Sports
Basketball in Kenya was started in Mang'u by the Marianist Brothers when Brother Frank Russell took over as Principal. He had previous experience in the USA as a sports master and basketball coach in several schools. Mang'u High School has not only been an academic powerhouse but also been leading in extra-curricular activities such as drama, music and mainly sports. It strives to produce well rounded gentlemen. The Sports include Basketball, Football, Rugby, Swimming, Tennis, Decathlon, Volleyball and others. The school has two rugby pitches, two basketball courts, a football pitch, a hockey pitch, an athletics track and a swimming pool. Other facilities are table tennis and a handball field. The Basketball team is known as the 'Panthers' and have been the National Champions for many years.
The school is also known for its strong rugby team known as 'Wazimba'. Rugby was introduced into the school in early 1987. There was no rugby pitch at the time but the school administration allocated some land which was converted to two standard size rugby pitches which are used by the players today. The game was quite new to most of the students and the game took sometime to be learnt, accepted and enjoyed by the students. The passion for the game flared up in the 1990s when more students took interest and the school started competing against other schools. Wazimba over the years has become a remarkable household name in Kenyan rugby being famous for its perfect line outs. It participates in the various tournaments e.g. Camp David(mangu), Mangu Open(Mangu), Changez Open(Lenana school), Damu Pevu Tournament, Bush Open(alliance school), Impala Floodlights, Uttermost(Nairobi school), 7’s Aside School League, 15’s Aside Secondary League and Prescott Tournament. In 2010, Wazimba scooped the Kenya Rugby Union and Ministry of Rugby's Elliptics School of the Year Awards after scooping the East African Schools, Impala Floodlit, Prescott Cup and national schools titles. On October 29, 2011 the rugby team retained the Zuku Impala Floodlit title. Wazimba have also played in many East African Regional tournaments. Many former rugby team alumni have played for the Kenya national rugby union team. The team has also produced outstanding players with international recognition like the late Joshua Gathumbi, Vincent Ongera, Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria, Dennis Karanja, Matthew Msalia, Polycap Odhiambo and Ted Munene. The team natures young talent to excellent players. The team is at the moment being coached by two very experienced coaches: Steve Maongo and John Boscow - mwamba (a world class referee with 10 international appearances and an IRB certified educator).
In August 2010, Mang'u High School hockey team won the Brookside East Africa Secondary School hockey title when they defeated St Mary's College Kisubi of Uganda 4-0.
Read more about this topic: Mang'u High School
Famous quotes containing the word sports:
“In the end, I think you really only get as far as you’re allowed to get.”
—Gayle Gardner, U.S. sports reporter. As quoted in Sports Illustrated, p. 87 (June 17, 1991)
“Short of a wholesale reform of college athletics—a complete breakdown of the whole system that is now focused on money and power—the women’s programs are just as doomed as the men’s are to move further and further away from the academic mission of their colleges.... We have to decide if that’s the kind of success for women’s sports that we want.”
—Christine H. B. Grant, U.S. university athletic director. As quoted in the Chronicle of Higher Education, p. A42 (May 12, 1993)
“It is usual for a Man who loves Country Sports to preserve the Game in his own Grounds, and divert himself upon those that belong to his Neighbour.”
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719)