Kenya American Football Federation (KFAF) president George Alwanga believes American football can borrow valuable lessons from rugby as it seeks to grow its profile and build a stronger following in the country.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsAlwanga, a confessed rugby fan, attended the Christie and Kabeberi 7s tournaments, where he had the opportunity to observe firsthand how rugby has built a strong community around the sport.For Alwanga, the biggest lesson is the importance of creating a community while building meaningful partnerships that can help take the sport to the next level.Millions Kenya Sevens players were to earn from Ultimate 7s“I am a rugby fan by default. Back in high school, I was in Chavakali High School, and it was a very dominant school when it came to rugby in Western, and by default I became a rugby fan. However, I never got a chance to play rugby competitively, but I played inter-class within school, and that’s it,” Alwanga told Mozzart Sport.“One thing that KFAF can pick from rugby is the community. The community is a big thing, and also partnerships. They play a huge role in developing the sport in the country,” he continued.##NAJAVA_MECA_9961678##The Chavakali Boys alumnus was particularly impressed by the partnerships surrounding rugby, noting that they demonstrated the possibilities available when a sport packages itself effectively for potential sponsors.“For instance, I didn't even know there was a possibility of a partnership between rugby and Powerlast Battery Company. It is just an eye-opener that we just need to package ourselves better to attract sponsorships and partners that can actually work, and buy into the vision of the federation,” he added.President Ruto defends Sports Fund securitisation amid Ksh100 billion repayment concernsBeyond partnerships, Alwanga believes competitions will be central to American football’s development.He argued that KFAF needs more frequent, organised and structured competitions to build a sustainable ecosystem while giving players more opportunities to compete.“To get to where rugby is, we need to have lots of competitions. We need to do better organised and structured competitions; they also need to be more frequent and, most importantly, be the base of operations,” he said.##NAJAVA_MECA_9961634##The lack of a permanent home remains one of the challenges facing American football in Kenya. According to Alwanga, the federation continues to rely heavily on university facilities, limiting its ability to create the kind of match-day experience that has become synonymous with rugby.“As a federation, we still depend on university facilities, which is a bit of a challenge when it comes to setting up an after-party like in rugby. I believe that once we have a base of operations where we can do activities beyond the sport, then it could be the beginning of a new era, and a sport that people can fall in love with,” he said.Seasoned track coach beats nine to land prestigious government jobAlwanga also took time to appreciate what he saw on the pitch during his visits to the National 7s Circuit. Kabras emerged as his team of the tournament.Meanwhile, KFAF is preparing for another significant moment in the growth of American football in Kenya when flag football takes centre stage on Sunday, 20 September.For the first time, the federation will stage a flag football tournament on an artificial turf surface under full floodlights at M-Pesa Foundation Academy in Thika.##NAJAVA_MECA_9961663##The pre-season opener will feature 16 confirmed teams, with 10 men's sides and six women's teams set to battle for honours as they prepare for the 2026/27 season.The women's competition promises an intriguing contest, with the Hurricanes and JKUAT Sparlettes renewing their rivalry.The Hurricanes, who had six players in the national squad that competed at the 2026 NFL Africa Continental Championship, will be looking to use the tournament to make a strong statement ahead of the new season.CAF President Patrice Motsepe to visit Nairobi as AFCON 2027 preparations intensifyHowever, the JKUAT Sparlettes enter the competition with confidence after being crowned KFAF League champions in 2025.The men's competition, meanwhile, features 10 teams, with the much-anticipated clash between Nyati and Sparrows expected to attract significant attention.The two sides have developed one of the fiercest rivalries in Kenyan flag football, having faced each other since the early days of competitive flag football in the country.##NAJAVA_MECA_9961658##Their meetings have traditionally brought heightened intensity and competitiveness, making their clash under the lights at M-Pesa Foundation Academy one of the standout fixtures of the tournament.