Armstrong Omondi a Form Three student at Alliance Boys High School was declared as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the last edition of Safaricom Chapa Dimba. This is after he led his team Ubunga FC to a win over PASC Langa FC which saw them declared as the overall winners.
I had a conversation with him on his football journey and the upcoming Spain trip and this is what he had to say.
Tell us your name and football journey?
My name is Armstrong Omondi and I am Form Three student at Alliance Boys High School. I started playing football when I was in Class One at the age of 6 years. During this time, football was a way of life in Ubunga an Estate in Kisumu and I found myself influenced to start playing the game.
Part of the reason that made the sport popular was that there was free football training which was being conducted in the estate. The training which was being conducted by our current coach Amos Ochieng was in a bid to keep us out of trouble. It had an effect of pulling many youngsters to the game which gave a majority of us a better chance in life.
However, at Class 6 we moved to Umoja in Nairobi and at this point I started training with the Akakoro Academy in Kariobangi. In Class 7, I joined a boarding school where they were not so keen on football. As such, I only used to train on school holidays.
Luckily, I managed to pass my exams well and joined Alliance Boys where I got a chance to train with the school team. The coach on realizing my talent gave me a spot on the school team despite the fact that I was in Form One where I have been a regular since then.
When did you first hear about the Safaricom Chapa Dimba tournament and what motivated you to take part?
I first heard about the tournament in 2019 when our neighbors Manyatta FC emerged as the overall winners in the tournament. I remember thinking to myself that participating in the tournament and winning would not be a bad thing. However, at the time we were too young and as such, we were not eligible to participate. So, this time around as soon as the tournament was announced, we quickly registered.
I have to say that the Ksh. 1 Million cash prize was the main motivation for joining the tournament. We were all dreaming about what we would do should me win and get the money. As such, everybody in the team gave it their very best and that is how we ended up winning.
What did the team do with the Ksh. 1 Million prize money?
When we got the money, we shared it equally amongst ourselves and even gave some to our fans. This is because they had supported us all through the journey and we would have made it without them.
I used my share to buy football gear which could help me to improve on my game. I also shared some of it with my family who have been supportive all through.
How did you feel when you found out that you had been selected to go to Spain?
As soon as I found out that I had been declared as the MVP in the final match, I knew that I would get a chance to go to Spain. That being said, it was a special feeling because it is a chance to go and learn as well as train in a country with a high football pedigree. Since then, I have been preparing for this trip to ensure that I am in the best shape.
However, I have to say that I am happy that it was postponed to this year. This is because had it gone according to plan I would have had to miss out as it would have clashed with my duties in the U17 National team.
What does this opportunity mean for your football career?
This opportunity means a lot to me as a young footballer who is looking to turn professional. I intend to use this training camp to improve on my skills because Spain is known for good footballers. As such, I will try and learn as much as I can any new tactics so that I can implement them moving forward.
What do you expect to learn during the training camp?
I am going on this trip with an open mind so that I can be able to learn as much as I can so that I can improve on my game.
How has Safaricom Chapa Dimba impacted your life?
For starters, it is giving me this chance to go to Spain for a training camp something which would not have happened without the tournament. Also, it gave me and many other footballers a chance to expose our talents. As well as a platform to improve our skills as footballers by playing against many formidable teams.
Other than that, it also brought our estate, that Ubunga in Kisumu together. It brought hope to the neighborhood that the lives of their kids could change for the better through football.
What advise would you give young footballers keen on following your footsteps?
I would like to tell them that passion and consistency is key to excelling in football. Passion will help you go that extra mile because you will be doing something that you love. Also, once one is consistent the chances of not making it are very minimal.