Feature : Oscar Ouma (Player of the Year 2011)

PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA - DECEMBER 10, Oscar Ouma (Kenya) during the Shield Final during day 2 of the 2011 IRB PE Sevens at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on December 10, 2011 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.Photo by Richard Huggard / Gallo Images

*Shangwe na vigelegele, ululations nini vuvzela sounds..* This right here, is my rather our 50th post ladies and gents, first up I want to thank you all for reading this through out the 50 posts, here is to many more! 
I know I know it doesn't look like much but trust me it is..mtoto ako 50 weeks old ni mtu mkubwa..
I have decided to dedicate my 50th post to the OSBK player of the year 2011, and put up something other than a preview or a review while presenting to y'all a new writter all in one post, yes I am that good. 

Below is an interview that was done a while ago, one that I have not had time to put up in time..but finally.
The Interview on OSBK player of the year 2011, Oscar Ouma (remember the poll..yes that one!) was done by one Ms. Rebecca 'Becky' Nguru or as she is fondly known 'Apple Bottoms' (@bubblebottoms)...here is what she had on perhaps her favourite rugby player this side of the Sahara..maybe after Collins Kimani, I don't know...

Standing at 182cm, weighing 96kgs, this utility player is a force to reckon with in the rugby world. The soft spoken winger/prop/flanker attributes his success to Nakuru RFC famously known as (Wanyore) in the rugby fraternity. At 23years, he has managed to secure a position in the national 7s purely on merit and I think we can agree with him on this one. Nakuru RFC’s open side flanker Oscar Ouma made his debut for the national seven-a-side team in 2009 and he is bound to be the next big name in Kenya rugby. 

Having been trailed and scouted by Benjamin Ayimba (former 7s coach), Oscar Ouma earned a call up to the team and his growth has been steady since. Mitch Ocholla having taken over Ayimba has moulded Ouma into a high end player. Although the league is way different outside there compared to the local/club level rugby that he is used to, Ouma commends the senior players for giving him a chance to be the player that he is today by advising him and allowing him to learn from his mistakes.

Oscar in action vs Argentina in the USA plate final.

He reckons Namcos is his role model locally. This he claims is because of the hurdles that he has endured form juggling school, family and gainful employment and still finding time to enjoy the game and mentor others. He also admires Namcos’ ability to battle with injury and he hopes, that he can make a comeback soon because he is instrumental to the team. Internationally, Ouma has his eyes fixed on the New Zealand player Mc Caw. He admires Caw’s dedication to the game and the team which is what the sport should be about says Ouma.

He has risen through the ranks and was instrumental in Kenya’s good performance at the 2009 Junior Rugby World Trophy which Kenya hosted. Ouma’s trademark is crunching tackles and mobility. Prior to his call up, he had attracted a lot of attention form top Kenya Cup sides Kenya Harlequin FC and Impala. However, this high spirited player decided to remain in Nakuru because his childhood dream had always been to play for the Wanyore and Nakuru is his hometown.

Oscar is currently pursuing a degree course in Computer Technologies JKUAT main campus and he hopes that in 2yrs he will be a computer analyst or something akin to his line of study.

While rugby for some of us might just seem like a game, Ouma has a different take. “Rugby has been a big factor in my life it has changed my life for the best. It has made me go places I didn’t imagine I’d go and I have met some of the most influential people in the country and abroad. It has also affected my spiritual life in that I have come to understand that my talent is a gift from God and so I thank him for giving me a chance to do it. I also pray that He preserves me and give me the strength to keep on playing the game.”

He also thanks God that through rugby, he can now be able to pay his school fees and give back to the society especially the Nakuru fraternity which was the major character in his success story. “Rugby has opened up so many opportunities for me and it feels good to give back to the society and relieve my parents of some duties.” He however finds it hard to juggle rugby and school but he strives to do his best. When I ask him about how he handles all the attention he gets, you can see how he struggles to be as objective and diplomatic as he can. His response however throws me off balance. Wait for it – “It’s challenging dealing with it but the best thing to do is be humbled and appreciate your fans coz you are who u are coz of their support and being humbled is the way to go.” Talk about humility. This man acknowledges that his fan base has made him who he is today and he appreciates them *am his greatest fan btw*

So what’s this Mnyore’s parting shot as this interview comes to a close?

Triple A and Double O after a work out, this must have been Vegas.

“The way things are, rugby is going to be a big sport in kenya since people have embraced it a good sport with discipline not as kitambo the way people took rugby as a sport for hooligans…the players who are making it big in the game are also making it big in their respective fields.”

Well there you have people…Oscar Ouma player of the year 2011.

Double 'O' (that's his nickname from leo) is currently doing duty with the Kenya fifteens team in Tunisia for the CAR 1A championships, more on this and many more in the next post..

With that ladies and gents, for the 50th time....

KWISHA!!!