John Ochieng' in action for Kisumu Hotstars. [Photo/Courtesy]
The name John Ochieng’ may not turn many heads in the football world, for now. But if the dreams of the bearer of that name are anything to go by, then you could soon be reading about him, watching him and making him a topic of discussion in the near future.
A national youth champion with JMJ Academy in 2013, Ochieng’ was one of 16 players who were selected to represent Kenya in the 2013 Copa Coca-Cola U15 continental championship in South Africa. Among his teammates were then golden boot winner, Musa Masika, an established Kenya U20 international, and Lloyd Kim, a player who is making strides towards stardom, one blade of grass at a time.
From the off, it was evident that Kenya, under the tutelage of youth coach Atanasi Wamalwa, had traveled with the youngest players among the 15 nations that were participating. They were bullied as they lost their opening two group matches to Zimbabwe and Algeria before a tactical switch during the last two matches salvaged four points but which were not enough to make the team progress to the knockout stages.
The tactical switch saw Ochieng’ being slotted in central defence, an unfamiliar position for a player who earned his ticket to the Rainbow Nation as an attacker. His height was needed to help deal with the bombardment of aerial balls which were proving to be Kenya’s main undoing.
It worked as Kenya held Uganda before going on to beat Kazakhstan in a dead rubber clash.
This game would in a large way come to define who Ochieng’ is today. He has grown taller, he
is wiser and has become even more dependable at his current club Kisumu Hotstars, where he plays when not attending classes.
He is one for the future and a perfect fit for the story leading sports betting firm Sportpesa is trying to tell through their #Tujiamini campaign which aims to give dreamers like Ochieng’ the opportunity to be celebrated, to be recognized and encouraged.
“I already decided football is my way of life, but I know education is just as important and that is why I am balancing the two,” he says.
“Once I finish this phase of education, I will put the effort in my football. I believe I have the talent to not only make a living for myself but also contribute to the growth of football in Kenya,” he adds.
Ochieng’ has barely attained the legal age but has already started seeing the ‘beauty of his dreams.’ Early this year, he had the chance to train with reigning Sportpesa Premier League champions, Tusker FC who are expected to be among the clubs queuing up for the 17-year-old’s signature once he completes his ‘O’ level education later this month. Before that,
he represented Thika United in the 2016 U20 championship.
“Training with the top-flight clubs has been an eye-opener. There are things you learn every time you train alongside such household names in local football like Humphrey Mieno, Clifford Alwanga and Allan Wanga.“Playing alongside then has not only given me that extra edge but also made me hungrier to do it often. “My target is to make my debut in the 2018 Sportpesa Premier League then play for a season or two and make a move abroad. That has always been my dream since I kicked a ball,” he says with such conviction that it feels criminal to doubt him.He attended a three-week training camp in Frankfurt, Germany in early May this year. “It was an experience of a lifetime,” he reminisces. “I would be doing myself a lot of disfavor if I didn’t feel challenged enough not to want to go back there.”Ochieng’ is a dreamer, and a believer. His most immediate challenge is to pick the right local club that will put him on a pedestal for greater things. Thika United, Tusker FC and Kariobangi Sharks are all monitoring his progress.He believes he will make the right decision and start his journey towards a far brighter future for him and his nation.
The #TujiaminiTalent campaign believes that if we share in Ochieng’s dreams and support his every step, there is nothing he cannot conquer.
Visit https://tujiamini.co.ke/upcoming-talent-page/ and help us celebrate a sportsperson who you believe is destined for greatness. Tell us their story.