School Games: Inspired by grandma’s boots, Musingu’s star aims for top flight to escape poverty

Whenever you turn your eyes to the Scorpions of Musingu High School during their games, whether at zonal competitions or the East Africa stage, jersey 17 always stands out in the middle of the park.

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That jersey belongs to Houstin Oluoch Onyango, a name that has taken the Kenya Secondary School Sports Association (KSSSA) games by storm over the past two years.

But behind the skills, dazzling tricks, and decisive goals lies a story of loss, resilience, and an unshakable dream to use football as a ticket out of poverty.

Oluoch comes from a family of five and is upbeat that only football can lift him and his loved ones from the woods.

Born in Migori County, the 17-year-old was unfortunate to lose his father just as he was preparing to sit for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams.

By then, he had already started juggling the ball in dusty village fields.

But the loss of his father was such a heavy blow that he considered walking away from football altogether.

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“My name is Houstine Oluoch Onyango. I am from Migori County, and it has not been easy ever since I was a kid,” he told Mozzart Sport.

“I lost my father just as I was about to sit for my KCPE exams. It wasn’t easy, and I had to move in with my grandmother. She has been the one raising all of us.

We are five siblings, three sisters and two brothers, but life has still been tough.”

The heartbreak at that young age was unbearable. “One of the most painful moments in my life was losing my father. It broke me, and at one point I thought of quitting football to focus on other things,” he says.

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Raised by his grandmother from his father’s side, Oluoch says the old woman, whose name he chooses not to make public, was instrumental in reviving the passion that was almost extinguished.

When he steps on the field, he is always in his jersey and his mixed-color boots, ready to fight for a way out of poverty for his family.

Those boots carry meaning; they were a gift from his grandmother, and they made him rethink his decision to quit the game.

“My grandmother has been very supportive. She’s even helped me buy the football boots I’m currently using,” he says.

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Apart from his grandmother, the two-time Western Region football champion also credits coach Brendan Mwinamo for getting him back on track when things looked bleak.

Oluoch was among the players released by Kakamega High School’s Green Commandos in Form Two when the school restructured its football program.

At the time, it felt like his career was destined to end before it had even begun, until Coach Mwinamo called to offer him a chance at Musingu.

“I appreciate the people who have stood by me. My coach, Dennis, has played a key role in my life. I began my secondary school journey at Kakamega High School, where I spent my first two years.

Then a lot of challenges came up, but that’s when I met Coach Mwinamo. He offered me a chance at Musingu High School to continue with both my education and football career, and I am grateful for deciding to join them,” he says.

While his family remains his biggest motivation, Oluoch also draws inspiration from footballers whose lives changed through the sport.

“I saw how football had changed the lives of people like Kibet, and I realized I could also be one of those who achieve big things through the game. My dream is to take my career to the top flight,” he says.

Balancing football and academics is no walk in the park, but the midfielder is all aware and ready for the task.

“At school, balancing isn’t easy. We only get an hour to train; the rest of the time belongs to the books.

My dream is to play in Spain; that’s something that keeps me going. I have played alongside the likes of Kibet at the Yala Opens, and seeing them succeed gives me even more belief,” he adds.

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He says football has become part of who he is, and he will never think of running away from it again.

“Football has given me a way to express myself. When I’m on the pitch, all the stress disappears, and I feel free,” he says.

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Oluoch will be one of Musingu’s key players when the East Africa Secondary School Games kick off in Kakamega on Wednesday, August 13.

And with reports linking him to a possible move to Sweden after the tournament, the boy in jersey 17 may soon be chasing his dreams far beyond the dusty fields of Migori.