KFAF President Mr. Alwanga, accompanied by Director of Competitions Mr. Waweru, met the senior leadership at NYS Headquarters in Nairobi to present flag football and its opportunities. Interest in expanding the sport and raising awareness grew after the recent success of the NFL Africa Flag competition, which brought together 15 teams.
Flag belts for the men’s and women’s teams, along with game balls, were donated to support the initiative. KFAF also pledged to send certified coaches to train and develop the new teams ahead of the season beginning in October.
“Our focus is to expand the sport into more regions, sporting diversity, and promote its inclusive nature. With flag football now an Olympic sport, and increased international competitions there is no better time to bring it to the masses,” said KFAF President Mr. Alwanga.
“We have young people who can embrace the sport and not merely compete, but dominate. Sports such as kabaddi and rugby are already well established here, and our teams perform strongly in their respective federation leagues. I assure you that NYS will compete for the title when the league begins in October,” said Mr. Matheka, Head of Sports and co-corricular.
These encouraging words from the senior leadership reflect its commitment to empowering young people.
The day continued with Mr. Waweru teaching the new players the basics of flag football before leading them in a lively scrimmage that generated excitement.
“This is an exciting sport. Drawing on my experience in other sports, I find flag football easy to understand and play. Most importantly, it is fun and energetic,” said the newly appointed women’s captain, who earned the role after an outstanding performance during the day’s demonstration.
Waweru remarked, “The turnout and reception we received today were incredible. The energy and enthusiasm for this new sport are clear. A new team always brings renewed momentum, and I look forward to seeing NYS compete in our sanctioned competitions.”
This is the kind of growth and positive progress we seek as we make the sport accessible to more people.
“Introducing a new sport here is straightforward, and a successful programme can lead to adoption in at least five more regions as we expand it across the country. We will support its growth within our institutions, and it would be an honour to see some of our talent join the national team,” said Matheka, the officer in charge of sports.
