Goldstein Hockey Foundation’s dual rise: How Rift Pirates, Blue Pirates powered breakthrough season

In a sport where development pathways outside traditional powerhouses remain limited, the Goldstein Hockey Foundation (GHF) has quietly built one of Kenya’s most promising grassroots-to-elite hockey structures.

The 2025 season offered the clearest evidence yet of that growth.

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Two of the foundation’s men’s teams, GHF Blue Pirates and GHF Rift Pirates, emerged as champions in their respective zones of the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) National League before both progressing to the promotion playoffs.

Blue Pirates, based in Kakamega, lifted the Western Zone National League title and went on to secure promotion to the KHU Super League, finishing runners-up in the promotion playoffs after falling to Impala in the final.

Meanwhile, Nakuru-based Rift Pirates were crowned Central Zone champions and finished as second runners-up in the playoffs after defeating Nandi Hawks.

For GHF clubs' President Collins Liyayi, the achievements reflect years of structured development, patience and a belief in the power of opportunity.

The Goldstein Hockey Foundation traces its roots to 2009, when Kenyan hockey legend Goldstein Mambiri founded the organisation with a clear mission to grow the sport and create opportunities for young players to participate in hockey.

Mambiri, who serves as the foundation’s clubs' patron, envisioned a development-driven structure that could open doors for young athletes who might otherwise miss out on the sport.

“The main objective was to grow the sport and create opportunities for young people to play hockey while creating an enabling environment for the game,” explained Liyayi.

The foundation adopted a simple yet powerful slogan that continues to guide its work: “If you can’t play, make someone play.”

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Through that philosophy, the organisation has steadily expanded its reach, establishing multiple teams and youth programmes aimed at nurturing talent across different regions of the country.

Today, the GHF umbrella includes three clubs and several development programmes, all working toward strengthening hockey participation at grassroots and competitive levels.

Expanding Pirates family

The first team under the foundation was Blue Pirates, established in Kakamega in 2018.

The Western Kenya side became the foundation’s flagship project, providing young players from the region with a platform to compete in structured leagues and advance their hockey careers.

A few years later, the organisation expanded to the Rift Valley when Liyayi relocated to Nakuru for professional engagements.

“Blue Pirates started in Kakamega in 2018,” he said. “Later, when I relocated to Nakuru for work, we initiated the Rift Pirates men’s and women’s teams so that young men and ladies could enjoy the sport.”

The Nakuru-based Rift Pirates were officially formed in 2021, marking the foundation’s second major regional project.

Liyayi

The expansion allowed GHF to operate teams in two key hockey corridors, Western Kenya and the Rift Valley, significantly widening its development footprint.

Despite the progress, Liyayi admits that running clubs in multiple regions comes with its share of challenges.

“Challenges have been there, ranging from finances to player relocation after school or college, and work transfers for players,” he said. “But we have learned to brave them and conquer.”

Beyond competitive teams, GHF has placed strong emphasis on building a holistic development system that includes men, women, and young players.

“The foundation is an all-inclusive family - women, men, and young kids,” noted Liyayi.

One of its key initiatives is the School Network Programme, which focuses on introducing hockey to younger players within the education system.

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The programme works closely with several institutions, including Kakamega High School, Nakuru High School, Nakuru Day Secondary School, Sigalagala National Polytechnic, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) and Kaimosi Friends University College.

Through these partnerships, GHF scouts and nurtures talent from junior secondary school to university level, providing a pathway from grassroots hockey to competitive club play.

“We embrace the school network system from junior secondary school, high school, and college before transitioning players into club competition,” Liyayi explained.

Players within the foundation are also encouraged to pursue broader development opportunities such as National team training camps, coaching courses and umpiring programmes.

The goal, according to Liyayi, is to produce well-rounded hockey participants who can contribute to the sport in multiple capacities.

Gender inclusion has also been central to the foundation’s structure. GHF runs a women’s team under the Rift Pirates banner, reinforcing its commitment to supporting female participation in the sport.

“We are gender sensitive and promote gender parity as enshrined in the Kenyan Constitution and within our club structure,” said Liyayi.

“Women play a pivotal role in society, and we fully embrace their participation in hockey.”

Breakthrough season for Pirates

The 2025 season proved to be a landmark campaign for the foundation’s two men’s teams.

Both Blue Pirates and Rift Pirates dominated their respective zones in the KHU National League, highlighting the success of the organisation’s development pipeline.

Blue Pirates secured the Western Zone title, while Rift Pirates emerged Central Zone champions.

For Liyayi, the success was the result of consistent effort both on and off the pitch.

“We attribute this to continued hard work, consistency in training, discipline, and sacrifice from the players,” he said.

The teams were guided by dedicated technical benches.

Blue Pirates were coached by Bramwel Lijoodi, assisted by Aaron Kutwa, while Barnabas Odhiambo led Rift Pirates alongside his assistant Alela.

“Both technical benches have pumped in their best efforts to achieve these results,” noted Liyayi.

He also credited the broader support system around the teams. “The management team and friends of the Pirates have all played a role in these achievements. It has truly been a combined effort.”

With both teams qualifying for the promotion playoffs, the foundation had hoped for an all-Pirates final.

Instead, the teams found themselves facing seasoned opponents.

Blue Pirates entered the playoffs with an impressive record, having gone unbeaten throughout the season before meeting Impala in the final.

“They had the advantage of experience in their squad, but our boys gave them a real challenge,” said Liyayi.

Although Blue Pirates fell short in the final, their runners-up finish was enough to secure promotion to the KHU Super League, marking a major milestone for the Kakamega-based side.

Rift Pirates also showed resilience during the playoffs, after falling short of the final, the Nakuru side bounced back to defeat Nandi Hawks, securing second runners-up position.

While the result fell slightly below expectations, the performance reinforced the team’s growing competitiveness.

“Our expectation was to have both teams meet in the final,” admitted Liyayi. “But we have taken our lessons and gone back to the drawing board.”

For the Goldstein Hockey Foundation, having two teams reach the promotion playoffs in the same season was more than just a competitive milestone.

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It was proof that the organisation’s multi-region development model is working.

“Two teams reaching the playoffs is a positive result of unity, hard work, consistency, and the growth of the sport,” said Liyayi.

He believes the approach could inspire other clubs to expand their development footprint across the country.

“We encourage other clubs to widen their scope to other zones, even though running teams comes with financial challenges.”

Eyes on next level

With Blue Pirates now set to compete in the KHU Super League, the foundation is already planning its next steps.

The long-term target is clear; progression to the KHU Premier League, the country’s top-tier competition.

“Blue Pirates reaching the Super League is a step forward, but we are determined to climb the ladder to the Premier League by the end of the season,” said Liyayi.

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For Rift Pirates, the immediate goal is securing promotion to the Super League, ensuring both teams operate at higher levels of competition.

The foundation also intends to strengthen its technical capacity by increasing exposure for players and coaches through training and partnerships.

“Foundation-wise, we are focusing on harder work on the training pitch, more technical development, and exposure opportunities so our players can learn from the best,” explained Liyayi.

GHF remains open to collaborations with organisations and stakeholders who share similar ambitions for the sport.

Beyond league positions and promotions, the Goldstein Hockey Foundation continues to pursue its original mission: expanding opportunities for hockey participation in Kenya.

Through its school partnerships, development programmes, and growing network of teams, the foundation is gradually building a pipeline that connects grassroots players to elite competition.

As Liyayi puts it, the philosophy remains unchanged since the organisation’s founding.

“If you can’t play, make someone play.”

And judging by the rise of the Pirates from Kakamega to Nakuru the ripple effect of that philosophy is already shaping the future of Kenyan hockey.