National Cereals and Produce Board men’s handball team head coach Bryan Mathews has been named the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK)/Betika Coach of the Month for May, following a stunning month in which he led his team to an unbeaten run en route to clinching the Kenya Handball Federation title.
Mathews outshone a competitive field of three other coaches to clinch the coveted accolade, which comes with a KSh100,000 cash prize and a personalised trophy. His May performance was instrumental, as NCPB secured victories against top rivals and extended their unbeaten streak, cementing their dominance in the domestic handball scene.
Among the standout performances was a high-octane clash with fierce rivals Equity Bank, in which NCPB emerged victorious with a 33-28 win at the Nyayo National Stadium. Mathews’ tactical acumen was also on full display as his side dismantled other contenders: Ulinzi (35-30), Wakanda (42-19), and Mountain Prime (49-08).
Speaking during the award presentation, a delighted Mathews credited the team’s consistency and discipline: “It’s a great honour to receive this recognition. It reflects the effort and commitment of not just me but the entire team. The boys have shown tremendous spirit, and this unbeaten run is a reward for their dedication.”
The award is part of an ongoing initiative by Betika, in partnership with SJAK, to spotlight and reward outstanding coaching talent in Kenya across different sporting disciplines. Betika’s Head of Marketing, Japheth Akhulia, praised the rising standards in local coaching, stating:
“The level of competitiveness we have seen, this being our third winner, is testament enough that there has been a major gap in efforts to recognise the contribution of our team coaches. We will endeavour to sustain these efforts as Betika towards promoting competitiveness across all sports disciplines.”
Mathews wasn’t the only coach to turn heads during the month of May. Kakamega Homeboyz head coach Francis Baraza came in second place after guiding his team to four straight victories in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League. Baraza’s charges were in top form, beating Posta Rangers (2-0), Mathare United (1-0), and title challengers Kenya Police (2-0) before finishing the month with another 2-0 win over Kariobangi Sharks.
This marked the second consecutive month Baraza finished as runner-up for the award. His consistency has not gone unnoticed, and many view him as a strong contender for future honours.
In third place was Patrick Sang, head coach of the DCI women’s volleyball team, who has had a transformative impact since taking over after the untimely death of former coach Daniel Bor. Under Sang’s leadership, the DCI side reached their first-ever Kenya Volleyball Federation Women’s National League final, where they are now set to face giants Kenya Pipeline.
Sang’s tactical brilliance was evident in the semi-final stage where DCI defeated Kenya Prisons 3-2 twice in a best-of-three series at the Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa. The final clash saw the wardresses go down once again in a hard-fought five-set thriller: 25-21, 25-22, 17-25, 16-25, 15-12. DCI had earlier swept past Post Bank 3-0 in the quarter-finals.
Even if they do not clinch the league title, DCI will still participate in the African Club Championship, marking a significant milestone in the club’s history.
SJAK President James Waindi lauded all the nominees and reiterated the importance of acknowledging coaching excellence:
“As Sports Journalists Association, we want to commend all the coaches who have either won this monthly award or made it to the monthly shortlist so far, as it confirms the hard work they have put in for their teams to deliver. Ours is to encourage them to do their best as we will continue being on the lookout for that outstanding performer.”
As the award continues to gain traction, it is becoming increasingly clear that the monthly recognition programme is not only boosting morale but also elevating the standards of coaching across Kenya’s sports disciplines.
With Mathews now firmly in the spotlight, fans and pundits alike will be watching closely to see how far he can take the NCPB team. For now, he can savour a well-earned honour that puts him at the summit of Kenyan coaching excellence.
