Kenya will be making their maiden appearance at the Under 19 Women Lacrosse World Championships in Toronto, Canada next month starting from August 1st to 10th.
A squad of 18 players under the tutelage of Storm Trentham will be jetting out of the country on Monday evening as the first African country to compete at the championships.
Kenya is pooled alongside Germany, Jamaica, Korea and China but that has not threatened Trentham, the former UK national coach.
The sport that was introduced in Kenya 2009 features school-going girls who will be flying Kenyan flag.
Trentham said: “I saw the boys playing football and rugby while girls did not have any, hence introducing to give girls an opportunity to play and focus on something new. The girls are excited as the first team to play at the World Lacrosse championships.”
The team has been camping at the Moi Girls high school in Eldoret
She said that the girls will be taking on new challenges and we will be travelling a week earlier for them to acclimatize ahead of the two weeks championships.
Captain Victory Akinyi was optimistic of surprising the bigwigs at the championships following their intense training.
“We have really trained and worked hard for about two years and as a team, we expect good results. Hard work pays and that is what we are working on. We want to reach knock-out stages not exiting at the preliminaries. We want to go far and play against the so-called good teams from the world like the USA who have played in all the championships unlike some of us who have only played for two years. We believe we will emerge the top two. What we want as a team is to better our stick work but we are fine in terms of speed work and fitness,” said Akinyi.
Kenya Lacrosse team to Canada
Doreen Indasi Lumwachi, Victoria Nasimiyu Makokha, Faith Shitote Mukasa, Esther Christine Anai, Moureen Akhonywa Atieno, victory Akinyi Odhiambo, Susan Jepleting, Daphne Chelagat, Joyce Asumbate Akhalakwa, Lina Anzala, Sharon Opari Makokha, Glyde Pepela, Flora Chebii, Michele Ann Wesonga, Mackline Osaji, Sara Kiecha Kagwiria, Diana Nekesa Mokaya and June Agneta Narotso.
World under pooling
A. Canada, USA, England and Australia
B. New Zealand, Japan, Wales and Scotland
C. Germany, Jamaica, Korea, China and Kenya
D. Czech, Ireland, Mexico, Uganda and Chinese Taipei
E. Israel, Haudenosaunee, Hong Kong, Belgium and Puerto Rico.