Cardinal Otunga High School Mosocho's return to the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Rugby Sevens national stage after ten years has been built on more than well executed set pieces and hours of training on the pitch.Behind the Nyanza champions' run to the national final is a deliberate focus on mental fitness, with former Kenya Simbas and Kenya Shujaa flanker Martin Owila Omondi working behind the scenes to prepare the players for the pressure that comes with competing against the country's best schools.##NAJAVA_MECA_9878609##The four time Elgon Cup winner forms part of the Kisii based school's technical bench as a mental fitness and wellness consultant, a role that complements the work of the coaching staff by helping players develop confidence, resilience and composure before stepping onto the field.That approach has helped Cardinal Otunga enjoy one of their finest campaigns in recent history, reaching the national final for the first time in a decade, before settling for silver after losing to Butula Boys.The Red City Warriors also secured qualification for this month's Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) Games in Morogoro, Tanzania.Speaking to Mozzart Sport, the former KCB RFC forward explained that his responsibility was never to change how the players trained, but to strengthen the mindset with which they approached every match."When I joined Cardinal Otunga, I found a very good technical team that had already done excellent work with the boys. They had prepared them well in terms of skills and tactics, so my responsibility was to build the mental aspect of their game," he said."When players become mentally strong, they remain calm under pressure, trust the process and continue believing in themselves even when matches become difficult. That is what has stood out about this team throughout the tournament."KSSSA: Kinale, Butula clinch Rugby Sevens crowns as Ikutha and Agoro Sare reign in 3×3 BasketballThe Mentor Me Initiative founder believes mental preparation has become one of the biggest differences between winning and losing at the highest level of school sport."Talent alone is no longer enough because every team at the nationals has quality players. The difference comes when you are able to stay focused, recover quickly after mistakes and make the right decisions when the pressure rises."One of the biggest psychological boosts for the squad came before the competition had even begun.Instead of making the long journey by road, Cardinal Otunga travelled to Nairobi by air, giving most of the players their first experience aboard an aircraft.The former Kenya international says the trip was carefully planned to motivate the squad and widen their ambitions beyond the school games."We kept asking the boys whether it would be their first time flying and almost all of them said yes. We wanted them to understand that this is the kind of life hard work in sport can open for them.""The flight reduced fatigue, but more importantly it gave them belief. It showed them that rugby can take them to places they have never imagined and that one day travelling with Kenya Sevens or the Simbas can become their reality."KSSSA: From borrowing bus fare to watch volleyball, Mwitoti star dreams of building an academy back homeThe public health practitioner praised the school's administration for embracing the idea, saying exposing the players to such an experience became another lesson outside the rugby field."I really appreciate our chief principal for supporting the team. The journey was not just about getting to Nairobi. It became part of preparing the boys mentally because they began seeing what is possible if they remain disciplined and committed to the game."Motivation within the camp did not end with the flight.The technical bench also turned to Cardinal Otunga's rich rugby history, using former players to remind the current squad that they were following a path already walked by some of Kenya's finest rugby talents.Current Kenya Sevens international Samuel Asati donated the jerseys the team wore during the regional championships, while stories of previous Cardinal Otunga teams became part of the players' daily motivation.KSSSA: Inside Kirangari fly-half’s plan to use rugby to rescue mother from restaurant workThe former Top Fry Nakuru loose forward said those reminders gave the players confidence that they were capable of restoring the school's place among Kenya's rugby powerhouses."We reminded the boys about the 2010 team that reached the nationals and produced players like Olympian Jacob Ojee, who is now coaching KCB Rugby.""We also spoke about the 2016 team led by Samuel Asati. The jerseys we used during the regional championships came from him, so every time the boys wore them they knew they were representing a legacy.""Our message was simple. It had been ten years since Cardinal Otunga reached the nationals, but that did not mean it could not happen again. If those teams achieved it before, this group could also write its own history."That belief became evident throughout the competition as Cardinal Otunga negotiated a difficult path to the final.##NAJAVA_MECA_9878407##The Red City Warriors edged Kitondo School 7-5 before overpowering Tononoka Secondary 29-0 and beating Laiser Hill Academy 7-5 to finish the group stage unbeaten.They carried the same determination into the knockout rounds, eliminating Kwale High School 10-7 before edging Upper Hill School 10-5 to seal a place in the championship match against defending champions Butula Boys.Although the campaign ended with a 26-0 defeat in the final, the former Kenya Shujaa forward believes the journey reflected the remarkable growth of school rugby and the character shown by his players."From the county games to the regionals and then the nationals, we kept facing very strong teams. We respected every opponent, but we never feared anyone because the boys trusted the work they had put in.""School rugby has improved a lot. Almost every pool at the nationals felt like a pool of death, but the tougher the competition became, the more our players believed they belonged at this level."KSSSA: Kwanthanze bounce back as Kesogon and Mwitoti maintain perfect run in volleyballHaving represented Kenya in both the sevens and fifteen-a-side game before transitioning into youth mentorship and public health, the former Simbas forward says helping young players develop the right mindset has become just as fulfilling as winning trophies during his playing career.For Cardinal Otunga, that mental transformation has already delivered one reward in the form of a national silver medal.The next challenge now awaits in Morogoro, where the Nyanza champions will hope the same belief carries them onto the East African stage.