Equity Queens' captain cum banker sets lofty targets after club's maiden league season
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Reading Time: 5min | Mon. 29.06.26. | 15:03
A banker with Equity Bank during the day, Wasilwa transforms into the inspirational captain of Equity Queens FC whenever duty calls on the pitch
By the time most people are winding down after a day at work, Sylvia Wasilwa is often swapping office shoes for football boots.
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A banker with Equity Bank during the day, Wasilwa transforms into the inspirational captain of Equity Queens FC whenever duty calls on the pitch.
It is a balancing act that demands discipline, sacrifice and passion, the very qualities that have become synonymous with the club's incredible debut campaign in the FKF Nairobi East County League.
In their maiden season in the Football Kenya Federation league structure, Equity Queens have taken everyone by surprise.
Sitting comfortably at the summit of the table with 42 points from 15 matches, the newcomers have quickly established themselves as genuine promotion contenders. For Wasilwa, however, the team's rise has not been accidental.
"Our consistency, discipline and confidence have been the biggest factors," she says.
She points to the victory over fellow title challengers Halisi Soccer Queens as the defining moment of their campaign.
"That win was one of the pivotal moments that helped us establish our lead at the top of the table."
The numbers back up her confidence. 15 matches into the season, Equity Queens remain the team everyone is chasing, an impressive feat considering they are experiencing league football for the very first time.
Unlike many clubs that spend years building towards promotion, Equity Queens have wasted little time making their presence felt.
Although this is their first season in the FKF league system, the team had previously featured in the FKF Women's Cup, where they laid the foundation for what has now become a formidable squad.
"We did well in the FKF Cup and managed to retain some of our key players," Wasilwa explains. "The bank then gave us an opportunity to compete in the league, and so far we haven't disappointed."
The long-term vision stretches well beyond county football.
"We want to win this league, continue growing as a team and, one day, win the FKF Women's Premier League."
Behind the club's rapid progress lies a dressing room built on togetherness. As captain, Wasilwa believes unity has been the team's greatest weapon.
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"We play for each other. We support one another during the good moments and the difficult ones. That unity has been one of our biggest strengths."
It is a culture that has helped maintain focus despite growing expectations. Promotion is now firmly within reach, but Wasilwa insists nobody at the club is getting carried away.
"Every player understands that success comes from staying focused and giving their best in every training session and every match," she says.
"We believe in the quality we have, but every team in this division is competitive. We're happy with where we are, but the job is not finished.
We still have three matches to play, and we want to maintain the same commitment and discipline until the end."
During the recent league break, Equity Queens offered another glimpse of their quality by travelling to Mombasa for the Super 8 Ladies Cup. They returned home as champions.
The triumph reinforced the belief growing within the squad that they possess the quality to compete beyond county football and provided another confidence boost heading into the decisive final stretch of the league season.
Interestingly, Wasilwa says football has not presented many internal challenges this season. Instead, she credits the club's leadership for creating an environment where the players can thrive.
"Our Human Resource Manager and coordinator, Nick Ongeri, has really supported us," she says. "Our Managing Director, Mr. Nyabanda, together with the entire top management, have been fully behind the team."
If anything has frustrated the captain, it has been some of the logistical issues encountered in grassroots football.
"The only real challenge has been travelling for away matches, only for hosts not to honour fixtures. It has happened more than once. Grassroots football deserves to be taken more seriously by the Football Kenya Federation, just like the top divisions."
Within the wider Equity football family, the women's team has also drawn inspiration from the men's side. Despite narrowly missing promotion to the FKF Premier League last season, Equity FC's campaign has served as both motivation and a benchmark.
"It has been a good journey for them considering it was their first season in the National Super League," Wasilwa says.
"They are a very young team, and what they achieved has challenged us to work harder and reach their level. It was disappointing that they missed promotion, but we believe they will bounce back stronger next season."
As the season edges closer to its conclusion, Wasilwa remains grateful to the people who made Equity Queens' league dream possible.
She singles out Equity Group Managing Director Mr Nyabanda, who honoured a promise made after the team won the Inter-Banks tournament by entering them into the FKF league, as well as Equity Group CEO Dr James Mwangi and the club's immediate coordinator Nick Ongeri for their unwavering backing.
Most importantly, she reserves special appreciation for the supporters who have followed the team's journey from the beginning.
"The support we've received throughout the season has meant a lot to us. It has motivated us to always give our best," she says.
"We ask them to continue standing with us as we fight for promotion and for this badge. Hopefully, at the end of the season, we'll all have something to celebrate."
For Wasilwa, every working day at the bank and every weekend on the football pitch is contributing to a bigger dream.
And if Equity Queens continue on their current trajectory, the banker leading from midfield may soon find herself captaining the club into a new chapter, one step closer to the FKF Women's Premier League.