Covid-19 delays Juma’s training until 2021, but he remains a busy man

Renowned youth handball coach Gerald Juma’s wait to attend training at the  University of Physical Education in Hungary continues after a fresh coronavirus spike forced a second postponement. 

The course, sponsored by the International Olympics Committee through the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K), will see Juma undergo a three-month diploma course in handball coaching at the respected Hungarian institution. 

The programme was first set to start in March but the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic necessitated postponement until September. 

But as the September intake neared,  the Eastern European country was hit by a second wave of coronavirus that saw the programme moved to January next year.  

“While I am eager to join the programme,  these are unprecedented times and I understand the postponements are necessary for everyone’s safety. 

A date has not been set yet but January was given as the tentative month we would join the university,” said Juma. 

Juma is currently a coach at Mbooni Boys High School  which  participates in the Kenya Secondary School Sports Association (KSSSA) games as well as the Kenya Handball Federation (KHF) men’s premier league. 

The tactician, who is also part of Rangers Handball Club’s technical bench, a team in the KHF league, says the diploma course from the recognised institution carries more weight and will open many doors in his coaching career.  

A multiple national and East Africa school games champion with his former school Kimilili Secondary, Juma landed the opportunity after being appointed as the NOC-K academy Under-15 coach. 

He, however, is open to handling the senior teams upon his return from Hungary, having coached the Under-20 sides since 2009. 

In the meantime,  Juma has been part of a team of sports experts who held coaching clinics across Makueni County organised by the county sports department.  The clinics cut across different disciplines with Juma handling handball.

Ronnie Owino, the women’s basketball national team coach,  David Lugh’aho, the Malkia Strikers technical director, and seasoned volleyball player Bracksides Agala are some of the coaches that were part of the clinics.  More tacticians in athletics and football were involved too.  

“We had two-day clinics at each sub-county and the turnout was good.  There is a need for these clinics as most people in the grassroots do not have the basics of the sports.

I hope this initiative will not go to waste and things will keep improving at the grassroots level,” said Juma.