This archive report was first published on 5 December 2019.
December 5, 2019
Lakers Hockey Club captain Linnah Baraza praised her teammates and supporters for their top-four finish in the 2019 Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Women Premier League, a remarkable achievement in their debut season.
The Kisumu-based outfit secured their fourth-place finish with 21 points after winning five matches, drawing six, and losing three games out of 14 matches played.
Speaking to the Standard Sports, Baraza said they had enjoyed their inaugural season in the top flight and were proud of their performances.
“It was scary at first being our first season without experience in the league, but after playing half a season unbeaten, our confidence improved. We lost three matches against experienced sides in Blazers, USIU, and Sliders and registered many draws, but we are happy at the end,” she said.
Lakers Team Manager John Otieno attributed their continuous success to their youthful and vibrant players who sacrificed themselves for their passion for hockey.
He said they had learnt a lot as a team and the ladies had gained experience, exposure, and a feel of playing in the premier league.
Head coach Austin Tuju encouraged the players to enjoy their achievement, saying, “Coming to the premier league as underdogs and becoming number four is an achievement for us. Being a team that all teams have to have strategies in place before playing us, including Blazers who have played hockey for more than two decades, just shows Lakers is a team to watch out for.”
Despite facing challenges such as lack of modern equipment and a home ground pitch, Otieno credited their success to team unity and thanked well-wishers for their support.
