Simat/Kapseret MCA Moses Kebenei is this weekend expected to officially launch the inaugural football league in the ward.
Dubbed Simat/Kapseret Premier League, the competition will see 12 teams from across the ward face each other for a period of three months.
Each of the 12 teams will face their opponents home and away, and the team that emerges with the highest points will be crowned the champion.
According to the MCA, the choice of the Premier League model was informed by the need to ensure only homegrown players are involved.
“Tournaments are usually for a short period and allow for teams to poach payers. But with this model, it won’t be possible for a team to poach players for three months. We want to have local players engaged,” Kebenei told Uasin Gishu News, on Thursday, August 31, 2023.
All participating teams are fully registered with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF).
The opening games will be played this Saturday at Lemook Primary School Grounds with the final games scheduled for late December.
Winners in the Simat/Kapseret Football Premier League will be awarded Ksh100,000, with those finishing second walking away with Ksh50,000.
The third-placed team in the league will get Ksh25,000.
“All the participating teams will also be awarded uniforms,” noted the MCA.
Talent scouts
Aside from the cash prizes, the best players also stand a chance to be selected to join some of the top Kenya Premier League clubs.
Kebenei says he has contacted a number of clubs who have expressed interest in sending their scouts to witness some of the games.
“We have several scouts from teams like AFC Leopards, Kariobangi Sharks and Tusker who will be following the games. My hope is that we get one of two players from this league joining those big clubs because I know we have the talent,” said the ward representative.
The league will henceforth be held annually from September to December.
The choice of the three months, the MCA says, is due to the short learning calendar for the third term and the fact that most students usually idle around for over two months after the early close of the term to pave the way for national examinations.
“The idea is to avoid short tournaments so that we have our youths engaged for a longer period,” MCA Kebenei said.
The opening game for the Simat/Kapseret Premier League will see Shajanan face Kaplelach at Lemook Primary School Grounds this Saturday, September 2, 2023, from 10:00 a.m.
