Women’s Rugby Academy opens its doors in Kakamega

Dream Believe Achieve (DBA) Africa, in partnership with Kabras Ladies RFC, is set to start a one-of-a-kind women’s rugby academy in Kakamega.

The Academy will draw talent from the rugby-rich Western town and schools such as Bishop Sulumeti in Mumias. Most players will be aged 13-18 in a bid to grow talent from the bottom upwards.

Confirming the news, DBA Africa founder Storm Trentham noted that the aim was to elevate women's rugby to a level of competition comparable to that of their male counterparts in the near future. As a former international athlete, coach, and manager, Storm aims to forge a new narrative in women's sports in Kenya.

“We have wanted to invest more in women's rugby for a while now, to add to our girls playing in our Nairobi academy, but we had to make sure our already existing programmes were running well before we expanded. There is nothing worse than overpromising and underdelivering. Now also seemed like the right time because we have a good partnership with Kabras RFC off the back of placing their academy star, Rayvon Amunga, on a rugby scholarship in the UK as well as working with Kabras Coach, Achyo at our Futures Cup last year,” Storm told Mozzart Sport.

Storm further noted that the decision to work with three-time Kenya Cup champions Kabras RFC was fueled by their chairman, Edwin Esilaba's, receptive nature and his thirst for growth. ‘We are totally on the same page as Edwin and his aspirations for women’s rugby. He is forward-thinking, efficient, and loyal to his word, so it’s a no-brainer for DBA. Both parties want to give girls in sport the airtime they deserve and for the Kabras Ladies to aspire to be as successful as their men’s team and to produce future lionesses from the academy.'

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For the pioneering DBA founder, the dream was not limited to Kakamega alone. Storm hinted that in the very near future there will be a further announcement of DBA partnering with academies in Rift Valley, Coast, and other parts of the country.

“Kabras are already well established, but they need more support on the girls' front in terms of coaching support due to the rising numbers of girls that want to play. It is always important to get the right coach-to-player ratio, as learning is faster and benefits health & safety. We are helping by providing coaches, balls, and bibs, and then further down the line, we can get the Kabras Ladies Team to play the DBA Nairobi team and our other incoming academies. With the Futures Cup introducing a U15 girls tournament this year, we hope that the Western Wanderers Girls team will have players from this newly formed partnership” Storm offered.

On his side, Esilaba welcomed the move, noting that it was a new dawn for women’s rugby. He noted that they would create a conducive environment to help the ladies achieve their highest potential in the sport.

‘When you invest in empowering female athletes, you invest in shaping the future. Women in sport need recognition, guidance, and opportunities to thrive, with this partnership, we aim to provide just that;” Esilaba said.

Mwamba Ladies RFC were crowned the winners of the 2023/24 Women’s Kenya Cup after defeating Northern Suburbs 53-0 on April 8. The match ran concurrently with the men’s Kenya Cup final which happened in Kakamega.

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