Kisumu Youngstars ready for top tier hockey test after remarkable rise
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Reading Time: 6min | Thu. 21.05.26. | 15:48
Kisumu has long remained one of Kenya’s most important hockey regions, consistently producing talent through schools, universities and community clubs
When the 2026 Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Men’s Premier League season begins, few teams will carry the momentum and belief currently surrounding Kisumu Youngstars.
Fresh from a remarkable 2025 Super League campaign that saw them lose only once in 20 matches, the Kisumu-based side now steps into the top tier determined not merely to survive, but to prove they belong among Kenya’s elite hockey clubs.
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For head coach John Shivisi, promotion was never the result of a single outstanding season. Instead, it was the reward for years of patience, sacrifice and belief through difficult moments that nearly pushed the club in the opposite direction.
“The journey has been built on real patience, discipline and belief in each other,” says Shivisi. “This is not something that happened overnight.”
The transformation becomes even more impressive considering where the club stood not too long ago. During the 2024/2025 period, Kisumu Youngstars were battling relegation fears and almost dropped into the National League.
Financial limitations, inconsistent results and the challenge of sustaining a self-sponsored club constantly tested the project.
“We started with draws and almost questioned our abilities,” recalls Shivisi. “But we kept believing, then the wins started coming, and they could not stop.”
That belief eventually powered Youngstars to the Super League title race, where they finished as champions with just one defeat all season, sealing promotion ahead of Green Sharks.
According to Shivisi, the foundation of the club’s success was not built around star names or expensive reinforcements, but around unity, discipline and commitment to a collective identity.
“Our biggest strength was unity and discipline,” he explains. “The players understood their roles in every phase of the game and trusted the system.”
The coaching staff invested heavily in fitness, structure and mentality while simultaneously building a culture where players competed for each other rather than individual recognition.
Even during setbacks, the team remained composed. Shivisi points to their loss against Green Sharks as one of the moments that tested the squad’s mentality the most.
“The players stayed calm, continued to believe and remained committed to the game plan,” he says.
After every match, the squad would collectively analyse strengths and weaknesses before intentionally addressing areas that needed improvement.
That mentality gradually transformed Kisumu Youngstars from promotion hopefuls into one of the most difficult teams to beat in the division.
For years, Nairobi had represented one of the club’s biggest psychological barriers. Victories away from home against established city sides had proven elusive, often derailing momentum during previous campaigns.
But according to Shivisi, that narrative changed completely during a defining weekend in November 2025.
On Matchdays 13 and 14, Kisumu Youngstars defeated Kenyatta University and Park Road Tigers in Nairobi across back-to-back fixtures.
“For a very long time, we had struggled to win in Nairobi,” says Shivisi. “Then we won twice in one weekend.”
The victories became more than just six points. They became a turning point psychologically.
“The jinx had been broken,” he says. “That is when I felt we were no longer just competing but truly growing into a promotion side.”
From that moment onward, confidence within the squad surged, and their consistency became increasingly visible.
Kisumu has long remained one of Kenya’s most important hockey regions, consistently producing talent through schools, universities and community clubs. Shivisi believes that deep-rooted hockey culture has been central to the rise of Kisumu Youngstars.
“We have so many people in Kisumu who played hockey in their youth and now continue playing as masters,” he explains. “That means young people grow up around the sport and fall in love with it early.”
The club has intentionally embraced that development structure by creating pathways for young players to progress while still representing their community.
“It has always been our philosophy to create opportunities where young players can grow and compete at a high level,” says Shivisi.
That philosophy is already visible throughout Kenyan hockey, with several players who passed through Kisumu Youngstars now featuring across various KHU leagues.
Even now, the club continues investing in youth development, with high school students integrated into the squad alongside university players to ensure gradual progression and continuity.
The Premier League, however, presents an entirely different challenge.
The pace is faster, the tactical demands are greater, and the margins for error are significantly smaller. Shivisi acknowledges that his players understand the step up awaiting them.
“The standards will be much higher,” he says.
Preparation for the 2026 season has therefore focused heavily on improving fitness, tactical awareness and decision-making under pressure.
Beyond the physical side, the technical bench has also emphasised mental preparation, an area Shivisi believes is often overlooked.
“We haven’t forgotten the psychological side of preparation,” he says.
Tactically, Kisumu Youngstars want to remain true to the aggressive and disciplined style that earned promotion.
“We want to be a hardworking, fearless and tactically flexible team,” says Shivisi. “We may respect every opponent, but we shall never fear anyone.”
Unlike many promoted clubs that aggressively recruit experienced players immediately after promotion, Kisumu Youngstars have largely retained faith in the core squad that secured their place in the top flight.
“As a club with limited resources, we haven’t brought in major reinforcements,” he explains.
Instead, recruitment has focused on identifying promising talent while maintaining the identity and chemistry already established within the squad.
“The goal is to create balance where experienced players guide the younger ones while still giving youth opportunities to grow.”
The coach believes the current group still possesses significant room for development, particularly through exposure to different tactical situations and higher-level competition.
“We keep exposing the team to new tactical situations to improve problem-solving and understanding during matches.”
For many newly promoted teams, survival becomes the sole objective during their first season in the Premier League. Kisumu Youngstars are approaching the challenge with humility, but not fear.
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“We are not naïve enough to underestimate the level of the Premier League,” says Shivisi. “At the same time, we recognise the quality within our squad.”
The club’s immediate ambition is to establish itself as a genuinely competitive Premier League side capable of challenging opponents every week.
“We do not want to enter the league just to participate,” he says.
Rather than focusing too far ahead, the team intends to maintain the same mentality that powered its promotion campaign, taking the season one game at a time.
“Our goal has always been to win, then analyse, unlearn and relearn as fast as possible.”
While survival remains important, Shivisi admits the team quietly believes it can compete for a top-half finish if development continues at the current pace.
As the club prepares for its Premier League debut, Shivisi insists promotion belongs to more than just the players and technical bench.
“This promotion belongs to everyone; the players, supporters, schools, coaches, former players, sponsors and the wider Kisumu community,” he says.
He also acknowledges the financial realities that still surround the club, calling on supporters and well-wishers to continue helping sustain the project.
“We depend on generous contributions to keep the fire burning.”
For Kisumu Youngstars, the Premier League now represents the next chapter of a journey built on resilience, community and patience. And after years of growth through struggle, they arrive in the top flight convinced they are ready for the challenge ahead.