Seventeen-year-old striker Benson Omala on Wednesday became the youngest player to win the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) Player of the Month Award when he was crowned the best of December 2019.
The Form Four student at Kisumu Day was peerless in the KPL in December as he scored five goals to win the award. Among the many firsts he pulled in December, Omala became the first Western Stima player to ever score a hat-trick in a league match in their 4-1 rout of Zoo in Kericho on December11.
In winning the player of the month award, he becomes the third player from Western Stima to do so in the award’s six-year history. Others before him were Kenneth Muguna in 2015 and Wesley Kemboi in 2016.
“I want to thank my coach for believing in and nurturing me. I’m glad I repaid the faith by showing my brilliance and scoring goals which are a striker’s primary target,” the confident KCSE candidate said.
“I’d like to score more goals if I get game time and be among the top scorers. My ambitions are to play for the national team. I already scored two goals for the Under 20 national team in the Cecafa tourney and I’m glad I was called up in the senior team despite not making the final cut. I want to tell Kimanzi that he will see more of me,” Omala remarked.
TOUGH ACT
Omala, who was given a 49-inch LG television set and a trophy, also spoke of how he juggles between books and football. He also revealed he is eager to play professional football across the borders.
“If you are in class, read like you will never play football and if you are in a football pitch, play like you’ll never be in class. My short term target is to play two or three years in the local league then go to Europe,” he added.
His coach Andrew Aroka lauded Western Stima for believing in Omala and giving him the chance to play in the top flight league.
“I’ve handled a lot of young players but very few measure up to this boy. They have been good in their own right but Omala is just a complete striker with a very huge potential,” Aroka said.
Omala was in the Chapa Dimba na Safaricom All-Star team that went to Spain last year after emerging top scorer in the Nyanza regional duels.
Kisumu Day High School Principal Daniel Mwaturo urged him to concentrate on both football and education.
“Talent and good brains are God-given and each of them should be nurtured. The boy only trains with the school team and only features for Western Stima in their home games except during holidays. He can really do wonders when fully dedicated to training with the team and playing all games. But I’m glad he is also doing well in academics and could get scholarships abroad,” said Mwaturo.