Butula High School prodigy lands UK scholarship
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Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 09.04.24. | 14:38
The player represented Butula during the Alliance and Maseno Opens
Butula High School rugby player Jake Philemon has secured a scholarship in the United Kingdom (UK).
The 15-year-old, who was in Form 1, will be honing his rugby skills in a foreign country while pursuing his high school education.
Philemon departed the country on March 15 to join the school, the details of which will be disclosed in due course. All schools in England have been on a two-week break and will reopen next week.
Speaking to Mozzart Sport, Butula High School coach Shimenga Livondo commended Philimon’s new opportunity, emphasizing that it was a source of pride for any coach to see their players make significant strides.
The player represented Butula during the Alliance and Maseno Opens, and coach Livondo showcased him on his Facebook page, capturing the attention of the England-based school.
“I am very happy. He is skilled and talented. He has been playing rugby since a young age, and I am pleased to see tangible results,” Libondo remarked.
He added, “As a coach, it brings joy to see young athletes move towards a brighter future. He will be attending school while also pursuing his rugby career.”
Philemon becomes the second student from Butula Boys to earn such a prestigious scholarship.
In 2023, Rayvonne Ambale, a product of the Kabras Academy, seized a similar opportunity at Bryanston School.
During the 2022 Kenya Secondary School Sports Association (KSSSA) rugby 7s games, Ambale displayed his skills on a larger stage, earning the title of the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) and top try scorer.
He concluded the tournament with 128 points, scoring a total of 20 tries and making 14 conversions over the two-day event.
Presently, Ambale is studying at Bryanston School, one of the premier educational institutions in the United Kingdom, under the guidance of Nick Williams.
Meanwhile, the Butula Boys’ rugby team is preparing for the upcoming national competition. As defending champions of the KSSSA rugby 15s, they aim to maintain their title in the 2024 KSSSA nationals, commencing on Wednesday, April 10.
“We are the defending champions, and we are putting in the work to retain our trophy. We are intensively training and rectifying our regional errors to secure victory,” Libondo informed Mozzart Sport.
The defending champions have been grouped in Pool A, where they will compete against All Saints Embu, Kisii School, and St. Patrick’s Iten.
Boys
Pool A: All Saints Embu, Butula Boys, St. Patrick’s Iten, Kisii School
Pool B: Kitondo School, Marafa High, Lenana School, and Mang’u High
Girls
Pool A: Kivandini girls, Mwira girls, Kisumu girls, St. Joseph’s Kitale
Pool B: Katwanyaa girls, Paul Harris girls, Hidden Talent girls, Central girls.
