Yesterday I was dropped 8am at Olympic High School in Kibera with a suitcase full of football boots and another bag full of t-shirts, bibs, hats and trophies.  Maureen met me there and we left the bags at her cousins place nearby and then walked to her place to have tea and take a few photos for next year's calendar.  WE were back at the school by 10am for a day of training and feedback with the girls team.  Around 30 attended and there are were a lot of new players to get to know.  It was great to see Mercy, Vienda, Beatrice, Lydia and Eunice.  They were all asking after the Sunderland team, particularly Cox and Corby! 

Lydia, Eunice, Vienda, Mercy and Julie with their player IDs

We also had players from the Ujamma school which we have started to support and which we'll visit next week.  We trained hard through the morning working on off the ball movement and decision making.  It was obvious to me that our players have improved and we've also got some really good new players.  Our team is also a young one which bodes well for the coming seasons.  Lunch was mkate na maziwa (bread & milk) in one of the classrooms and after eating we had a feedback session on our first season in the league.  It was the first time they had seen the final league table and they saw how easily they could have finished in the top 3 if a few games hadn't been lost late on.  Some of the feedback: thanks to Sunderland for the support, good that we provide lunch money for games, we don't have to be the best players but we can be the best team, if we've lost we have cried and wept but then still taken photos and had fellwship time with the other team which has been a good attitude, we've proved ourselves as ladies in football and this has really motivated me, need to be more serious in training, there were ups and downs but this shows us the way to pull ourselves up next season.  For next season: aim to finsih in top 2, don't underate the other team,need watercans.  Suggestions: watercans, shinguards, boots, ankle supports, gloves, training bags to carry boots.  We discussed in small groups ideas for new strip colours and the favourite was green shirts, white shorts and green socks.  We also worked on a team rallying call and the faourite was 'with God and teamwork everything is possible'.  I liked 'yes we can' which would be good as a reminder on the pitch.  Other suggestions were 'no losing hope', 'teamwork until the end', 'together we can achieve more', 'never give up, never give in, never give out'.  Then we looked at the suitcase of boots which were donated by Boxford Rovers FC form Ipswich and kindly delivered to us in Sunderland my Melvyn Eke.  Melvyn had suggested we make a photo with the boots writing 'Boxford Rovers'.  The girls were quick to try it out and it worked really well. 

We were then back to the field for some matches and we finished around 6pm with a penalty shoot-out practice.  Maureen arrived back at this time as after lunch she had to go into town to the FKF office to find out about a tournament being organised next weekend.  Unfortunately the matatus had gone on strike so she had to walk all the way there and back.  This also meant it was going to be difficult for me to get back to Joe and Mary's place where I'm staying.  I walked with Maureen and Kevo (our new biggest supporter who I discovered is studying Sports Management at University in Karen) in the dark to the prestige plaza where Joe was able to pick me up around 7.30pm.  Nose got a little sun burnt today as I forgot to put more sun cream on after lunch!  Also returned to an email from the Presiding Bishop Elect of The Methodist Church in Kenya but more about that next time.