Never in her wildest dreams did Millicent Oyango ever imagine that, she would one day fly out of the country leave alone working abroad.When she threw herself deep into sports physiotherapy, Oyango had a modest dream of becoming an astute practitioner in the local field.But, barely two and four months after signing up, she finds herself amending both the short- and long-term objectives she had set before, after her expertise opened grand opportunities outside the country.##NAJAVA_MECA_7142310##She haboured a well-laid plan of starting small and gradually growing into the game but an opportunity to volunteer at Tanzania’s Fountain Gate quickly flipped the script and opened her to new ideas.Oyango joined Fountain in February this year from KCB Football Club and hardly a month after joining as a volunteer, she has not only, landed a permanent job with them but also, secured her first and international assignment.Last Sunday, the 26-year old jetted out with the Fountain Gates U-15 girls’ team that is in South Africa for the COSAFA-CAF tournament (school level) that will be held in Durban.She has been tasked with working with the team doctor as well as acting as a safeguarder.Another Kenyan who travelled with the team is former Vihiga Queens coach Alex Alumira who doubles up as a director at Fountain, a club, that has five players from Nairobi.Strength of a woman: Meet the madam driving Posta Rangers team busWhen the team hit the runaway at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday, it dawned on her that indeed her career is on an upward trajectory and further convinced her that great things will certainly come her way in future.“I never thought that one day I will ever travel out of the country on a work-related engagement. I did envisage myself making such a quick progress in the career. The past two years have been tough but manageable. I am happy that my career continues to open doors that I never imagined when I was starting,” she said before jetting out.When she learnt that she would be in the travelling party, she quickly dashed to Nairobi and secured a passport and other necessary documents to facilitate smooth entry to South Africa.Sports physiotherapy is a field that rarely attracts women but for Oyango, it has been her calling from the time she retired from competitive football.Strength of a woman: Akisa’s magic hands that keeps Nzoia Sugar players fitOut of the eighteen top flight clubs, only Kariobangi Sharks and Nzoia Sugar have women physiotherapists while KCB have two on attachment.How did Oyango maneuver her way from school to the level she is at the moment?Journey to sports physiotherapyOyango’s bravery and incessant rummaging for an opportunity to test the skills acquired in school saw her get a place in the KCB technical bench.She joined the Bankers in September last year (2021) after her profile and the urge to volunteer her services was met with kind consideration by the club’s bosses.A club of KCB’s calibre and the fact that coach Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno who heads the technical bench is a man who is known for many things save from compromising on quality, allowing the youthful practioner to volunteer in the team is an arguably a strong indicator of how competent she is.So how did she get the chance to volunteer at KCB? Well, her resilience, dynamism and the hunger to better herself professionally opened the door for her.From child labour to football stardom – This is Moses Mudavadi’s storyIn August last year, Oyango recalls consulting her friend George Onyango who turns for FC Talanta about the possibility of volunteering her expertise at KCB.Onyango hooked up her KCB physiotherapist Collins Nduku who, without minding of the threat the youngin could pose on his job, was kind enough to refer her to the management of the club.She revealed that the club’s top men invited her for an interview and it is after committing to abide by the strict guidelines spelt that she was allowed to work under the watchful eye of Nduku.”I joined KCB as a volunteer in September last year. Getting the opportunity was not easy as I had to go out of my way to get it. I am glad that the management of the club granted me the platform to grow in the profession,” she stated.EXCLUSIVE: How Okanda revived his football career at the Kakuma refugee campThe Manchester United fan, lifted the lid on some of the guidelines coach Zico laid bare to her on the day she was introduced to the playing unit that alternates it’s training sessions between Karen and Ruaraka.”Before joining the team, the coach asked the players to cooperate fully and to respect my job. He advised me to remain a true professional and avoid any romantic relationship with the players as it would generate cracks in the team,” she disclosed.Prior to joining KCB, Oyango who played as a centre back in school, served the Zetech University men and women’s teams as a physiotherapist pro bono.As a product of the Thika Road institution, she elected to offer her skills to the school’s teams that participate in the Women’s Premier League and Division One leagues respectively.EXCLUSIVE: How ditching football for Kabaddi has propelled Obiero to greatnessShe holds a Diploma in Nutrition and Dietics from the institution and a Certificate in Physiotherapist, a course she studied at KMTC, Kisumu.”I began practicing in 2020 after graduating. I had been serving the Zetech University teams until the chance to join KCB came my way. Having taken multiple courses in school, it enables me to handle injuries and advice players on matters nutrition,” she said.Oyango who hanged up her boots in 2019 after her guardian discouraged her is hoping that KCB will upgrade her terms of engagement from a volunteer to an intern going forward.The Manchester United diehard intends to further her studies and open a private clinic to attend to a wider pool of players as well as the community at large.”Volunteering is not easy at all but I will hang in there for I believe my efforts will never go unrewarded. I hope the club will upgrade my terms to an internship level in the near future,” she said.EXCLUSIVE: How offering medical care in street football propelled Odongo to the FKFPLShe avers that, the progress she has managed within a short period would not have come by were it not for the support and encouragement from Harambee Starlets coach Godfrey Oduor who also doubles up as KCB assistant coach.She revealed that Oduor who is commonly known as Solo recommended her to the Fountain Gates management for job consideration as well as helped her lay hands on a passport.“He is a such a kind-hearted man who has been holding my hand unconditionally. He guided me well when I joined KCB and has always rendered help and guidance,” she added.Oduor was confirmed as Starlets head coach last month, replacing Charles Okere.BIOName: Millicent Awuor Oyango Nickname: SentohDate of birth:15 November 1995Education: Primary:Boro Primary School, Siaya CountyHigh School :St.Ignatius loyola – Magadi Kisumu CountyUniversity: Zetech University Ruiru main campusFavourite meal: Ugali FishBest EPL team :Manchester UnitedRole model: Aloice Ouma (uncle)Hobbies: Watching football, travelling, cooking
