Hungry Serenge eyes more glory with Archbishop Njenga Girls at nationals

Archbishop Njenga Girls head coach Fred Serenge believes his side can reclaim the national football title in the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Term Two School Games scheduled for August 4-8, 2026 at M-Pesa Academy in Thika.

The newly-crowned Western region champions qualified for the national stage for the first time since 2019 after defeating reigning national champions and perennial rivals Butere Girls 2-1 in the final.

It was a perfect revenge for the ABN as the defending champions had dominated them since 2022, when school games resumed after Covid-19, winning the national title on all the three occasions.

Now, Serenge, one of the most experienced coaches currently at the KSSSA national stage, is buoyant about going all the way to the national title.

“We are not sparing any team, we’re here on a mission. Our main objective is bouncing back and going for the national title,” Serenge told Citizen Digital.

Archbishop Njenga Girls beat Rift Valley’s St. Teresa's Tartar 1-0 to lift the 2011 national KSSSA girls' football title, their only title.

“We are equal to the task and I strongly feel we have a team that will deliver the trophy back to the Western region.”

The former AFC Leopards and Harambee Stars midfielder has termed their success as work in progress.

“It has been work in progress; it took sheer hard work, resilience, consistency, tolerance and believing in the process and finally it paid off,” noted Serenge as he reflected on their regional success.

The team has been training in Mang’u ahead of the national fiesta, and Serenge says they are in good shape to conquer the championship.

“We arrived in camp last Saturday, which shows our level of commitment and preparation. We have enhanced our training and we are approaching the championship with a lot of seriousness.”

And although some players are carrying knocks, Serenge is confident they’ll be able to shake them off and be ready in time for the competition.

The 2011 national champions are placed in Pool B alongside Nairobi’s Raila Education Centre, Misuuni Secondary from Eastern and Central’s Thika Girls Karibaribi.