Kinale High School tactician on challenges faced in coaching girls' rugby

The afternoon sun hangs low over the RFUEA Grounds on Saturday, 31 January, casting long shadows across the pitch as the KRU Women’s 10s grinds through its later stages.

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On the touchline, Allan Bush is almost easy to miss.

There is no shouting, no frantic gesturing, and no attempt to dominate the game from the sidelines. Instead, he watches quietly and intently.

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Tucked under his arm is a camera, which he lifts from time to time, freezing moments of his teams in motion.

On this day, Bush is managing two teams: Kiambaa and Pioneer Girls. When he is not offering gentle instruction or reassurance, he is documenting their effort.

What stands out is not just that he is coaching two sides, but how he is doing it.

Between matches, he kneels to speak softly to a player just off the field. Later, he steps back, camera in hand. His style is rooted in trust rather than control.

Curious, I strike up what I expect to be a brief side conversation, nothing more than a quick assessment of the girls’ performance on the day.

Instead, he opens up, and what follows is an unguarded reflection on his journey through coaching: where it began, what it has cost him, and the realities few talk about once the noise fades.

When Kinale Girls High School lifted their first-ever Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Rugby 7s title in August 2025, it was validation for a philosophy built on patience, safeguarding, and the quiet, consistent work of believing in girls long before the country noticed.

At the heart of that journey is coach Bush.

“To coach ladies effectively, you have to be patient and understanding. Girls come with emotions and different challenges, so a coach must also understand safeguarding,” Bush says.

From tag rugby to national champions

Bush’s coaching journey began in 2020, during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. With schools closed and competitive rugby on pause, he turned to the basics: tag rugby, working with children at Sanata Children’s Home and Happy Homes in Gilgil.

What started as a way to keep children active slowly grew into a long-term vision for girls’ rugby grounded in early exposure and proper nurturing.

“Every child is an open book. How you nurture them and what you teach them determines their future. The secret is starting them young,” he explains while observing them play.

Six years on, that belief has translated into tangible success. Beyond the historic 2025 national title, Kinale Girls have dominated school rugby circuits, collecting multiple Bingwa Fest titles and most recently lifting the KRU Women’s 10s crown.

“Seeing them try things that people think only men can do, and then articulate what we’ve been working on in training, really makes me happy,” Bush says.

A family before a team

Bush currently oversees about 40 players, each with different personalities and emotions; realities he refuses to ignore.

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“I’ve learned to understand them and to teach them that rugby is a family. If they have issues, they speak out.

They are guaranteed safety, and we accommodate them. That’s how we’ve built a big family,” he said.

That culture of trust has produced results beyond the pitch. One statistic stands out proudly.

“We’ve never had any cases of early pregnancy. Our guiding principle is simple: better scars and dirt than early pregnancy,” he explains.

Conversations about drugs, early pregnancy, and social pressures are a constant. After every training session, the team sits together not to be lectured, but to talk.

Winning despite the gaps

The rise of Kinale Girls has not been without obstacles. Funding remains tight. Equipment is limited. Competitive tournaments are still too few.

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“Ladies’ rugby is not widely spread. That’s one of our biggest hurdles,” Bush admits.

Despite that, school teams continue to outshine clubs, something Bush is worried about.

“If you look at tournaments like Bingwa Fest 10s, most of the winners are school teams. Schools are currently doing better than clubs. If clubs don’t pull up their socks, that gap will only grow,” he says.

However, a bigger concern lies ahead: life after high school.

Bush believes the Kenya Rugby Union must urgently establish a clearer transition pathway for girls finishing secondary school.

“Some go to campus, others don’t. Very few campuses actively support women’s rugby. We hope the Union can create a clear pathway because many talents get lost during that transition,” he observes.

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The work continues

As they await the official KSSSA calendar, Kinale Girls are already locked in. They train three days a week, from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm, with eyes firmly set on upcoming KSSSA 7s and 15s competitions.

Both his teams made it to the final, with Pioneer defeating Kiambaa 24-5 to be crowned champions.

Bush’s Key Coaching Achievements

KSSSA National Rugby 7s: Champions (2025); Runners-up (2023, 2024)

FEASSSA Games: Silver Medal (2024); Bronze Medal (2025)

Safari 7s: Overall 3rd Place (three consecutive years)