KSSSA boys' football title-winning coach Sammy Adongo has challenged Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to support football the schools' level. He identified greater involvement of teachers in youth national teams and direct assistance to schools as two areas that could accelerate talent development.Adongo, a CAF D licence holder and former Goseta High School coach, made the proposal in Morogoro, Tanzania, where he was part of Kenya's school football contingent during the FEASSSA Games.##NAJAVA_MECA_9922016##His call comes after all four Kenyan football representatives failed to reach the knockout stages, with St Mary's Yala and Green Commandos finishing with a point each while Nyakach Girls and St Joseph's Girls Kitale missed out on the last eight on goal difference.Having spent much of his coaching career working with school-going players, the Western Region champion believes the federation needs to build a stronger bridge between schools and youth national teams.He wants qualified teachers who work with these players every day to be given opportunities to advance their coaching education and join the technical benches of the Under-15, Under-17 and Under-20 national teams."FKF has so far done very little in terms of giving chances to teachers because when you look at our youth teams, you find that they are school-going kids. Therefore, most of the people interacting with them at that stage are teachers," Adongo told Mozzart Sport."But when it comes to professional development, even getting that chance to go for coaching or scouting courses becomes difficult. Teachers are not involved when it comes to the national teams, even on the technical bench it is hard to find a teacher."TACTICAL ANALYSIS: Understanding how the Kenyan duo at Charlton faired against TottenhamThe coach says Kenya already has teachers holding CAF B, CAF C and CAF D licences who could contribute to youth development if given the opportunity to gain more experience at national level."We have teachers with CAF B, others with CAF C and others with CAF D, but I still feel FKF can help us by ensuring teachers handling kids at youth level are given a chance to develop as professional coaches," he added.According to Adongo, keeping teachers away from the technical benches creates a disconnect because the players are taken away from an environment where those coaches understand their development, education and day-to-day challenges."If you don't teach kids at this younger age, there is nothing that will help you when they grow. This is the stage to learn. The people who handle these kids, the majority of them have gone through the classroom and understand them," he explained. "You also find that TSC says coaches from outside who are not teachers are not supposed to be on the bench. Therefore, it becomes hard for the students to improve when the people who know them best are not given the opportunity to develop professionally and work with them at national level."FKFPL 26-27 PREVIEW: Mette-resurgency has Tusker believing they can do it allThe second area the young coach wants FKF to address is the support given to schools that consistently provide players to national teams.He pointed to the experience of Butere Girls and Nyakach Girls during this year's school football season, when both sides were affected by the release of key players to national team duty.Butere struggled at the county stage and were eliminated by Archbishop Njenga, while Nyakach eventually reunited with their players at the national stage."Students are being given chances, but look at what happened this year. Butere Girls suffered because of the FKF calendar. Players went to play for the national team during school games," offered Adongo."You find that Butere lost, but how has FKF helped them? The players went to play for the national team and they are the ones receiving allowances. What about the school?"Round One fixtures of 2026-2027 FKF Premier League season revealedHe believes the federation can follow the example set by neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania, where football authorities have provided equipment to schools and participating teams.He noted that FUFA supplied balls and jerseys to teams involved in the Ugandan school programme, while the Tanzania Football Federation also supported its representatives at the regional games."Even a coin, a ball or something to take back to the school would make a difference. In Uganda, they have the same type of balls and jerseys. FUFA has given them to schools, with each school receiving equipment," he said.STARS ABROAD: Vyner, Anyembe, Ochieng all in action on Friday nightThe coach feels Kenya can adopt a similar model without necessarily requiring a huge financial commitment.He adds that even a modest contribution to schools would strengthen the grassroots structures from which the national teams eventually draw their players."Each school has to cater for itself, but when it comes to the national team, you can take a player even if the school has a national final tomorrow. I feel FKF should also come through for schools and help them with equipment," he explained."They should know how many schools in Western and across the country have football programmes and distribute balls to them, even if it is only 20 balls per school. That would show that they are supporting the programmes in schools."##NAJAVA_MECA_9922053##The point, he argues, goes beyond rewarding schools for releasing players.Better equipment and stronger coaching structures at grassroots level would ultimately benefit the national teams themselves."If we don't have those balls, the national team will not get to know the players. These are the programmes that produce the players we eventually need at national level," added Adongo.
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