After spending nearly a decade building his rugby career at Strathmore Leos, Barnabas Owuor felt it was time to step outside a familiar environment and experience the game from a different perspective.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsOwuor joined Nondies on loan from Strathmore Leos during the recently closed transfer window, according to the Kenya Rugby Union transfer list, bringing to an end, at least temporarily, a 10-year association with the Varsity side.The forward had enjoyed an impressive season in the shortened game with Strathmore, while also remaining a consistent figure in their 15s setup over recent seasons. Daystar Falcons coach reveals secret behind consistent National 7s Circuit runHis move to Nondies has since added depth and dynamism to the club's forward pack as they target a strong campaign.He made his debut in the famous Nondies white shirt during the Ruff N Tuff 7s tournament and has quickly become an important figure in their National 7s Circuit campaign.But for Owuor, the move was about much more than simply changing clubs.##NAJAVA_MECA_9936822##Owuor's time at Strathmore went beyond rugby. The institution became an important part of his transition into adulthood, shaping both his sporting and professional journey."I had been at Strathmore for a decade, about 10 years, and I think the team shaped my proper adult life. It was not just about sport; it also shaped my education and professional life. Those 10 years were a really good and eventful period for me,” he told Mozzart Sport.Brian Tanga opens up on balancing fatherhood with demanding rugby scheduleEven after leaving the rugby team, Owuor has maintained a connection with the institution, where he continues to work as a lecturer.That made the move to Nondies less of a clean break and more of an opportunity to step away from the routine he had known for years."When I left Strathmore, I was not leaving completely because we still share a lot. I am still working at the school as a lecturer. ##NAJAVA_MECA_9936800##Leaving the team was more about taking a break from the usual and allowing myself to pivot, try a different direction, and see the world from a different perspective,” he explained.Owuor's rugby journey at Strathmore had taken him from a rookie learning the basics of the game to a player who earned national team recognition.Having experienced virtually every stage of his development within the Strathmore system, he felt that a change of environment could provide a different kind of education.2025 loss to Strathmore students fueling KCB ahead of pivotal Embu 7s leg"Rugby-wise, I had experienced Strathmore from when I started as a rookie who did not know much about the game to a point where I was called up to the national team. I believe seeing and experiencing a culture outside Strathmore, but still within the Kenya Rugby space, would be beneficial for me,” he offered.For Owuor, Nondies provides an opportunity to understand the game beyond the structures he had become accustomed to at Strathmore.##NAJAVA_MECA_9936769##He believes the experience is exposing him to a different side of club rugby, particularly the networks and realities that exist outside a university setup."It is also a wake-up call to some of the realities of rugby: the networks that go beyond the school setup and into a club that competes on its own. At Strathmore, we competed in the club category, but we were still a university side. So experiencing that difference is important. It is a culmination of so many things beyond just rugby,” he offered.Kenya Simbas back-rower joins French clubWhile the move has given Owuor the fresh challenge he was looking for, he admits that adjusting to a new club culture takes time.His early experience at Nondies, however, has been positive, with the forward embracing the opportunity to learn how another established Kenyan rugby club operates."Life at Nondies has been quite interesting. I am adapting and still learning the culture of the club," Owuor said.##NAJAVA_MECA_9936793##For him, the learning process extends beyond what happens on the pitch."I don't think it is just about learning rugby, but also about doing things differently. At the end of the day, it is still the same rugby, friendship, and support that we have within the values of the game,” he averred.After 10 years at Strathmore, Owuor's move to Nondies represents a new chapter rather than an ending.Why Strathmore Leos' Patrick Kluivert went against the grain to play rugbyHe leaves behind a club that played a major role in his development, while gaining an opportunity to test himself in a different environment.