Housewife’s football academy opens doors for youths

Mariam Mpaata may not be known to many adults in Mombasa but her name is as popular as a hit song among youths. Fondly referred to as Coach Mariam, Mpaata runs a football club for both boys and girls called Junior Stars.

Armed with a degree in Development Studies from Makerere University, Mpaata had no idea what she wanted to do when she arrived in Kenya in 2003.

“My husband had been transferred. Coming here was a challenge because I was fresh from college and was eagerly searching for a suitable job, but I soon realised that they were not readily available,” she said. After several failed job applications Mpaata gave up and resigned herself to being a housewife.

However, trouble started when her young son began playing football in the garden and broke neighbours’ windows. She was forced to replace a number of them.

But when he smashed the windscreen of an expensive Mercedes Benz, matters came to a head. Replacing the windscreen cost an arm and a leg and proved to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

“I decided to look for a football academy where I could enrol my son. To my surprise, there were none available and that is when the idea was conceived. I did not know where to start but I had the will to succeed and that is what inspired me,” she said.

Like most women, Mpaata knew little about football. But lack of knowledge on the popular sport did not stop her from selling the idea to friends.

Buy uniforms

She started off with Sh100,000 capital which was not enough. Other than identifying and hiring a suitable training venue, she needed money to pay a coach. She also needed to buy balls and uniforms, not to mention the fact that some players came from far-off villages and had to be given bus fare.

“I remember the day a parent paid me for the first time, it was Sh2,500. My coach and I were so excited that we contemplated framing the money but, unfortunately, there were pressing expenses which needed to be settled,” said the mother of four.

Her first team was made up of 14 boys, including her son. They trained every weekend from 4p.m to 6p.m. Gradually the team drew interest from more children and parents.

Mpaata started receiving requests from boys and girls interested in training. As the numbers grew, so did the need to come up with a plan to manage the children. Soon her team was participating in, and organising, tournaments.

“I started sending invitations to schools and clubs to compete in tournaments which we were organising. Schools were the most willing to participate,” she said.

Her Junior Stars Academy takes in both boys and girls from six to 16 years. Mpaata soon started rewarding the hard work and commitment that youths were putting in training and tournaments.

That is when she started the Watoto Soccer Awards which recognise the most outstanding players at each level. Mpaata also goes out of her way to look for places for talented youths in national and international football clubs.

“It has been a journey with a lot of hurdles and setbacks, but seeing the happiness in the children’s faces when they get prizes makes everything worth it. My son is in the Uganda Cranes under-17 training camp following talks with the team’s coaches who are eager to receive skilled young players,” she said.

Manchester United

Another beneficiary is Mwanahalima Adam from St Johns Primary School who won the Best Female Player of the Year award in this year’s Watoto Soccer Awards. She was among a few picked last year to attend training by Manchester United coaches in Tanzania as part of the Airtel Rising Star initiative which involved 12 countries in Africa.

Mpaata said that she was holding talks with Manchester United under-18 coaches who have asked her to upload videos of her players. She is also keen on Harambee Stars taking in her players.
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