St. Joseph’s Girls Kitale are drawing strength from both football and faith as they continue their pursuit of a maiden Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association, FEASSSA, football title in Morogoro, Tanzania.
The Kenyan champions have made prayer an important part of their campaign, with players, coaches and school officials coming together after every match to pray and seek guidance, regardless of whether the team has won, drawn or lost.
Head coach Francis Ojilo in an interview says prayer has helped create unity within the squad, while some players have also chosen to fast as they seek spiritual strength and guidance throughout the tournament.
Ojilo says the players view their talent as a gift from God and believe that prayer gives them an opportunity to seek guidance as they compete on the regional stage,with the strong spiritual foundation becoming particularly important after St. Joseph’s experienced a slow start to their FEASSSA campaign.
The Kenyan champions opened the tournament with two draws, results that tested the players’ confidence and emotional stability. According to Ojilo, the technical team had to work on the players’ mental strength while also addressing their tactical weaknesses.
The coach says he reminded the players that the tournament was a long journey and that there was no reason to panic after the opening results. He encouraged them to remain focused and approach every match as an opportunity to improve.
St. Joseph’s finally found their scoring form when they produced a dominant display against Tanzania’s Kilombero Secondary School, securing a convincing 5-0 victory at Jamhuri Stadium.
Conny Ayieko was among the standout performers, scoring twice, while Miriam Silali, Fleviah Khatenje and Beryl Akumu also found the back of the net.
The emphatic victory lifted St. Joseph’s to five points from three matches and significantly strengthened their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.
Ojilo says the technical team had placed particular emphasis on composure in the final third after the players struggled to convert their chances in the opening two matches.
The coach was pleased with the response, saying the players implemented the instructions effectively and created more scoring opportunities.
Away from the pitch, prayer continues to remain central to the team’s routine. Chief Principal Dr. Rosebella Khatenje Munzala has also joined the players and technical bench during their post-match prayers, reinforcing the school’s strong Catholic foundation.
St. Joseph’s Girls Kitale arrived at the FEASSSA championships after making history by winning their first-ever Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association national girls’ football title.
That national triumph earned them the opportunity to represent Kenya at the East African competition, where they are now seeking to add another major achievement to their growing football history.
As the decisive stages of the tournament approach, the Trans Nzoia-based side are combining tactical preparation, improved finishing, mental resilience and faith in their pursuit of regional glory.
For St. Joseph’s Girls Kitale, the dream of lifting their first FEASSSA title is being pursued not only through hard work on the football pitch, but also through prayer, fasting and a strong belief that their historic journey can go all the way to the top.
