't pull it out in the end. We definitely made a positive impression. Even the next day, people around the field were still talking about the fight our girls put up. They didn't expect our young girls to be able hold a giant like that. They were commenting that our game was like the final because it was the two best teams. People were also impressed with our team's attitude towards the officials, referees and the other team.

It was a good showing, but it was unfortunate we couldn't have played one of the other two teams in the semifinals so that we could have reached the finals.

I am keeping faith that God will soon reward us for our faithfulness and honesty in these tournaments against some of the big teams.

Going to Regional Finals

We are taking our top 18 girls to Kisumu on Friday for the Sakata Nyanza Regional Finals. This is probably the strongest team we have ever taken to a tournament. As our young girls continue to grow and develop physically as well as improve their football skills, the team keeps getting better and better. We defeated two very good teams to reach this next stage.

There will only be four girls teams in Kisumu for the Regional Finals. The winning team will get a cash prize and a ticket to the National Finals, as well as each player receiving football cleats, socks, pads, shorts, jersey and a bag to carry it all in. That is a wonderful prize. The second place team will get a smaller cash prize.

The tournament is supposed to be for amateur players under the age of 23. Whenever you get good prizes like they have though, then many teams are tempted to cheat by bringing in players from other regions, or overage player or even professional players. So pray with us that there will be a fairness and equality to the tournament so that the right teams and right players are competing.

Our team is a mix of secondary girls with some 8th graders from primary schools. Pray for our safety as we travel and that we would bring glory to God by the way we play as a team, our effort and our attitude!