The multi-discipline Kenya University Sports Federation KUSF) has been urged to look for partners to end the financial challenges while competing in various disciplines.
As one of the most competitive federations, bringing together all sporting disciplines under one umbrella, funding has remained the hindrance even taking a team to international championships.
Dr. Alice Mutai, the Ag Dean of Students at the Moi University said that as finances are a big issue when to come to sporting activities.
Speaking during the KUSF Conference at the Moi University School of Law, Annex, Mutai said that many a times, the budget they raise may not cater for everything.
“The funds we collect may not be enough but all in all, whatever we get from the university, and friends, we still use it for the best of our students. I want to encourage sports people that let us not look at the university finances only but go out there to get friends to collaborate to get into the international map,” said Mutai.
She added that funding is a real issue not just in sports but is an elephant in any institution and the little they get may not fund all the activities and so they narrow down to disciplines that will make sure may take us far in competitions.
“The funds we get from activity fee that may not cater for facilities, equipment and facilitation but as we work, we look out there to incorporate sponsors and partners to support in terms of uniform, equipment,” she said.
With the country struggling to build modern sports facilities to meet international standards, Mutai said that it is the same with the universities.
“We may not have a national or international outlook for our facilities like fields are not standard but we have not failed to train students. Our fields are used for multiple disciplines but when we go to international standards, we lose out. It is not about fields to make people win but the skills. We need the skills before we train them to lead at the international level and we go ahead to win because of the athletes resilient,” she added.
KUSF Secretary General Joan Adalo pointed out that since they have met to chat the way forward in their federation, ehis approach should leverage on quality.
“With the theme on Leverage University sports for the future, we are here to make it happen. Those doing research, training, all are here and next future in sports. We started with a few institutions but at now, we are at over 60 and we want to look at how our numbers will serve us in supporting the sport,” said Adalo.
She reiterated that currently, they have many activities basing on students’ numbers that they have.
“We are a multi-functional sport organization, where we are able to leverage all sporting disciplines. That brings a challenge in coordinating all disciplines in one venue with few facilities, financing remains a challenge to ensure or stage all the disciplines, then academic calendar since we are not open throughout the year especially during long holiday,” said Adalo.
The federation’s president Kibet Rono said that they want to talk on how to run sports in universities.
“This discussion shall help in running sports from the six conferences and the national level. We are supposed to present a team for the World University Games in Germany in July. And we are very keen and answerable to students because the tutors have been employed by universities specifically to education them. We have a duty to do so accurately,” he said.
Within the conference, he said that there were getting presentations from the technical, administrative, organization, social among others that when they leave, they are well equipped and there will be change in handling such institutions.