“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” – Michael Jordan
The Malkia Strikers – Kenya’s Volleyball Team certainly displays championship-winning traits. With a name that boasts power and members that display harmony, it’s no wonder this heroic team is among the best in Africa.
But let’s take you back to the first time they showed us what it means to be conquerors. In August 1987, the All Africa Games were to be held in Nairobi which meant exposure, pride and opportunity for our Kenyan teams. Up until the beginning of that year, Kenya had active volleyball clubs but the need for a national team had yet to arise. The ladies volleyball team was put together at the last minute – a risky decision but one that proved to be a great choice. Selecting a team and training them on all aspects of the game, from positioning to communication, was surely a tedious task for Coach Wycliffe Onyango. That didn’t stop our ladies from being ready to represent the nation on 01/08/1987.
We began by winning a string of games, all the while gathering a local fan base who bought tickets to all our games, cheering on from the sidelines at The Bomas of Kenya. The morale of each player took us to the final match where we battled the Egyptian team for the gold medal. The stadium was packed with adherent Kenyans. The first set of the match saw the Egyptian team narrowly beat Kenya, winning by seven points. It was a wakeup call for the ladies, whose spirits rose by the second set to see them edge out their Northern rivals by ten points. The third and final sets proved an uphill task and Kenya settled for a silver in the end, Egypt winning 3-1.
Four years later, at the biannual Africa Women’s Volleyball Championship, the Strikers flew to Cairo where they faced their Egyptian rivals yet again. This time, they returned home with gold medals – our first in volleyball history! They maintained their titles at the following championships held between 1993 and 1997.
We celebrate the breakers of glass ceilings, the women that pushed us to the top:
Truphosa Lai, Jane Njeri, Ann Wekhomba, Nerea Ouma, Emily Kusimba, Margaret Indakala, Eunice Kagogo and Lucy Fataki. They proved the strength of teamwork and built a solid foundation for the teams that followed!