Most sportsmen’s journey to the top starts at a tender age.
This was the same for Lorraine Ilavonga and Velma Auma, who are part of the Kenya Under-17 girls’ national football team, Junior Starlets.
They played football in primary school to pass time and continued to grow their talent throughout high school.
“I started playing football in class 4 with Coach Chris Ambani. We used to train in the evening; then I discovered that football could take me places. I used to follow the Chelsea football team and told myself I would like to play abroad one day,” said Lorraine.
Velma’s journey followed a similar script, kicking off her football career in primary school as well.
“I started playing while in primary school, at first my parents were a bit hesitant, but my school coach convinced them to allow me to participate in football. Since then, it has been a great journey,” said Velma.
Both players caught the eye of scouts for the national football team, and in 2024, they joined the Kenya Under-17 girls’ national team.
The Junior Starlets were crowned the Team of the Year at this year’s Sportsman of the Year Awards(SOYA).
“This award will give us morale for our upcoming match on Sunday, because if we win that match, we will head to the World Cup this year,” said Lorraine.
The Junior Starlets team had a double win, as their coach, Mildred Cheche, was named Coach of the Year.
“This award is a great motivator for us to perform again and go to the World Cup,” said Coach Mildred.
The Junior Starlets made their first appearance at the Under-17 World Cup in the Dominican Republic in October 2024.
It was the first time a Kenyan football team played at the World Cup.
“It was great playing with big countries like England, Korea, and Mexico. It was our first World Cup, and we didn’t get the best results, but at least we won a game against Mexico. But we left with valuable lessons which we worked on this year, and hopefully we will return to the World Cup,” said Coach Mildred.
The Junior Starlets’ win is a testament to the role Safaricom Chapa Dimba is playing in the community, as some of the starlets were scouted during the 2024 tournament.
Watch this video to see the Junior Starlets’ journey to the top.
