St. Mary’s School Yala head coach Clavince Odongo says his players are determined to reward Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga for his belief in the school by winning the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) national boys’ football title.
The Siaya County side are enjoying a dream debut at the national games after qualifying for the finals for the first time in the school’s history, a milestone Odongo believes is directly linked to the partnership between St. Mary’s Yala and the Michael Olunga Football Academy (MOFA).
The Black Saints made a winning start to their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Menengai High School at Mpesa Foundation Academy on Sunday, taking the first step towards what they hope will be a historic title run. For Odongo, however, the story started four years ago when Olunga chose St. Mary’s Yala as one of the schools to partner with through his academy, alongside Agoro Sare and Kisumu Day.
Founded by the Qatar-based striker, MOFA was established to identify and nurture talented footballers aged 10 to 18 while ensuring they continue their education. The academy also runs a National Super League (NSL) side, providing young players with a pathway into elite football. According to Odongo, Olunga’s decision to invest in St. Mary’s Yala was inspired by the vision of the school’s principal, Victor Omondi Makanda, whom the Harambee Stars captain had worked with during his stint at St. Anthony’s Boys Kitale.
Four years later, the partnership has produced one of the biggest moments in the school’s football history, with Yala qualifying for the national championships unbeaten after defeating Kisumu Day, another school under the MOFA program, in the Nyanza Region final. The gaffer now believes the best way to thank Olunga is by delivering the one prize that has so far eluded the school.”I want to thank Michael Olunga for believing in St. Mary’s Yala. Four years ago, when our principal, Mr Victor Omondi Makanda, joined this school from St Anthony’s Kitale, Olunga believed in his vision and decided to partner with us. He committed his resources, trusted the program, and gave these boys an opportunity to grow both in class and on the football pitch,” he told Mozzart Sport.” Today, everyone can see the results of that decision. We are at the national games for the first time in our history, and that is not by accident. It is a product of hard work, proper planning and the support we have received through that partnership.”
The coach says simply reaching the national stage is not enough for a team that has exceeded expectations throughout the season.”The project is now almost four years old, and we believe the greatest way to appreciate Michael Olunga is by winning this title for him. We want to make him proud because he has invested so much in these boys. We have already made history by reaching the nationals, but we do not want history to stop there.
We want to finish the job.”Odongo also lauded his players for showing composure in their opening victory over Menengai, insisting the performance confirmed they have what it takes to compete against the country’s traditional football powerhouses.”It was a difficult opening match because every team wants to start with a win. The boys handled the pressure very well, stayed disciplined and showed character when it mattered. That victory has given us confidence, but we know the tournament has only just begun.””This is our first time at the national games, but we have not travelled to Thika to make up the numbers. We are here to compete, to represent Nyanza with pride and to show that St Mary’s Yala deserves to be mentioned among the best school teams in the country.
With matches against Highway Secondary School and Tononoka still to come in the group stage, the teacher says his side will approach every fixture with the same mentality.”We are taking one game at a time, but our target does not change. Every match is a final for us, and we want to keep winning until the very end. The boys are focused, they believe in themselves, and they know what this opportunity means, not just for the school but for everyone who has supported this journey.”