Coach Kevin Lugalia: Building legacies on and off the field

In the heart of Kitale, a man has quietly but significantly shaped the landscape of Kenyan hockey over the past 16 years.

Kevin Lugalia, a name synonymous with St. Anthony's Boys High School's hockey success, has become a living legend in the country's hockey scene.

Lugalia's journey began in 2006 when he took the reins as the coach of St. Anthony's Boys Kitale hockey team. Remarkably, during these 16 years, his commitment and passion for the sport transcended the ordinary.

It's noteworthy that he wasn't even a Teacher Service Commission (TSC) employed teacher at St. Anthony's when he started coaching the school.

Initially employed as a Board of Management teacher, Lugalia moved to a neighboring school that lacked hockey facilities but remained dedicated to coaching the St. Anthony's team. In 2011, he returned to St. Anthony's, solidifying his place as the team's coach.

Under his tutelage, St. Anthony's hockey team has achieved remarkable success, clinching an impressive seven Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) hockey national titles and seven Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) titles. This consistent triumph on the national stage speaks volumes about Lugalia's tactical sharpness and the resilience of the players he mentors with a majority transitioning into clubs and a notable number playing for the national team.

Reflecting on his 16-year journey with St. Anthony's Boys High School hockey team, Lugalia radiates pride as he discusses the most rewarding aspect of coaching.

"I believe the most rewarding aspect of coaching the school hockey team is seeing these boys prosper after school and joining higher institutions of learning, taking the game to the higher level and evn playing in the national team. It gives me so much pride seeing my players playing at that level," said Lugalia. "My coaching philosophy is insisting on discipline on and off the field, discipline in the way we play, and sharing ideas with the players, planning with the team and ensuring we realize the plans we have and just working as a team and giving the players room to know that they are part of the decisions I will make as a coach and they'll still make if they were coaches."

However, Lugalia's influence doesn't stop at the school level. Since 2010, he has served as part of the technical bench for the Kenyan hockey national team for juniors. In 2010, he led the junior national team to South Africa for the youth Olympic qualifiers.

The introduction of hockey 5s in 2014 saw Lugalia at the forefront, alongside Frank Odayo who was the then Maseno High School coach, being the pioneer coaches in Kenya and leading a team to Zambia for the youth Olympic qualifiers. Though the team finished third and missed the Olympics, it marked the beginning of an era.

Lugalia emphasizes discipline both on and off the field. "Discipline in the way we play, and sharing ideas with the players, planning with the team, and ensuring we realize the plans we have," he said. "Just working as a team and giving the players room to know that they are part of the decisions I will make as a coach and they'll still make if they were coaches."

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His coaching approach transcends the boundaries of the playing field, emphasizing a holistic development that extends beyond victories to instill values and leadership skills in his players.

In 2018, Lugalia etched his name in history by guiding the hockey 5s junior national team to the youth Olympics in Algeria alongside Mike Malungu, where they secured qualification for the Olympics held in Buenos Aires.

Lugalia's ability to adapt to new formats and consistently produce results on the international stage has solidified his reputation as a coaching maestro as he was the team manager of the hockey 5s national team that played in the FIH Hockey 5s Inaugural World Cup that was played from 28th January to 31 January 2024 in Oman.

He expresses a deep sense of honor. "I must say it's been an honor coaching the national team and especially coaching the juniors," he said. "I have experienced challenges and triumphs in equal measure, but what has stood out in coaching the juniors was qualification for the Olympics."

The pinnacle of Lugalia's coaching career was guiding the junior national team to Olympic qualification, presenting a team to play on that prestigious stage. "That has been my highlight in coaching the national juniors team," he states with pride.

However, he candidly addresses the challenges, noting that at the national level, expectations for results can be unforgiving. "Challenges will never miss, what I have encountered the most is at that level, people believe you should produce results no matter what, and if you don't produce the results they want, you are hit at by everyone without looking at the journey and the achievements."

The accolades are not just limited to the field. In 2012, He was recognized as the SOYA Awards school categories coach of the year, and in 2017, he secured the first runners-up position for coach of the year. These accolades underscore his impact beyond victories, emphasizing the mentorship and inspiration he provides to his players.

Beyond school and national teams, Lugalia has left a permanent mark at the club level. A coach-player for Western Jaguars when it was formed in 2005 alongside Peter Okova, he also had stints with Moi University. Currently, he's working on the success of Kitale Hockey Club, a team that is making waves in the Kenya Hockey Union men's National League and has qualified for the Super League promotion playoffs.

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Transitioning to the formation of Kitale Hockey Club, Lugalia shares the organic evolution of the team. "I found a few players playing hockey in Kitale and allowed them to train at St. Anthony's, they were not participating in any competitive competition; they would just play tournaments. They came up with an idea that they wanted to join the league and they actualized the dream and I became their coach by default because the were training there."

Recognizing the team's gradual progress he stated that they are making baby steps, and he believes that playing at the next level will catapult the team and players to higher levels and that will encourage more players to join the team because they don't have enough players.

Lugalia's commitment to nurturing talent at the grassroots level highlights his dedication to expanding the reach of hockey in Kitale and fostering a culture of competitiveness and growth. As he continues to shape the future of Kenyan hockey, his legacy extends far beyond the titles and trophies, reaching into the lives of young athletes who have been fortunate enough to call him their coach.