The KFAF Flag Football League |The Touchline Y254

and welcome back to the touchline show. Of course, the second set of interviews. The KFF uh Flood Light Flag Football Competition is set to take on to take place on Sunday, September 20th, 2026, marking the first, you know, time a flag football tournament in Kenya will be played on official tough, artificial tough of course and a full flood lights. So they here to speak about I have uh two players of course they're here to speak about uh the performances and of course their targets as individuals and their targets as a club and of course where do they see flag football you know going in the next two to three years as far as this particular you know competition is concerned. Of course joining me on set is Oscar Mi from Jotar. >> And then of course the only lady Francisco interview. >> Yeah. It's my first time to be like officially interviewed. >> Yeah. In a field VP. How do you feel? >> It's a new feeling. >> I'm quite excited. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Now that first time it is the first time you know flag football. >> Yes in a field. How difference? How different is it from tough is quite compared to the normal grass difference. So the turf is quite soft compared to the normal grounds where we experience difficulty sometimes. >> The grass there is not that well grown. So you you might find most players are getting injuries. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's the difference. Yeah. >> Right. Francisco. >> Yes. >> I mean first official and then of course it will be the first time. Will it affect your performances as players? >> No. It's going to be for me personally, it is more like a replay of the of the semi-finals at the also had to play at night and we had the flood lights at so it wouldn't be the first time I'm playing on tough for the flood lights >> for the American football but when playing under tough is there's a different feel you don't >> for someone who has a bit had injuries you have a few chances of getting injuries. >> Yes. I mean uh tell us about preparations for this particular tournament VP. How well are you prepared? >> Oh before I proceed to that the second flood light. >> Yeah >> the first one was held at Unity Homes. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. That's in Tat City. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. Where UN managed to win the tournament. >> Yes. >> But for the prep preparation >> Mhm. >> of season we've we've been training. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Most of the teams have been training. >> Mhm. getting ready for the tournament. >> Yeah. >> Especially Jquad Sparrows. >> We were second runners in the tattoo city. >> So this experience that we lost the game. >> Yeah. >> Has really pushed us to work towards the coming one to ensure that we beat you >> punch. Okay. Preparation for this coming flood lights. >> Yeah. >> The Jot Sparrows are working really hard. Uh remembering that they were beaten by >> Mhm. on the previous flood lights in T city. >> The season has been busy, very busy for the Jquad Sparrows. >> Yeah, >> they can't manage to lose the coming tournament. >> Yeah, we need the funds. >> Yes. >> To grow the team, >> right? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> What about Alpha team on your side? What will be the targets for this particular competition? Of course, second runners up last the last edition. This time around they're aiming you know to go all the way and win the tournament on your side in a >> for alpha it will be our first to play under alpha >> but it will also be >> it was an elevation from a different team we are still the ones who were the winners so it's a title defend we are going to defend our title for the ladies team >> it we are waiting to play so much against hurricanes and the city stags those are our main rivalries >> and it's going to be quite exciting for the ladies cuz we are now having six teams in the flood lights. >> Yeah. >> And having had the championship in the in the in July. >> Yeah. >> We get to find like we have now distributed team members, Kenya team members in different teams. So we going to meet with them now from a different angle. We played together in the championship. At this time you're not going to come as opponents. So it's going to be a real game to watch. >> Yes. Excited. Exciting. Of course. >> Yes. >> Muan on your side. You'll you'll start your competition against mighty in this particular I mean this tournament. >> True. >> I mean how well are you prepared to face this particular side? And of course bearing in mind that from the previous instances >> Got Sparrows. >> Yeah. >> As I said earlier >> Mhm. >> we have rival with the Yati. >> Mhm. >> The things that we've done in the offseason we've been training the basics. We are focusing on the basics mostly. >> Yeah. >> That's where we realized we went wrong on the previous flood light. >> H we working on strength, speed and agility to ensure that players perform well during the tournament and we do we we do not lose. >> All right. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So Francisco on your side as a player maybe things you're aiming to do differently from the the previous instances. Nigani >> first the main thing we are hoping to do different is >> we have the now this tournament we have both offense and defense we have like a full team both the alpha men and alpha women and being our first time playing as alpha we are here to make >> to to defend our title the name alpha we want to >> I mean why the name though alpha >> cuz alphas we leaders once you >> call upon >> others have to follow so we are going to set the ground for everyone in both teams, divisions, the women and the men. So, they might have a rivalry with the Sparrows and the Natis, >> but they I hope they're ready for the alphas cuz we are not we are ready for them. They're not ready for us. >> All right. And of course, flag football is a new sport coming in in Kenya. >> Yeah. Imagine game. Yes, that's the right term to use. I mean, uh looking everything that is ongoing at the moment, can you say that we are headed on the right direction? >> Absolutely. Yes. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. Uh coming 2028, we have Olympics at LA. >> Yeah. >> Uh team Kenya is working towards that. >> Yeah. >> H the federation is working towards that. >> Mhm. >> By ensuring the players that are going to present Kenya in LA >> that if we qualify, which will qualify, I believe. So >> are well trained and capable of handling games of the higher levels. Yeah. At the Olympics. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Francisco qualification to a late 2028 to a smile. I mean is it something you also you know aiming and working towards too >> considering I'm in the current Kenya team >> it's a dream everyone of us are dreaming for. >> Yes >> it's it's a it has chang stages cuz we have the qualifiers next year then there will be a finals qualifier then so that we can qualify it's the first time in everything. It's the first time that flag is in the Olympics. So being Kenyan being the first ladies team in Africa to go for in Kenya in Africa >> to be in the Olympics. >> Yeah. >> It will be a great opportunity like I cannot even path the greatment >> that comes to just imagine yourself in LA >> right >> and playing more more so just not just been there going to go play and >> defend and now create a new history for us. >> Yes. Yes. Of course, it will be the very first time for Kenya, you know, to take a team of flag football to the Olympics. I wanted to ask you about the event that happened at the NA National Stadium, the NFL. This particular event, you know, brought together a couple of teams from Africa, of course, the likes of Nigeria, you know, South Africa coming in. I mean for Kenya to host such a tournament and of course getting to see what other teams are doing in Africa in terms of Africa I mean uh flag football is concerned. Was it a motiv a motivation or a motivating factor for you as players and of course as a federation to ensure that they get to >> Yeah. This was a great milestone to flag football in Kenya. >> Yeah. The platform uh provided a chance for the local fans >> who did not know anything about flag football. >> Yeah. >> The through this they were able to know >> how flag football is played >> the opportunities that that are there. We have scholarship for ladies who are doing well. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Scholarships are being provided for the ladies who are doing well in flag football. Mhm. >> Uh it's also united like African countries. >> Mhm. >> Kenya stepped up to all the the the games. >> Yes. >> After par by the NFL. >> Mhm. >> After uh before before hosting it, the Kenya the Kenya team was >> Mhm. the Kenya team was able to I mean the federation was able to go through the rules that were needed for them to watch the the game in the Africa. Yeah. >> Yeah. Francisco. >> Yes. on your side footballing I mean Kenya and then of course the number is not that big given an opportunity uh at the moment there's little that would make difference because already there are already steps that have been taken like now there's already an officiating clinic happening as we are having this interview. So the we are all we can now see the whole pedigration the whole the current members the on the current teams all the people fans and the all stakeholders for KF and flag football are all trying we are all trying to propagate this >> team the sport to be known to all of us we have a we have a new sport in western in these months yeah >> so we have tried to >> they have already tried to go to deeper roots not only decentralized from Nairobi so >> what I would do differently is so minimal but I would make sure that more social medias more youths get to know this especially for the ladies as he has said we have the ladies have more opportunities because there are international >> scholarships that would you would end up getting >> yeah so it's opportunity for so many so I would keep >> all right Oscar individually what are you targeting I mean in in the next maybe two to three years where do you want to see yourself as far Yes. If flag football concerned >> or flag football. >> Yeah. >> I personally I want I want to see myself presenting the great Kenya. >> Mhm. >> That's Kenya team in the LA games >> and winning the LA to send a message to the international players >> that Kenya is a is the team to be beaten >> come the following >> games. Yeah. >> Both friendlies >> and those high levels. >> Yes. want to make the Kenya a better team. >> Personally, I want to help fellow players improve their game >> and match the international levels. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I'm just curious. I mean, why flag football? >> It started with contact game. >> Yeah. >> Before when I was in high school. >> Yes. Mhm. >> High school. >> Yeah. >> So when I joined Jquat, >> the competition for rugby was high. >> Yeah. >> I could not earn a sport. >> Mhm. >> Uh then I was told before I joined Jquad, I was told there is American football. >> Mhm. >> So I went and did a comparison. >> Yeah. >> Then I saw there is a little chances the people a few in the flag I mean the American football. So I decided to join football. >> Up to now I'm still playing. >> Yeah. >> And u I've bettered myself for the past two years. Three years. Three years. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. On your side, Francisco with a variety of sports that we have. >> Uh I'm a sport and this. >> Mhm. >> So I've tried different sports. I play other sports other than American. >> Yeah. >> And when I the first day I was I scooled at Jquad. So I >> I was just doing my morning run. I usually do morning run. Then I met one of the coaches, one of the current officials referee right now and he was like, "Oh, your athletics and everything. Can you try like catch all those type of just a ball and everything and I found it now combining all my other sports like I find all the the agility, the speed, the concentration now I find it in on in one sport. So it was like yeah this now it doesn't it doesn't make the other sport less. >> Yeah. So I can still do all the other sport and my practice from all the other sports I can still have it all in American food. >> Yes. Where you want to see himself in the next two to three years? I'll ask you the same question. >> In the next two years I would first of all I would love to see myself in LA >> playing the plane. >> Yeah. >> But at a larger platform I would love to see so many other ladies into the sport. Considering ladies and sports, it's usually like a hard mixture because there's a perspection that you get from ladies being in sports. So >> I would love to for to get that platform for where the ladies now know they can do sport and still be feel like being ladies. >> Yes, >> they can still do sport and do other things. It doesn't define you, but it makes you it fulfills you to a different version. It helps you then use spot for more mental health awareness. >> All right. Finally, Oscar, I know I've asked these questions a number of times, but let me also ask you today, how different is it American football from the the usual rugby we know? And then of course you'll speak to these young flag football generally differ from rugby. >> Mhm. >> In terms of rules. >> Mhm. >> Flag football rules are very strict. Uh and then we in flag football we don't have red cards. We don't have the red card, the yellow cards. >> Yeah. >> It's a penalty and it's the penalty is given right on spot. >> Yeah. >> H the penalty they vary. >> There are some that are extremely 16 and some other rather minimal. >> Yeah. >> Uh in terms of encouraging the young players right now we are working to bring in the under 13 >> players. >> Mhm. >> H and the under 17 players >> for the growth of the game. >> We don't want it to die like with us. We want it to grow for the coming generation. >> Mhm. >> Over and over again. Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh Francisco, finally 30 seconds. Assume I mean there are some young ladies watching you at the moment. What can you tell them and motivate them? They may, you know, get uh uh fancied to play I mean American football from what you'll tell them. >> Okay. To the young ladies out there, >> yeah, >> you should try I'll say most most of the time you live your authentic self and living your authentic self is more like living in a world that you don't get you don't worry about what the other person is judging your own. Mhm. >> So with sport you get to feel you get to especially with American football you get to meet with a team. >> So it's played five by five. >> So with those five players >> you get to experience yourself in a in a full >> in a in your fullness in your authentic self. No one is judging you. You are just allowed to if you are a sprinter you get to sprint. If you you're it's a game for all regard of regardless of the >> size height height wise size wise if you are plus or appetite it is doesn't judge cuz there's a position for everyone in that whole speed field. So you are welcome to come grow with us and we'll hold your hand all through the journey cuz it's a new sport then as you see we are the most prioritized at this point sorry to say but you can hear the scholarship so you get you can get to play and also advance in your education side >> you also get to to give back to the community so you get to get a balance of what you want and no one is going to judge you with you all along the journey. >> Thank you. Thank you guys. This is American football. Yeah. All right. So, coming up after this short break will be the final segment of the touchline. Of course, the fan zone. Manchester United are set to face Manchester City tomorrow. Who do you want to see? game. We will, you know, talk about that in a B2. This is the touch line right here on Y254.