Junior Starlets dare to dream after historic World Cup bow

Junior Starlets this year became the first national team in Kenyan history to qualify for the Fifa U-17 Women's World Cup.

Kenya will fly the continent's flag alongside Nigeria and Zambia in the 16-team showpiece, which will run from October 16 to November 3 at the Cibao University and the Felix Sanchez stadia in the Dominican Republic. 

The tournament is open to players who were born between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2009.

The Junior Starlets have been drawn in Group C, which includes Korea DPR, Mexico and England.

Additionally vying for the coveted silverware will be Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Japan, Korea Republic, New Zealand, Poland, Spain and the United States of America.

Hosts Dominican Republic are in Group A alongside Ecuador, New Zealand and Nigeria. Group B will feature defending champions Spain, USA, Korea Republic and Colombia, while Japan, Poland, Brazil and Zambia will lock horns in Group D.

This year’s edition will be the last to feature 16 teams before the increase to 24 for the next edition.

Kenya's decisive 5-0 thrashing of Burundi in the fourth and final two-leg round on June 16 guaranteed them a spot in next month's showpiece.

Visibly thrilled, Starlets head coach Mildred Cheche shared her thoughts following her team's momentous feat.

"It is a huge accomplishment for the girls to be the first team in the country to qualify for the World Cup," she said.

"It is a historic moment for the players, the technical bench and the country."

FAITH AND BELIEF

Cheche is certain her charges possess the mojo to upset their more fancied rivals at the international extravaganza.

"We have an incredible opportunity to showcase our skills at the World Cup," she said.

"Our first goal is to acquire real-world experience and showcase our incredible talent here in Kenya."

She refused to settle for the underdog tag and vowed to steer her charges to a masterstroke maiden appearance.

"While we are aware that this will be our first time on a stage this size, we are still determined to leave an impression," Cheche said.

"We are determined to achieve our goals and bring honour to Kenya, so we will fight to the death."

Cheche gave the government and the federation credit for their assistance.

"From the start of our endeavour, we were convinced of our ability to lead the nation to unprecedented heights," she said.

"Knowing it would not be easy, we maintained a great deal of faith in our players' extraordinary abilities, and were encouraged by the unwavering support of the Kenyan government and the local football governing body." 

Cheche said their psyche ballooned with each contest and they kept plotting afresh for their opponents. "We are overjoyed that we were able to turn the dream into a reality in the end," she said.

She said reaching the milestone demonstrates the consistency and commitment of her players.

"Being a part of history is an amazing feeling. It represents a historical turning point in Kenyan football, especially for women who have overcome great obstacles to achieve greatness," Cheche said.

"This victory demonstrates the extent to which our girls can achieve with precise support and conviction." 

She reckons the success story of Junior Starlets will motivate aspiring players who want to excel in women's football.

"For every girl seeking a successful football career, our victory has created a new path," she said in closing.

"We anticipate seeing more females participate in the sport."

The historic qualification was a moment to treasure for Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa. 

He hailed the move as an enormous compliment to his administration, which has devoted significant time and funds to women's football.

"It has been 10 years in the making, and today is fantastic," Mwendwa said.

"We sent our women to their first-ever Africa Women's Cup of Nations (AWCON) in 2016. Kenya has seen the greatest growth in women's football.

"Our suspension prevented us from competing in the most recent senior women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand."

ACADEMIC REPRIEVE

Eight Kenyan athletes who will be taking their final exams this year have a clear route to focus on the competition thanks to the Kenya National Examination Council.

Knec agreed to put a unique plan in place for the eight players who are sitting their final KCSE papers, which will begin on October 18 and last through November 22.  

The affected students include Rebecca Orute from Dagoretti Mixed, Velma Awour and Christine Adhiambo from AIC Nyakach Girls, as well as Lorine Illavonga and Velma Bwire from Wiyeta Girls.

Others are Quinter Adhiambo from Alara Girls, Clares Meries from Kobala Secondary School and Marion Serenge from Archbishop Njenga, who had previously declared she would opt out of the exams.

Nominated MP Irene Mayaka brought up the matter in the National Assembly last month and asked for special exam arrangements for the athletes. 

Consequently, Knec has said preparations are underway to guarantee that the eight contenders, who helped Kenya become the first team to qualify for a World Cup, will not suffer any negative consequences.

In a statement, Knec CEO David Njegere congratulated the Kenya U-17 National Women's Team for an "incredible achievement".

“This milestone is a testament to the dedication, hard work and passion of the State Department for Sports, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and the entire football team,” he said.

“The philosophy of the great Eliud Kipchoge, 'No Human is Limited,' has been affirmed by our gallant girls.”

He said Knec will work with the six impacted schools to ensure the players complete their exams.

The Grade 8 pupils will not be impacted because the KCPE exams will be done after the tournament.

“The council will work with the centre managers of the affected schools to arrange for the administration of the KCSE papers that coincide with the World Cup fixtures,” Njegere said.

“Additionally, since there will be no national assessments for Grade 8 in October, the Grade 8 pupils on the team will not be impacted.”

Njegere urged the players to keep working hard to be ready for the World Cup and their examinations.

He also urged the Sports ministry to ensure the athletes promptly return to their educational institutions following the competition.

AT A CROSSROADS

Marion Serenge, a star player for the Kenya U17 Women's national team, was grappling with the challenge of her KCSE exam when she decided to travel with the team to the Dominican Republic.

The Form 4 student at Archbishop Njenga Secondary School contributed massively to the team's stellar campaign with her impressive performances as a right winger and centre forward.

So brilliant was she that she scooped the Sports Journalist Association of Kenya (SJAK) personality of the month.

Faced with the dilemma of choosing between the World Cup and her exams, Serenge had already made up her mind to pursue her dreams in the Dominican Republic.

"Playing at the World Cup is something I look forward to because it does not happen very often. Due to the rarity of these opportunities, I would pick to play in the World Cup. I can still complete my exams next year," she said.

"I talked to my parents before making the difficult choice. I would much rather go to the World Cup, my dad told me, because chances like this only come around once in a lifetime."  

Serenge's choice demonstrates the difficult balancing act between academic obligations and exceptional athletic opportunities.

She said the girls are excited to be taking part in the tournament for the first time.

"Not only will we engage but we will also aim high and achieve outcomes," she said.

Her father, Fred Serenge, agrees with her decision and highlights the exceptional chance that the World Cup offers.

 "I consider it a tremendous achievement because this is Kenya's first World Cup competition. I think there is another time when the exams could be administered," he said. 

"It is my opinion that these candidates have dedicated a significant amount of their time to training, fulfilling their national duty. In return, the government ought to make sure that the players complete their exams. They have systems in place that can be used for particular examinations."