Nakuru Teachers Rugby Academy: From humble beginnings to regional powerhouse
Nakuru Teachers Rugby Academy players pose for a photo alongside their coaches John Theuri and Lawrence Okello , Menengai Oilers Head coach Gibson Weru and Teddy Omondi, Rugby Regional Development Officer in Paris as they received ball donations
In the quiet estates of Nakuru, a powerful story of hope, discipline and opportunity has been unfolding for more than a decade.
What began as a simple community rugby initiative has grown into one of the region’s most impactful grassroot rugby programmes, with Nakuru Teachers Rugby Academy transforming the lives of hundreds of children from low-income families.
The academy officially took shape in August 2017 during the school holidays, but before then rugby in the area was largely informal, with adults and children playing together as a community.
According to the academy's coach John Theuri, the shift came when they realised children needed their own structured space to grow.
“We used to play as a community and build our own players. But we saw the need to create something just for children, a place where we could shape them from a young age,” he says.
In the beginning he notes, there was no sponsorship or external funding. Coaches volunteered their time, driven by passion and the desire to keep children away from negative community influences.
Rugby was deliberately chosen not only as a game but as a tool to shape children's character and sportsmanship.
“Rugby helps these kids discover who they are. It gives them discipline, structure, and something to hold onto instead of risky influences in the community,” Theuri explains.
Today, the academy works with between 100 and 150 children, from as young as nine years old to under 18 players. The players come from Mawanga, Teachers, Kiratina, Mchanga, Heshima, Bahati, Free Area, Lanet and the 58 area.
Training runs consistently from Monday to Friday, with sessions held from 5 pm to 6.30 pm during school days and morning and afternoon sessions during school holidays, as well as catch-up sessions on Sundays.
Theuri reveals that rugby has become a bridge to better opportunities for many of these children. Several have earned sports scholarships to elite schools, where they formed the major composition of All Saints Embu High School rugby team, while others have risen through competitive rugby pathways.
"Among the academy’s success stories are Josphat Njue and his brother Bramwel Odida, who now play for Nakuru RFC. Others such as Amos Ouma, Emmanuel Opondi, Joseph Nuul, Tomas Ombasa, Moses Ajak and Lucky Owino have gone on to represent clubs including Menengai Oilers, Nakuru RFC and KITI," he notes.
Additionally, he notes this year, two former players, Brian Oyugi and Josphat Njunge, were selected to represent Kenya Under-20 at a tournament in Zimbabwe, marking a major milestone for the programme.
According to the coach,the academy’s competitive rise has been steady and deliberate with their boys playing for All Saints Embu High School rugby team through a sports scholarship.
In 2022, they made their first national appearance at the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Sevens held at Nakuru High, reaching the quarter-finals.
In 2023, they finished second at the KSSSA games in Eldoret after losing the final to Butula boys in the 15s campaign, before travelling to Rwanda to represent Kenya at the East Africa Games (FEASSSA), where they finished fifth.
" The boys breakthrough came in 2024 in Machakos, where they won the national 15s championship by defeating Butula boys in the final and then travelled to Uganda to win the East Africa regional title,". Theuri explains, adding it has taken the support of fellow coaches Teacher Lawrence Okello and Coach Meshack Otieno
The win he says, took the team to the Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in 2024 best rugby boys’ team of the year award.
In 2025, they finished third nationally in Mombasa and later finished second at the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) rugby 15s Games in Kakamega, losing only the final to Kisii High after winning all their other matches
Beyond the boys’ teams, the academy has also embraced girls’ rugby, with Tracy Msungu emerging as a standout player. She now plays for Nakuru RFC and featured for the 2025 Kenya Lionesses Cubs (Lionesses development side), inspiring younger girls in the Nakuru Teachers Academy to believe that rugby is also their space.
Despite the success Theuri notes, challenges remain. Equipment shortages have been a long-standing struggle, especially the lack of rugby balls. He notes at one point, only two balls were shared by more than 100 children across multiple age groups.
According to Theuri “Everything starts at the bottom. If you build the child, you build the future. From dusty community grounds in Teachers to East African finals, Nakuru Teachers Rugby Academy stands as a living example that sport, when guided by purpose, can change lives.”