This One For The Fans... (Part 1)

Greetings fair ladies and gents, from all the way from Nyalgunga village, Alego Usonga County, where I’m currently enjoying my holiday. It is also good to note that I had to climb up the highest tree in the village to put up this post.

Rugby is a game played by gentlemen and watched by gentlemen….and as I found out, ladies, a lot of them, in this post I turn the spotlight away from the pitch and focus it on these ladies and gentlemen who religiously grace the stands.

To do this I decided to search for the top fans from the 12 Kenya Cup sides, through a democratic process of nomination. The individuals below are the embodiment of this quote,

“Rugby is not a sport, it’s not a game, it’s a way of life, it is a Belief!!”

After finding these persons, I put a few questions to them about the club they support, about them, finally culminating into this..

Below is their story, a closer look at them…

Due to the sheer size of the post, (it hit over 4000 words in the first draft) and seeing as this is not a book, I decided to do it in two posts. This will be the first instalment, the second will come to you tomorrow morning.

SHEILAH SHIREVE – HOMEBOYZ

I first saw my first interviewee during my first KCB game a while back, scared does not even begin to describe what I felt then, don’t let her size fool you. Before seeing her, I’d have easily said confidently that I was the loudest thing alive, try asking me that now. I remember she even had a seat in the KCB bus…

She has since then moved on to Homeboyz, my fear for her has also moved on, we are now buddies I can say, she’s my rugby big sister..

On a week day, Sheilah Shireve is a communication lead at one of the leading tech companies around, during the weekend she is simply Mama Homeboyz a true rugby lover, defending her boys from the side lines.

“I fell in love with the game as a young girl and ever since it has been a belief for me. Like I always say ‘Saturday is always a rugby day’ Oh! The LEGENDARY JONAH LOMU follows me on twitter and should I mention Dan Carter tweets me some times, but do I say!” (By sometimes she means He’s tweeted him once.) 

“I used to be a KCB fan, so when Homeboyz came up, at first it was curiosity of how the team was going to cope and play! Then they played so damn well, I loved it!!”

The best part about supporting the Homeboyz for her is that they are a family, whether they win or not they always have each other’s backs. “Also..we can really sing..” she adds, a fact that I can bare testimony to…Wacha tu! 

Her first game for the Homeboyz was in the then Universities league against KEMU in Meru, where they romped to a 93-0 win, “We were immediately promoted to the ESS after that,” she remembers, they went on unbeaten in that campaign.

A typical match day for her starts at 7:30 am, she completes house chores and gets ready for the game. She says she doesn't have a favourite player, this will come as a shock of sorts to all who know Sheilah, hehe, “They are all my favourite players. Each of them contributes differently to the team. They are amazing guys.”

Her favourite memory this year was the performance of the team at the NSC, “We got to two main cup semi-finals.”  A first for them, “Then in 15s, we were also the first team to beat defending Champions in the league, it felt great!”  Didn't they do it twice this year?

Her expectation for the rest of the season is that the Djs make it to the semi-finals of the Kenya Cup, “Then we will know what next from there.”

Her closing remarks to the club, “You are the best!” to the players, “Ni sisi mafans hu umia.” Hehe on a serious note she says, “Okay this is cliché but the truth never changes, Success never comes easy, you must work hard..sometimes you have to bleed.”

GALGALO GOLICHA – MACHINE

The next individual is a permanent fixture in everything that is Mean Machine, Galgalo Golicha stands out in more ways than one and is not afraid to show what team he’s rooting for, just in case you didn't already know.

The Financial analyst, yes he does have a day job says he was attracted to the Eschuma after his first game in 2008, because of its rich history, the team spirit, unity and brotherhood of the Mean Machine fraternity.

The best part about supporting the blue and white for Galgalo is the fact that they are always there for each other, in and out of the pitch.

A typical match day involves meeting up with guys at the University’s cafeteria, engaging in discussions about the game and obviously being a machine guy catching up with his drink. He however has left one part out, this dude carries packed lunch, talk about kujipanga..it comes in handy by the way he has saved me quite a number of times.

His favourite part in the pre match build up, the singing of the anthem, “My faith is built on nothing else, than the love of Mean Machine..”

His favourite player, Dennis Omulasu, best memory this year, the semi-final win against Impala at Floodies. His expectation from here is that the team finish in the top 5.

He concludes by saying, “The secret of success is sustained effort and a great will to win. As a team we should always focus and endeavour to achieve our best. To the fans, thank you for the support and please keep the spirit going.”

FLORENCE ACHIENG – MWAMBA.

Up next, Kulabu..here we find one Florence Achieng, or as she is known by most, Archy. The student says that she lives by what has become Mwamba’s slogan of late, “Tuko na Mungu!”

Her journey with the black shirts began when a friend invited her to a game, after that she says she fell in love immediately and her love for the game grew. “The players at Mwamba are family, they win, I win, they lose, I lose.”

The best part about supporting Kulabu for her is the appreciation the players show to the fans, “It makes one feel welcome and look forward to the next Saturday. I also love the social part, interacting with the players, basically having fun..” Yaani in short she’s saying the dunda..

She says she prefers wearing black on Match day, as it puts her in the mood and gives her a sense of belonging. “The t-shirt speaks for me, everyone knows who I support.”

Her favourite player is one, Dennis ‘the ghost worker’ Ombachi, her best memory this year was the Nakuru 10s (didn’t they lose that? hehe) she says that it’s a tour she cannot forget. 

Her expectation for the rest of the season is that the black shirts finally end their long Kenya Cup drought. 

She concludes by thanking the chairman and the club, for the warm welcome they hand the fans, saying she enjoys coming for the games and supporting the team. She urges fellow fans to continue supporting these great men, and to the players, “You are the reason we come out there, to support you, without you Saturdays would be..I don’t even know what they would be.”

MALIKA NAPASHAH – BLAKBLAD

Malika Napashah, a student at the Kenyatta University says her attraction to Blakblad was basically down to her need to exercise her vocals, and by vocals she means nothing close to music.

The best thing about supporting the Blad for her is seeing them giving their all on the pitch. ”They play with pride, sweat and sometimes even bleed but still keep on playing.”

Her first game proper was against next door neighbours USIU, and for once somebody remembers the score..22-0 she says it was. She adds that the match gave her the bragging rights as the ‘noisy neighbours’ had been just that before the match.

A typical match day involves an early night before D-day, she prefers wearing bright colours and unlike most fans stays sober for the game. (Bet you didn’t expect that from a Blad fan.) She performs a little ritual, which involves her wearing the team’s number 13 shirt before the game, this one famously worn by former captain George Okowa. “Believe me or not this worked as he always scored in every game..”  So does it work with the current holder of the jersey?

Her favourite player is rather obvious, former Captain Okowa, she says that they are yet to replace him, “In him was the true spirit of Blad..” She adds.

Her best memory this year, winning the nationwide league unbeaten, “It is always fresh in my mind and surely I will share it even with my grandchildren.”

On her expectations, “We have started the league on a very slow note but I hope my boys pick it up and make me proud. If not this year then it will be the next, cause the Blad must always flow.”

Her closing remarks to the entire Blakblad fraternity, “Even a mother waits 9 months to see her baby. We can also wait to see our time come because surely it will come. We will always make a score, as our anthem says. Patience will see us through as the boys are still adapting to drinking on the table of men.”

MICHELLE MUDANYA – STRATHMORE

Just when you thought the ladies were done with, in comes another beauty..this time, Ms. Michelle Mudanya popularly known as Mitchy a student at the Strathmore University predictably of the Strathmore Leos.

She was not a rugby lover at first and actually never believed she’d be such a staunch fan of Strathmore, she thanks her friends for tirelessly inviting her to watch the Leos. “Their spirit and determination was enough to gain my support.” She says, adding that the chants after a tough day made her happy.

The best part about supporting the Leos for her is sharing the joy of winning a game. Her first game was against Homeboyz on a Sunday she says, though she can’t remember the score she is pretty sure they won.

A typical match day for Mitchy begins at 10 am, she first confirms when the team bus will be leaving and then slips into something casual mostly jeans and a Leos Tee. She points out that she hangs around with the boys before the game except one Jeff Olwande who considers here a bad omen to the Catulus (Strath II), she mentions a funny friend Maria who they share 411 with during matches (in short Muchehne!). Win or lose she always bonds with the boys after the game..

She claims that she doesn't have a favourite player but goes ahead to say this, “..but there is one who always makes my day with his skills before he converts or takes a penalty. I call it ‘the dance’ and whenever he plays I remind him to do it.” Good try at concealing the identity, it surely can’t be Kioko..

Best memory so far was the thumping they handed Impala not so long ago..she says, “ It was a pretty tough game but seriously 59-10 win was more than I  could ask for. That game was just epic.”

Her expectations for this season are simple..Okombe. 

She concludes with the following message, “Rugby is a beastly game played by gentlemen. Always do your best 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year that’s what 27 is all about.”

KATE ODUNGA – QUINS

We complete this instalment with the defending champions, the Lunch Bar Quins and as if to prove that they are the team everyone loves to hate, this now hard core fan was once a hater of the quartered shirts.

Ms. Kate Odunga, a journalist by profession starts by admitting this fact, “I must confess I was among the proverbial harlequin haters for a while. They were proud, they stood out..they won almost all their games.” Question is, is she now one of the proud ones?

So how did she come to fall in love with the Quins, well it’s down to a certain who, “What I can remember was at that time a certain Allan Omuka was wooing me and had asked me to come watch him play.” After the stout winger’s insistence, Kate went to watch him play and notes that she was pleasantly surprised. 

”Their style of play was wonderful and after the game the guys were such good company, I actually enjoyed myself.”

“The best part about supporting my club is that they usually seem to get the strength from the support that we give them. It’s like the more the fans cheer the better they play,” She says. She remembers her first Quins game, against Nakuru a few seasons ago, they had already won the title a few weeks back but played like they were still chasing it she notes.

A typical match day for her involves making sure she’s done with her commitments by 1pm, then hook up with her rugby sidekick Angie, (who last time I checked was an Impala fan!) checking up on the Mr, then getting something to drink. 

I don’t think we need to ask her who her favourite player is, though she adds Patrice Agunda to the list, saying that “Sometimes I think rugby is like second nature to him.”    

Best memory for her, no prizes for guessing who it involves..that final try against Mwamba in the Christie sevens final. “The number of hand offs that Mwamba side received before the try..eeii it was Priceless!!” It is good to note at this point that Kate was a Kulabu fan before making the switch..

She expects the quartered shirts to return to winning ways after a recent slump. “I’d really like them to fight to the end, if it’s going down lets go down fighting.”

Her closing remarks, “Not every day is going to be easy, if times get tough people adapt, find new ways to survive so that when things start looking up you’ll be way ahead. That’s the essence of being Sure Strong and Superior!” She just had to say that…

A valuable lesson men can pick up from this story..Mwanaume ni persistence, unaona vile Omuka alingangana..na akatoboa

With that ladies and gentlemen….stay tuned for the second instalment involving the top fans from Impala, KCB, Western Bulls, Nakuru, Kisumu and Nondies!

This time it’s not Kwisha its..

NGOJA!!!!…Sijaruka Nje Bado..

See you Kesho, or later on today depending on the Network fluctuations here..
I do hope that you are going for the Red Touch Under Floodlites later on today at Impala!