How coach Sabina is shaping young lives beyond the pitch in Shauri Moyo

Every weekday morning in Shauri Moyo, a group of young players gathers on the dusty football pitches, waiting for a familiar figure. With a whistle around her neck and purpose in her stride, Coach Sabina Gicuku arrives - a woman whose journey in grassroots football has touched lives far beyond the touchline.

Simply as Coach Sabina, she is a passionate grassroots football coach based in Shauri Moyo, Kamukunji constituency. She works with both boys and girls, training players at Shauri Moyo United and mentoring children through Sakata Soccer in South C — a role she has embraced since 2012.

Her coaching journey began after an injury unexpectedly cut short a promising playing career in 2012.

“I used to play football and earned a scholarship to go to school. While I was still in school, I got injured playing in the National School Games,” she recalls. “So instead of keeping the skills to myself, I chose to pass them on to the youth and kids. That’s how I started coaching in 2012 after my injury in 2011.”

Since then, Sabina has developed players who went on to represent Kenya at the national level — something she considers a personal triumph.

“My biggest achievement is that some of the girls I coached made it to the national U17 team,” she says. “Players like Diana Nyango, Susan Akoth, and Christina Athiambo, those are some of my proudest moments.”

But even with these milestones, Sabina sees herself as a work in progress.

“I’m still pursuing growth. I’m always looking forward to learning more about coaching,” she admits. “I haven’t yet achieved everything I want to achieve.”

For Sabina, coaching is not just about tactics or winning matches. Her deeper purpose is to shape character and inspire transformation through sport.

“I want to develop good players but not just in skills. I mean players with good attitude, good character, and discipline. I want to bring a positive impact to the youth.”

Yet coaching at the grassroots often comes with challenges, especially around recognition.

“Most of the time, coaches at the grassroots aren’t recognized,” she says. “People focus on the teams and forget the coaches. But a coach is the one who makes a player. Without a coach, there is no player.”

She welcomes recent efforts to change this narrative.

“I really appreciate the current federation because they are beginning to tell coaches’ stories,” she says. “It’s good to see that even coaches are now being recognized.”

To Sabina, football is more than a game — it is a tool that connects people and builds community.

“Football, or soccer as I call it, is a tool that brings people together,” she notes. “We share events and communicate through social media, calls, and SMS. At Shauri Moyo United, we even have our own Facebook page where we update fans and players.”

Being a woman coaching boys hasn’t always been easy. Sabina had to overcome doubt and stereotypes, especially in the early days.

“In the beginning, it was funny. Some of the boys would look at me and wonder, ‘You’re a woman — what can you tell us?’” she remembers. “But with support from the management and other coaches at Shauri Moyo United, I earned their respect. Even the most difficult boys eventually listened, and we can now sit down and discuss football matters.”

Sabina's love for the game runs deep. Football, she says, is her calling.

“Football is my life. I started playing it, and it’s the reason I went to school. After finishing school, I knew I couldn’t stop. That’s why I chose coaching over staying at home or doing something outside sports. I decided football would be my career.”

To strengthen her skills, she has pursued formal training.

“I studied coaching. I did the KNVB course and CAF D under FKF,” she says. “I’m now aiming for CAF C. That’s the next level for me.”

Her ambition isn’t only about personal growth — she wants to open doors for others too.

“I love developing myself, but also others,” she explains. “I don’t just want to coach, I want to coach at a higher level. I think internationally. Coaching opens up so many paths and opportunities for learning.”

To her, coaching is also a form of parenting, especially when guiding young players.

“For me, parenting is at the heart of coaching. It’s not just about the pitch — you’re also raising someone.”

Sabina’s days are carefully planned to meet the demands of her dual roles.

“I plan everything the day before,” she says. “When I wake up, I know what I need to do in the morning, and what follows next. That’s how I run my days.”

During the week, she focuses on Shauri Moyo United, and over the weekends, she heads to South C for Sakata Soccer.

“Monday to Friday, I’m at Shauri Moyo, usually in the morning hours. Then Saturday and Sunday, I’m in South C with Sakata Soccer.”

Before joining Shauri Moyo United, Sabina spent nearly a decade working with a community organisation in Kariobangi.

“I used to only coach boys and girls in Kariobangi through Kakoro,” she says. “I worked there for nine years. But later, I realized I needed to grow, so I decided to assist the team at Shauri Moyo United.”

Moving from coaching young children to senior players also pushed her out of her comfort zone.

“That’s when I realized I had some fear — even just standing in front of a tall player,” she says with a laugh. “Before, I was used to talking to small kids. But now, I had to rise up and speak to older players. I’m really grateful to Shauri Moyo United for giving me the platform to realize that even as a woman, I can make it.”

To young girls who may hesitate to pursue football, she has a simple message:

“Never fear. Football helps you socialize, understand others, and express yourself,” she says. “I used to be shy and afraid, afraid of the unknown. But I’ve learned that even coaching is a way to express yourself.”