Inspired by dad, Musanga ready to make a mark with Junior Starlets
As the Junior Starlets embark on a 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualification journey, one of the dependable players in the team is Marion Musanga Serenge.
The form-four student at the Arch Bishop Njenga Girls High School is daughter to former Harambee Stars and AFC Leopards midfielder Fred Serenge.
Musanga says she is working extra hard to make the senior Serenge proud father, drawing inspiration from what he achieved during his heydays at Tusker, AFC Leopards and the national team.
“He supports me in everything in this football journey and beyond. He gives me anything that I need to be better. We communicate regularly while in camp here and he often reminds me of the need to work hard so that I can achieve my goals and for sure I have to push more to make him proud,” Musanga told People Sports in an exclusive interview.
This is not the first call up for the talented speedy forward. She was given a nod last year by Coach Beldine Odemba during the U20 World Cup qualifiers. Even though she was part of the team, she did not manage to feature against Angola and Cameroon in the second and third round respectively as Kenya was eliminated by the latter.
After that disappointment of failing to make a maiden debut with Rising Starlets, Musanga is beaming with confidence that the time is ripe for her to make a remarkable contribution with the Junior Starlets.
“I did not play last year in the U20 team and the fact did not feature that I want to give my best here with the Junior Starlets to ensure that we qualify to the World Cup.”
Despite her young age, Musanga has gained multiple experiences that will be helpful to the team as they face Ethiopia this Friday in Addis Ababa and the return leg in Nairobi on May 19.
Last March, she was part of the Talanta Hela Girls team that went to Barcelona Spain under the guidance of coach Jackline Juma. While in Spain, the Talanta Hela team took part in the Costa Daurada Cup and lost in the final against Sporting Lisbon. The teams both boys and girls, held elite training camps at the Camp Julio at Nastic Sports Academy in Tarragona and that exposure could be of monumental impact to the Junior Starlets’ road to the Dominican Republic.
Last year also, Musanga,16, was voted the Most Valuable Player in the Safaricom Chapa Dimba tournament in the Western Region while playing from Lugari Progressive which is coached by her father Serenge.
“This a great opportunity for us to go the World Cup,we are motivated and we know the benefits of playing at such a stage in our careers.We are going to fight and humble request to the fans is to rally behind us from now to the end of the campaign.”
