Coach Meshack Senge sounds warning as Kenyan hockey teams begin Africa Cup preparations
National men’s hockey team player Job Wandera (centre) dribbles past teammates Isaac Wanjau (left) and Martin Kasanda during a training session at City Park Stadium, Nairobi, on June 15, 2025. The team is preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations set for October 11–18 in Egypt.
What you need to know:
- Training sessions are being held on Monday and Friday evenings, and Saturdays at the City Park Hockey Stadium in Nairobi.
- “If all goes well, we will trim the squad to 35 players by the end of the month so that we can fully focus on preparing the provisional team,” he said.
National women's hockey coach Meshack Senge has issued a stern warning to players who excel in training but underperform in actual competition, stating that it will no longer be business as usual as Kenya prepares for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Senge, who will lead the side at the continental tournament scheduled for October 11–18 in Ismailia, Egypt, emphasised the need for consistency and effort beyond training grounds.
“It’s not going to be business as usual. We have realised that there are players for training and players for competition. There is a player who would impress in training, but you will not get the same energy and gusto once you give him or her the chance in real competition. Therefore, we are keen not to repeat the same mistakes we’ve done before,” said the experienced Senge.
The tournament will double up as a qualifier for the 2026 Hockey World Cup at a venue yet to be confirmed.
Both the men’s and women’s teams are aiming to bounce back from underwhelming performances in the previous edition held in Ghana in 2022.
The men’s team finished fourth behind Nigeria, Egypt, and champions South Africa, while the women settled for third behind hosts Ghana and winners Egypt.
“This time, it’s open training for both teams. We want to give every aspiring player a fair chance to showcase what he or she can do.
The turnout over the weekend wasn’t great, which I understand since the invite went out on short notice. However, we hope the numbers will increase as we progress,” added Senge, who also coaches the Strathmore University men’s and women’s teams.
Training sessions are being held on Monday and Friday evenings, and Saturdays at the City Park Hockey Stadium in Nairobi.
“If all goes well, we will trim the squad to 35 players by the end of the month so that we can fully focus on preparing the provisional team,” he said.
Meanwhile, men’s head coach Michael Malungu noted that this time the team will emphasise offensive play, a shift from their previous defensive and midfield focus.
“The turnout has been impressive. At least 45 players attended training, which is encouraging. The number could have been higher, but some players were unable to travel due to financial constraints.
That’s why we’re also monitoring players' performances at their respective clubs during the ongoing Kenya Hockey Union League matches,” said Malungu, who guided Western Jaguars to their first-ever Premier League title last season.
“When settling on the provisional squad of 35 players later this month, we will consider player availability, past performance, tactical and technical capabilities, as well as their progression with an eye on the 2028 Olympic Games,” he added.