Sports Journalists Association of Kenya,SJAK has signed a deal with betting firm Betika to sponsor the Coach-of-the-Month (COTM) Award to reward deserving monthly coaches from the grass roots to the top tiers of all sports across the country.
Consequently, the award incepted in 2016 as “KPL Coach-of-the-Month” and converted to COTM in 2022 will be renamed Betika/SJAK Coach-of-the-Month.
The deal comes as SJAK celebrates 8 years since the award was inaugurated to reward and appreciate highflying football tacticians in 2016 and just five months since Betika facilitated the renovation and transformation of SJAK’s Nyayo National Stadium secretariat into a digital hub.
Betika PR Manager, Katherine Arudo reflected: “SJAK has always been a significant partner of our Company’s activities and products, and we are very delighted to be extending our association with an Award that will not only whip-up the enthusiasm of tacticians countrywide, but also raise the bar for Kenyan sports teams, by and large”.
Eric Mwiti, Betika Brand Manager commented: “Over time, we have demonstrated our support for sports in the country and across the region, both on and off the pitch. Our focus on the different sports we are involved in has been the player but with this partnership we get to impact on the coaches as well. Together, we share an ambition of creating opportunities at all levels and ensuring everyone is welcome to enjoy the game. We look forward to further developing our relationship with SJAK over the coming years.”
The now defunct “KPL Coach-of-the-Month” and the present-day “Coach-of-the-Month” awards previously sponsored by Fidelity Insurance and StarTimes Kenya respectively, have rewarded some of the country’s high-flying and level-headed team tacticians.
Among recipients of recent COTM awards include Strathmore women’s hockey head coach Meshack Senge and Coach of the Nationals Cereals and Produce Board Handball team, Brian Mathews who scooped the December 2022 award.
Dennis Mwanja of Kenya Lioness women’s rugby national team was the first recipient of the COTM award. He won the award for November 2022 after it was upgraded to cut across all sports.
James Waindi, President of SJAK, on his part, commented: “We are delighted to partner with Betika at a time when we are celebrating our long-term commitment to rewarding excellence in sports. We feel privileged and duty-bound to help raise the spirits of tacticians who are hardly celebrated and lose their glory to players, when teams perform. Behind every successful team, there is a technical savvy coach, and this is an important time to whip up the enthusiasm of tacticians across the game.”
Waindi added: “Betika has played a pivotal role in the growth of the sporting ecosystem in the country, so it is excellent news that they are committing to a new investment in rewarding the unsung heroes of the sport.”
As technological advancements continue altering life across the globe, the relationship between Betika and the Kenyan sports scribes body has developed to see the gaming giant facilitate digitalization of SJAK’s operations.
SJAK Secretary General Moses Wakhisi echoed the President’s sentiments, emphasizing: “As Association, we are extremely excited to welcome a new partner into the growing list of SJAK sponsors. precisely the new title sponsor of the COTM Awards. Sports scribes play a pivotal role in the dissemination of information to the general public, and I am glad that Betika has made our trade even stronger by helping us develop a digital hub at Nyayo.”
PREVIOUS WINNERS OF COTM
Martin Abunde: Head coach of the Roll Ball national team, Abunde was named Coach of the Month for April 2023. He led both the men’s and women’s teams to World Cup success in India.
- Jack Ochieng: Coach of the Nairobi Water Queens, Ochieng was named Coach of the Month for March 2023.
- Meshack Senge: Coach of the Strathmore University Scorpions ladies’ hockey team, Senge was named Coach of the Month for January 2023.
- Zachary Aura: Coach of Butali Warriors, Aura was named Coach of the Month for February 2023.
- Brian Mathews: Coach of the Nationals Cereals and Produce Board Handball team, Mathews was named Coach of the Month for December 2022.
- Dennis Mwanja: Head coach of the Kenya Lionesses, Mwanja was the first recipient of the SJAK/StarTimes coach of the month award
