When Eugene Mungao first stepped onto a netball court, he had only trained for two weeks.
He was nervous. He had never considered himself a sportsman.
In high school, Mungao was the academic type, the student more comfortable with books than exercise.
Today, at just 21, he is a member of Kenya’s national men’s netball team, the Net Kings, preparing for the 2026 Africa Netball Cup, which doubles as the pathway to the 2027 Netball World Cup.
It is a remarkable transformation for a young man who admits he once did not even like exercising.
“I never used to play any sports. I was just an academic-oriented student,” explains Mungao, a fourth-year Criminology and Criminal Justice student at Kaimosi Friends University.
His unlikely sporting journey began with a friend, Arthur Juma.
Juma introduced him to netball, and what started as curiosity soon became an obsession.
“I started enjoying the game. Training bit by bit, that is how I loved the game,” says Mungao.
His first competitive experience came at university, where he had trained for only two weeks before Western Kenya Universities Sports Federation championship.
“I was a little bit scared because it was something new to me,” he recalls.
With little preparation and no guarantees, he simply decided to give it a shot.
“When I entered the court, I just said, ‘Let me try and see how I can go.’”
He performed well enough to convince himself that he belonged.
By his second year, Mungao was surprisingly appointed captain of his university team, a decision that initially left him questioning why he had been entrusted with leadership despite being relatively new to the sport.
“I was like, why did they decide to choose me, yet I'm new to this sport? I don't know much.”
But the responsibility accelerated his development. He learned from older players, guided his teammates and gradually grew into the role.
His next step was club netball.
He joined Gannik Netball Club before moving to Vihiga Kings, where coach Margaret Namai helped sharpen his skills. Through club competition, Mungao began featuring in Kenya Netball Federation league matches and gaining the experience he lacked when he first picked up the sport.
The journey, however, has not been without its challenges.
There have been days when stress affected his concentration and performances. Moving from an academic-only lifestyle to competitive sport also required him to embrace something he had previously avoided: hard training.
“For you to do well in sports, you must train hard,” he says.
With encouragement from colleagues, he started exercising more consistently.
“I like some exercises a bit, but not that much,” he jokes.
The hard work eventually opened the biggest door of his young career: the national team.
Mungao is the youngest player in the Net Kings squad and is experiencing national-team netball for the first time.
“To be in the national team for the first time is a dream come true,” he says.
Rather than being intimidated by teammates with years of experience, Mungao has treated the national camp as another classroom.
His fellow players have encouraged him, taught him new skills and helped him improve the techniques he already possessed.
After several weeks of training, he says he can already feel the difference.
“My game has upped a little bit compared to how I came here.”
Now, the goal is not simply to make up the numbers.
Mungao wants to make an impact.
“One of my achievements was to actually join the national team,” he says. “But not only just joining, maybe making a difference in the team.”
He dreams of becoming Africa’s best male goal attacker and eventually playing in a professional league.
Goal attack is his preferred position, and his inspiration comes from South African player Eugene Sinxezi, his namesake.
“I have been watching his games and I like the way he plays,” he observes. “I was telling myself that if one day I can play like him, then I'll be good.”
For now, Mungao must juggle those ambitions with his university education.
His days are tightly structured. When his class schedule allows, he starts with a morning run before attending lectures. Every afternoon, from around 4.00pm to 6.30pm, he is back on the field training.
Nutrition has also become part of the lifestyle. He prioritises a balanced diet, fruits and plenty of water while avoiding excessive junk food.
It is a discipline his parents never expected him to embrace.
“When the first time I was telling them that I'm playing netball, they didn't believe me,” he says.
Their disbelief returned when he told them he had been selected for the national team.
“At first, they thought it was a joke.”
The selection letter changed everything.
Once convinced, his parents became supportive. His father even took him to the bus stop when he left for camp and gave him transport money.
“He told me that if you need anything, just call me.”
As the first-born of three children, Mungao understands the responsibilities that come with being the eldest. His parents have always placed a strong emphasis on education, sometimes worrying that sport could distract him from his studies.
But Mungao is determined to make both work.
Away from the court, netball has also taught him lessons about teamwork, friendship and resilience.
He describes the team environment as a family, where players support each other through emotional, physical and personal challenges.
Perhaps his biggest ambition, however, extends beyond his own career.
Mungao wants to help change the perception that netball is only for women.
He acknowledges that the stereotype exists because of the sport's history, but believes men's netball in Kenya is slowly gaining ground.
“There are a lot of clubs out there looking for individuals, especially male players,” he discloses.
His message to young boys is straightforward: give the sport a chance.
“Netball is a good sport and actually can help you go places and help you achieve a lot.”
From a student who avoided sports to the youngest member of Kenya's Net Kings, Mungao's rise has been anything but conventional.
But as Kenya looks towards the 2026 Africa Netball Cup and the dream of reaching the 2027 World Cup, the young goal attacker has already learned an important lesson:
Sometimes, the biggest opportunities begin with simply being willing to try.
Be the First to Comment