Mwinyi, coaching sensation who conquered Coast rugby

“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope,” these words from retired US President Barrack Obama that have inspired Mwinyi Hadji Mohamed Ali.

The 21-year-old coaching sensation was the brains behind Kwale High School’s barnstorming season when they finally toppled perennial champions Kaya Tiwi and Shimba Hills to be crowned kings of rugby within the coastal region.

Mwinyi, a former Kwale High alumnus and who played rugby as a student, now studies Alternative Medicine at the Kenya School for Integrated Medicine.

His love for rugby started while in form two in region dominated by Shimba Hills for many years. Attracted by the discipline and intensity of the game he worked so hard in training and captained his school while in form three .

During his error as the captain for the team they reached the regional finals for the first time in many years but still lost to Shimba Hills .

After high school he joined South Pirates in Ukunda as a fly half. With the pain of losing to shimba hills in the finals still fresh in his mind he met Coach Ken Ondola who introduced him to online rugby coaching causes.

Having joined his current college in 2017 Kwale Mwinyi keept a close eye in the progress of his former school while studying the weakness of the opponents in the same region .

With Kwale 15s aside team having lost to Waa in the county level he knew this was the right time to take the coaching role and he quickly introduced his new strategy.

“I changed the teams strategy in second term for the sevens team, I changed from the team list you know in some schools players are choosen according to the body size.

I went for the skills, power and speed because sevens, these are the main requirement for the success in the game,” said Mwinyi .

Being an Alumni of the school he knew the school culture and his new team was willing to adopt to his new tactics from days one and even came up with a hash tag that motivated them during the matches TEAM VIRGIN as its explained by the coach .

“It started after losing to Shimba hills in the finals and I asked the boys how do you come all the way to loss in the final .

I challenged the team if they want to go to the nationals they have to win in regional finals or they go back to class and study and they promised me in the sevens they are going conquer the coastal region and its going to be unbeaten like a virgin and it happened until the nationals ,” added Mwinyi.

The promise was delivered and they went unbeaten all the way to the nationals before facing the countries powerhouses, St Peters Mumias and Lasier hill that stopped their unbeaten run but these is just the beginning of great things for Kwale High and youngster Mwinyi .

Already plans are underway to strength the team so as they can retain the title and conquer the nation.

“This year we concentrated more on our attack that’s has to changed if we have to compete with power houses like St Peters Mumias, Laiser hill and Chavakali High School.

We have to work very hard and improve our defence and that comes by changing a few tactics and playing touch friendly matches against better opponents which we are already planning, “he continued

Mwinyi also has a plan for the under achieveing 15S aside team: “We will just work with the player in our disposal, Kwale high is a national school and the school administration cannot control who is being admitted.

We have told the current squad to at least recruit other student form the school who have passion for the game so that we can have depth for both sevens and 15s just in case both teams qualify for East Africa school games,” insisted the coach.

Benjamin Franklin said An investment in knowledge pays the best interest and Macolm X added Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today Mwinyi is determined to pursue his education to the highest level with the aim of making difference in the world

I have never let rugby affect my class work, because to me rugby is just a passion I love whatever I do and will make sure I succeed in class work just like the field work at Kwale “”said the medicine student