Star Field create access to facilities for the kids to come and train.
Underprivileged youth are the beneficiaries of the program.
Over 500 kids ranging from 4 yrs to 19 yrs old are expected to participate in this year’s Star Field Youth League whose main objective is to drive access for youth to play sport by cutting down barriers to drive the growth of Sport in Kenya. The growth of the sport in the country has been faced with a myriad of challenges including gender, access to training facilities and professional coaches. This year’s event will see four ladies’ teams of 50 girls competing and 8 underprivileged teams of 100 kids participating.
Crown Paints Chief Executive Officer, Rakesh Rao said sport plays an integral role in empowering the youth across the country as they are able to get a chance to enhance and improve their skills. “On this World Skills Youth Day, we want to support young cricketers and tennis players to harness their talents through intense training, developing the youth through constructive activities to become future professionals”, Rao added.
He said the Kenyan youth have a lot of sporting potential but lack resources to succeed and urged other stakeholders to support Star Field initiatives of developing talent among the young people. The paint company-sponsored Ksh 500,000 towards supporting the cause. The Star Field Youth Tournament is set to run from 21 – 25th August 2019 at Nairobi Gymkhana, Nairobi Club and Sikh Union Club among others.
Karan Kaul, Director Star Field said the organisation’s main aim was to create access to facilities for the kids to come and train. “We want to cut down on barriers such as gender, lack of facilities, lack of coaches, lack of money and give opportunities for kids to showcase their talent through competitive tournaments that we run”, he added.
A number of professionals such as Kevin Mtembeii, an underprivileged boy that joined the academy in 2017, have since made it to the preliminary Kenya U-19 Squad and represents Gymkhana.