Finally, the long-anticipated KATTI National Ball Games Season Two at Eldoret National Polytechnic have kicked off. The annual event has since gained quite a reputation attracting maximally the eyes of all TVET institutions in the Republic of Kenya to participate and test their skills in football and basketball sporting activities.
Opening Ceremony Highlights
Warm Reception and Applause
In the opening ceremony, Chief Principal of Eldoret National Polytechnic Charles Koech, who is also the Vice National Chair of KATTI, warmly welcomed participating schools. He challenged students to give it their best in the tournament, stressing the event played an important role in providing a platform for the children to showcase their talents.
“We have teams from Mount Kenya West, Mount Kenya East, Northern Kenya, Nairobi region, Coast, Western, Lake Region, KATTI North Rift and South Rift. This event provides a great platform for students to unleash their talents,” Koech said.
Development of Talents/Learning Outcomes
During the function, Mibei Joseph, the Chief Principal of Ziwa Technical Training Institute and Chair of Sports and Regulations at KATTI, addressed the audience describing the event as very key to identifying and developing student talents, which fits the Kenya Kwanza’s agenda on development of youth talents.
“This is one of our annual activities dubbed Season Two of the National Ball Games. We appreciate the Eldoret National Polytechnic for hosting us and giving different regions an opportunity to compete in football, basketball, among other disciplines. We look forward to identifying and nurturing various talents, which is in line with the Kenya Kwanza government’s agenda on youth talent development,” Joseph said.
Overview of the Event
Massive participation
Other guest teams were invited from Mount Kenya West, Mount Kenya East, Northern Kenya, Nairobi region, Coast, Western, Lake Region, KATTI North Rift, and South Rift. The overwhelming response affirms the national significance of the event and interest it elicits among the TVET institutions.
Men’s and Women’s Categories
The event will be quite thrilling since it has a men’s and women’s category in both football and basketball. This makes sure that all the talented students are participating and offer a chance to compete and shine.
Importance of the KATTI National Ball Games
Offering showcase and nurturing of talent
The KATTI National Ball Games offer a very key avenue through which learners’ athletic talents, which otherwise might go unrecognised, can be identified. The events are integral to the identification of promising athletes who can be nurtured and developed to compete at higher levels nationally and internationally.
Promotion of Youth Development
In line with the drive of the Kenya Kwanza government in growing young talent, this supports other broader educational objectives through promoting physical education and extracurricular activities. Of course, such activities are core to holistic development, contributing to their physical health, teamwork, and discipline.
Strengthening TVET Institutions
In return, hosting and participating in such activities promotes the profile of participating TVET institutions, while spurring feelings of belonging amongst students and staff. This brotherhood/sisterhood and spirit are a crucial ingredient towards ensuring a supportive and engaging learning environment.