How Brookside sponsorship spiced up national Term One school games

The level of competition witnessed at this year’s Brookside Secondary Schools’ Term 1 Games point to growing sporting talent in the country.

The games, which were staged at different venues in Eldoret are arguably the greatest individual schools’ sporting event in Kenya, thanks to a lumpsome sponsorship package by milk processor Brookside Dairy.

During the week-long contest, schools fought it out for honours in basketball, handball, hockey, rugby, swimming and athletics, with sizeable crowds lining up along the perimeters of the playing pitches at the main venue at Hill School and at fields at Moi Girls Eldoret, Nova Pioneer School and the Eldoret Club,

Brookside’s massive branding of the venues provided an optical awe with its blue colours fluttering in the wind, as players put their best foot forward in the race for the honours.

But nothing would compare to the milk processor’s branded playing kit supplied to each player in the event.  Brookside’s brand colours sat conspicuously kit– each player received two pairs.

The director of secondary schools at the ministry of education, Mr. Paul Kibet lauded Brookside;’s sponsorship, which he said had seen the levels of competition at the games grow in leaps and bounds.

“On behalf of the ministry, I thank Brookside and other stakeholders for supporting our students in the furtherance of their sporting skills,” Mr Kibet, who represented education principal secretary Dr Belio Kipsang’ at the closing ceremony, said.

Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association secretary general David Ngugi said the milk firm has been at the forefront in supporting talent identification under its sports sponsorship programme.

“We are grateful to Brookside Dairy, who have been instrumental in helping our youth to identify their talent at the schools’ games. The company has ensured that there is equity and parity among all students taking part as they have provided all of them with playing kit,” Ngugi said.

Team coaches interviewed by the People Daily want the Ministry of Education to engage Brookside to ensure that the Kenyan team to the East Africa Schools’ Games are kitted by the processor. The regional games will be held in Huye, Rwanda.

“The Ministry of Education and the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association need to open talks with Brookside so that the Kenyan teams can receive colourful kitting for the regionals. It’s about national pride,” Bulimo said.

Meanwhile, a number of new comers put up spirited fights at the Games, pointing to the immense interest schools continue to show in the Term 1 tourney. Even though they eventually fell by the wayside, the first timers appear to have amassed the requisite experience needed for a powerful comeback at next year’s games.

Little known Ototo Girls from Homa Bay caused a scare at the preliminary stages of the girls’ basketball when they former national champions Kaya Tiwi of Kwale 45-42. Wajir High put up a spirited fight, and despite going down 52-05 to Nyanza’s Onjiko, the boys from the north gave their all in a pulsating preliminary encounter.

Homa Bay’s Miranga etched their name into the Game’s record book when they beat favoured Dagoretti 33-22 in around one clash.