Picture a small community club in Likuyani Constituency, Kakamega County, occupying the minds, heart and soul of residents from all walks of life, as well as the social media space at the height of the anti-government protests.

That was Soy United Football Club, making headlines after securing promotion to the National Division One League after emerging as the overall winners of the Western Division Two Zone B mini league held at Kipchoge Keino Stadium, Eldoret, a fortnight ago.

Founded some eight years ago, the club has had its fair share of ups and downs, with its high moment being the 2020/2021 season when it featured in the country’s second tier, the National Super League (NSL).

Unlike other semi amateur clubs, Soy United is an envy of many due to its modus operandi. It boasts of a functional office, modest players’ hostel area, owns an acre of land, has two transport vans, and owns a sports-hub. This is a remarkable fete at the backdrop of the turmoil in the local soccer sphere that is riddled with outright mismanagement and lack of finance.

Under the leadership of Mr. Ayiro Edwin Chahilu, the Club has an attractive fanatic following both on social media and “the ground” and has a three year strategic plan to catapult it to the Kenya Premier League by 2027, a realistic target.

The Club’s motto — ‘Help One to Help Another’ — captures the foundation and its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scope as it has a programme that entails community service through cleaning of markets, churches, hospitals, schools, and other utilities within its locale.

In addition, the team has unified the community, having a social-economic effect on the football craze locals in an immeasurable sense.

Seeking partnerships

To spur it’s growth the club has embarked on an ambitious programme to bring on board partners to improve the already set structure and management of club affairs. Unlike the usual sponsorship, the anticipated partnerships are needed and thus offer products or a service to the club that improves its overall performance.

For example, a water company can be the official water partner, a medical facility can partner to provide health care for the players, a soccer equipment or apparel company can offer kits, a farm produce entity can provide foodstuffs to the camp whilst an advertising agent can help in brand popularisation and marketing.

The club believes such partnerships will enhance growth and are more suited than sponsorship, which requires a huge financial kitty.

Soy United Football Club presents a unique opportunity for potential partners to engage with a growing and passionate fan base.

With an established soccer ground at Ivugwi Primary School, a presence in the populous Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, and Kakamega counties, and a huge national and international following on social media, partners have an immediate platform for branding and signage.

The partners, depending on their scope and areas of partnership interest, will have the reserved privilege of among others:

• Company logo on our team jersey
• Company logos on our team website
• Company logos displayed elsewhere on our team kit
• Company logos on all club-printed collateral

Company logos displayed beside the pitch in banner form

• Company logos on your social media channels/regular social posting about the company
• Booth, box, or special seating at our club
• Inclusion in any club events
• Sponsored giveaways
• Offer oversight of funds utilization and project implementation
  The partner will nominate a signatory to have signing mandates on the club account
• To guide on new frontiers of investment and CSR programs.
• To expose the club and its activities to suitable contacts within their circle.
• To enhance capacity building and knowledge dissemination through sharing personnel and experiences that the club will infuse into their day-to-day activities and processes
• Through the club, be given top priority to access investment opportunities and unlimited interactions with the community in pursuing their areas of interest and objectives.
• Will be accorded with Wider brand circulation and awareness across the immediate community and on all social media platforms.
• If the team and business are both local, it shows local pride and an interest in the success of the community, thus ensuring visibility and personality around the partner’s brand and its products/ services.
• Moreover If the team is outside of the partner’s operating area, this opens up new geographical areas to market to. This can be to market a particular product or service to align with current campaigns.
  Based on its social media presence, the club will guarantee interest and drive more traffic to the partner’s website. It’s a low-cost alternative to many other forms of advertising and marketing.
• Sports teams provide a positive contribution to the local community, so it’s a great CSR opportunity to show your support.
  As a lot of grassroots teams are non-profit groups, it could also benefit companies in terms of tax incentives.

Challenges facing Soy United Football Club

From its humble beginnings at Ivugwi Primary School, where passionate supporters rallied behind their local heroes, to gracing the revered grounds of the Eldoret showgrounds upon promotion to the National Super League, Soy United’s journey reflects the resilience and spirit of its community.

However, amidst the triumphs and accolades, the club faces a myriad of challenges, both on and off the pitch, as it strives to carve a lasting legacy in Kenyan football history. They include;

The club lacks proper training facilities and basic amenities

The lack of proper training facilities and basic amenities is hindering the enhancement of players’ skills, physical fitness, and tactical understanding of the game.

For example; Different types of balls will be used in dribbling and ball control exercises and weighted balls for strength and accuracy training. Cones, markers, training poles, and hurdles for setting up training drills, marking out boundaries, and creating agility courses by improving players’ agility, speed, and coordination. Speed Parachutes and Resistance Bands, helping to improve acceleration and speed, improve muscular strength, and endurance. Goalkeeper-specific equipment includes gloves, agility poles, reaction balls, and rebounders designed to improve goalkeeping skills such as shot-stopping, positioning, agility, and distribution. Quality kits for training, match practice, and friendlies, travelling gear (for the players and officials), and customized replica team-branded apparel in general for our fans.

Lack of a medical unit and/or modest dispensary to serve the team and community in emergencies

The club seeks to retain the services of a qualified physiotherapist and/or a nurse to offer services as aforementioned. This investment has two ripple effects; Serves the community, thus impacting positively on the partner’s CSR program, and attends to the players’ and officials’ medical needs at a relatively lower cost.

Talent Identification and Development

Finding and nurturing talented players in rural areas can be difficult due to limited access to coaching, scouting networks, and competitive leagues. This is a key component of many clubs’ success stories, which have put enormous resources into scouting networks and monitoring the development of players across different age categories.

The overall effect is that clubs spend less on signing fees for players but can generate more upon sale or transfer of the players.

Transportation and Logistics

Limited transportation options and logistics make it difficult for players to travel to matches on time and in comfort to allow for a day’s rest for example when the distance to be covered in attending away matches in far-flung areas.

Although the club has invested in two 14-seater vans, the squad comprises 25 players and 10 officials, in addition, limited financial muscle means that the team sets out as early as 3 am to get to the match venue on time and travel back on the same day. This is draining on the players and impacts performance as a result of fatigue.

Lack of quality accommodation

This poses a significant challenge to the player’s well-being and performance both on and off the pitch. The players reside in substandard housing conditions, characterized by cramped quarters, inadequate facilities, and poor hygiene standards.

These conditions have detrimental effects on players’ physical and mental health, leading to increased risk of injuries, fatigue, and stress. Inadequate accommodation may hinder players’ ability to rest and recover properly, impacting their overall performance on match days.

Addressing this issue requires investment in suitable housing options that prioritize players’ comfort, safety, and well-being, thereby creating an environment conducive to their development and success both on and off the field.

Well-being and welfare of players

Ensuring the well-being and welfare of players, including healthcare (in particular insurance cover), capacity building and mentorship workshops, and financial stability, can be challenging without proper support systems in place.

The club has largely been dependent on a single individual to cover a host of costs thus making it difficult for all welfare concerns to be addressed including standard allowances and salaries to both the playing unit and technical bench.

Modern soccer complex

The club is currently exploring means and ways of acquiring at least 15 acres of land to set up its modern soccer complex comprising training pitches, a match venue, a state-of-the-art gym, a swimming pool, a restaurant, restrooms, staff quarters, class and computer rooms and office space.

While it is considered costly, this investment will, in the long term, cut the running costs and accrue substantial revenue on the hire of facilities within the complex.

For example, travelling teams can be accommodated at the venue at a cost.

Visibility and communication

Visibility is a cog in the club’s communication strategy and in advancing the partners’ ideals. The club is in dire need of acquiring advanced communication gadgets to improve efficiency and seamless communication such as cameras, boom mic, laptops, Tripod Stand, Internet connectivity, printers, and lights.

Soy United Football Club is set to resume preseason training after a three week break, and its aim is to defy the odds and make it to the NSL at the end of the new season.