Day 7

Wow, what a day! What a country!
So surreal, from having breakfast in an old colonial style hotel to driving up a track that you think only a goat could go. But Charles (in Charles we trust) can drive our bus anywhere and so after following the school teacher on his motor bike from the town centre to out in the countryside we arrived at Kericho Boys Boarding School whose motto coincidentally is “A chance to shine”. Our pre information was big school, small field but we were greeted with a generous space the size of a football field. Again our coaching guru Gellers’s matrix went out the window and now I know why he writes all his plans in pencil. We set up for 4 games of Kwik cricket, which was to follow our CWB ABC intro and our warm up. Our session was going to be split into 2, 1 hour slots with 50 children in each session.

100_1232

DSC_0876

The first session went to plan 50ish children, who though they had never played cricket whacked the ball in all different directions, held some great catches and had the biggest smiles ever. Following a recap of the ABC message from our entertaining duo “wattle and daub” which saw Gellers’s middle a Carl underarm throw back into Carl’s midriff! We then greeted our next 50 children, and then the next 50 and the next 50 until we had over 200 children ready for the CWB experience (well I suppose 200 is near 50!)

DSC_0612
With the games in full flow my coaching partner Clive rising like a gazelle to take a return throw landed awkwardly and a loud crack was followed by some new words not previously heard by our Kenyan friends. Carl in his role of first aider soon had Clive strapped up with an ice pack and with Gellers’s standing in we finished the games with no further mishaps. An ice cold soda with the teachers went down well, while Clive rested in the bus, this gave Carl enough time to encourage one of the teachers to attend the coach ed tomorrow. We then returned to our base the Tea Hotel to allow Clive to rest up for the afternoon and had our Tusky’s supermarket packed lunch on the terrace with a cup of local tea.
Our afternoon school saw us back out on the road ( sorry mud track) we passed the school we coached at earlier in the day and kept on going, we passed many more small schools and even after asking directions we thought we were going the wrong way suddenly a gate in the hedge greeted us with the sign “Progressive Chep Chep Academy” we had arrived! deep down we knew we could trust our Kenyan coach and stand in local ambassador George!
Our greeting was one of the most amazing experiences of my life 300 young Kenyan children mobbed us, impromptu games of Heads, shoulders, knees and toes, a Congo and high fives all round. We now know not to arrive at school during a school lunch time!

DSC_0943
After a tour of the classrooms led by the eager children, we set up for the afternoon like a well oiled machine, Gellers confidently informed us that although we were a man down we would have teachers to help out. Oh yes!!!
Ali led the ABC message and incorporated a new song which got the children singing out loud and following a simple relay warm up the cricket got underway.
The two sessions were fantastic but very demanding because of the limited area increasing numbers and uneven surface. We had a batting, bowling, fielding and catching drill going on and with sharp blast of his whistle Sgt. Mjr (retired) Gellers ensured each session ran like clockwork (Kenyan clockwork!) and the children moved on singing CWB ABC led by some coaches awesome/awful dad dancing.
Looking round during the second session I saw Colette and Carl leading 250-300 younger children in what looked like a mixture of relay games, I then realised the 40+ children I had in my group was fine, anyway I have a teacher helping me………. oh no he’s gone!
After another wattle and daub production winding up ABC message we made our way through the throngs of children to the bus, we collapsed into our seats and took in the last of our day’s supply of water. We had coached nearly 600 children during the afternoon a truly amazing day. One special moment of the day Marcie a young girl who who had a physical disability which meant she used crutches and had proudly showed me her classroom and their morning schoolwork was encouraged to join in the session and the biggest cheer of the day from the children was when Marcie whacked the ball totally unaided and I bet she had the biggest smile.

100_1236 100_1235
On route home George informed Carl of a local orphanage, We pulled up outside and they both disappeared inside to introduce CWB, they returned saying they had arranged for us to visit on Sunday morning to meet the children. Our day finishes as most others we meet up with our new best friend Tusker have a debrief and plan for the following day, shower and then all meet up for our evening meal, Moses our dinner waiter who is an absolute legend is now known as Manuel by the CWB team following last nights eventful team meal has promised that everything will be on the menu tonight so I wait with baited breath.
Quick update, sat in ordering dinner and Moses has informed us limited menu but will have everything tomorrow!
Each day of this trip has been special but from a coaching children perspective today has been pretty amazing with limited playing facilities and children who have never played the game before their enthusiasm, smiles and skills will never be forgotten.
One simple thing I have learnt on this trip is a simple tennis ball can can give so much fun to so many.
Jon

3 comments to “Day 7”

Leave a Reply