St Joseph Starlets of Murang’a ended Barcelona Rising Starlets’ dominance of the Central Region with a convincing 5-1 victory in the girls’ final of the Safaricom Chapa Dimba tournament held at Wang’uru International Stadium in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, on Sunday.
The win saw St. Joseph Starlets claim their first regional title, while Laikipia Youth Soccer Academy (LYSA) retained the boys’ crown after beating MASFO Academy 1-0.
Patience Waithera was the difference in the girls’ final, scoring four goals as St. Joseph Starlets produced a dominant display against Barcelona, who had won the regional title three times.
Iffy Moraa scored the other goal for St. Joseph from the penalty spot.
In the boys’ final, LYSA secured their third regional title after Patrick Ngaira converted a penalty in the 19th minute to give his side a 1-0 victory over MASFO Academy.
The two winners each received Sh250,000 and will represent the Central Region at the national finals, with the eventual national champions set to pocket Sh1 million.
But for organisers, the competition is increasingly being used to address a bigger challenge facing young footballers: how to turn raw talent into sustainable opportunities.
Safaricom Mount Kenya General Manager Patrick Mburu said the age limit had been reduced to under 17 in the fifth edition to give players more time to develop before moving into higher levels of competition.
He said starting the players at a younger age would also give scouts and coaches enough time to identify and nurture talent towards under-23 competitions and eventually professional football.
“This gives these children a longer period to perfect and nurture their talents,” Mburu said.
The organisers have also tied the football programme to education, with top performers at the national level set to benefit from scholarships under the Citizens of the Future programme.
Mburu said qualifying beneficiaries would be supported through university education, ensuring that players have an educational foundation even as they pursue sporting careers.
The tournament has further incorporated technology in talent identification, with players using Catapult performance-tracking vests to collect data on their movement and performance during matches.
The data is expected to help coaches assess players while giving scouts additional information when identifying promising talent.
Safaricom Brand Director Zizwe Awuor Vundla said the emergence of St Joseph Starlets as regional champions showed the importance of persistence in developing young talent.
She said the regional winners would now focus on the national finals, while the best players will also have an opportunity to join an All-Star team expected to participate in the Gothia Cup.
For St Joseph captain Fatuma Bensuda, the victory was the reward for remaining consistent and working hard.
She said the team was grateful for the opportunity to compete at the regional level and for the scholarships supporting the players’ education.
Bensuda urged other young girls interested in football to remain disciplined and determined, saying talent must be matched with hard work.
St. Joseph coach Joffrey Muteme said qualifying for the national finals had been the team’s target from the beginning.
By David Wandeto
