Inside the mind of a basketball coach during Nakuball league

It is often said that a coach is like a conductor, leading an orchestra of talent. This saying has been proven time and again by the ingenuity and flair many of the teams display in the Nakuru Universities and Colleges League (Nakuball) league.

Mtaa Wangu speaks to the head coach of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) who are the defending champions.

Benson Okemwa says the experience he got from mentors such as Carey Odhiambo AKA “T9” the Equity basketball team Head Coach, at the basketball academy he was in Nairobi and the passion he has for basketball is what drives him.

“As a coach the one thing I always look at is discipline. This is what enables a player to be able to achieve great things in this game, coupled with the ability to communicate and employ the team work mentality,” he adds.

Okemwa says whenever his team is playing, he always tries to look at how the other team is doing as this helps him know how best to counter and which strategies to employ.

“As I coach, I really work towards strengthening individual player’s weaknesses. If you are poor at shooting, then I will really insist on having you shoot more during the training sessions. Also, another thing is to help the players understand the different positions they play and the responsibility that comes with it,” the head coach notes.

He continues, “For example, when you are the point guard you must be able to handle the ball comfortably and make right decisions at a moment’s notice since you are the playmaker on the court.”

Amos Rotich, the head coach of RVIST basketball team also agrees with Benson saying that discipline on and off the court is the biggest determinant in the career of any basketball player.

“The one thing I always tell my players is that there is always room for improvement and there is always someone better than you therefore always take lessons and learn from them. Also, no one is limited so long as you decide to put in the work” he says.

 “I always encourage my players to have court awareness and always be in the know of what is happening when they are playing. We always play different tactics, for example, 2-3, 3-2, press formations depending on the tempo and style of play that our opponents are countering with,” Mr Rotich adds.

Another tactic that Mr.  Rotich employs is easing the pressure from the players such that they don’t end up feeling overwhelmed.

“We always film our games and take time to review the footage to see what would have been done differently. This also promotes the aspect of peer learning which in the long run helps foster team chemistry,” he reveals.

As he concludes, Rotich says the game has changed the lives of many of his players positively.

“Some players used to abuse drugs but engaging in basketball during their free time helps them stay away from many vices in the society,” he says proudly.

The two were speaking at Mount Kenya University grounds which hosted Nakuball match day 7.

This time round the game between the Mount Kenya University (MKU) and the Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology (RVIST) women’s team stole the show.

After a tight match between the two, RVIST won 34-28.