ABOUT LIGI NDOGO:

Launched in February 2002, Ligi Ndogo is a community youth soccer league dedicated to giving young people an enabling environment to nurture their soccer skills outside their normal learning curriculum. Ligi Ndogo has four centres in Nairobi as follows: Ligi Ndogo grounds on Ngong road next to Impala Club, Railway Training Institute South B, SMA grounds on Langata road next to Shilda Academy signpost and Kenya Shell sports ground on Limuru Road near Gigiri.

Vision

To genuinely contribute to sports and realize the often untapped potential that Kenya posseses.

Mission

Develop a passion for responsibility, discipline, build good character and perseverance through team work while empowering our children to act positively in communities through which we serve.

Objectives and values

• Use soccer as an important avenue to encourage social integration and societal equity
• Offer a window through which the general public (as a family unit) sees societies shape and is directed towards accommodating social order.
• Equip our children with good work ethics and individual productivity towards a general social responsibility

During the ten to twelve weeks that a Ligi Ndogo season runs, participants have gone through what can only be described as adventure. Participants are not only the players; They include the coaches, the parents, the brothers and sisters who have come to watch their siblings, even the occasional sponsor's representative and journalist. By the end of the season all will have celebrated with the winners and shared in the anguish of losers, witnessed moments of sheer sporting brilliance and also the most inexplicable of blunders.

Ligi Ndogo tries to offer more than what a child would get in the school sporting system. This is because the school sports system has it various limitations. For one only the top players get to play competitive sport and this can only be a handful in the school population. This puts off many other players who may feel they are not good enough. However given the chance, these players could turn out to be very good and it is these that Ligi Ndogo hopes to expose.

From May 17 Ligi Ndogo opens two new centres on Langata Road, SMA grounds next to Shilda Academy signpost, and on limuru Road at the Kenya Shell sports ground near gigiri. This will bring to a total of 4 centres including the the Ligi Ndogo grounds on Ngong road next to The Rugby Football grounds and Railway Training Institute South B. Eventually, the organizers hope to have similar centres countrywide, horning the skills of the youth.

Ligi Ndogo is designed as a soccer league with regular matches and training sessions to build a closer understanding between the instructor and the child resulting in the child learning more than just sporting skills. Aspects such as discipline, team spirit, leadership and responsibility are incorporated resulting in a well-horned individual at the end of the day. Our program is divided into three seasons each calendar year (JAN-APR), (MAY-AUG), (SEP-DEC). A typical Ligi Ndogo season lasts 10-12 weeks. The inaugural season commenced February 2002 (season1) and has been running till now (season 12).

Upon registration players are placed in teams which are categorized basing on age. Atoms (4-6 years), Juniors (7-9 years), Lower Mids (10-12), Upper Mids (13-14 years) and seniors (15-17years). These categories are further divided into teams which train onc a week either Friday or Thursdays (4:30p.m-6:20p.m) and play their league matches every Saturday. One's progress depends on their performance and there are cases whereby junior players have graduated to the senior teams even before attaining the required age although no senior player is allowed to play for an under age team. Different team colours clearly mark out the different teams. Plutos are resplendent in their all blue strip. Neptunes spot a striking yellow outfit while Mars colours are green. Jupiters are all red . It is thus easy to pick out your team of choice at any time during the games.

A typical senior game lasts 25 minutes per half while the junior games last 20 minutes per half. Prior to the games, each team has a training session once a week during the week. A team will play a maximum of one league game per weekend though impromptu friendly matches between the different league teams sometimes take place and act as build-ups.

The coaches, who are paid semi-professionals, take keen note of player's conduct and progress. They are encouraged to liaise with parents for the best progress of the player both on and off the pitch. Physical fitness and basic footballing technique is given priority during the training sessions to enable an enjoyable and injury free game for the player. The coaches also strive to give equal playing time to all the players in the team for the duration of the season. This enhances team spirit and also has the added advantage of boosting the confidence of players who might have felt that they are not that good. The parents often get involved in the officiating as linesmen, giving out handy tips at half time and generally encouraging there favorite teams.

A reward for outstanding play during the season is a call up to the prestigious planets side. The Planets is a select team that represents Ligi Ndogo in games with outside clubs/teams. Mid 2004 our U13and U17 planet teams participated in the prestigious Umbro International cup where 400 teams from 25 Nations took part in a week long tournament sanctioned by FIFA and UEAFA. In August 2005 our U10 Planets side took all the trophies in the Inaugural Ligi Cup East Africa Youth Soccer Championship. To be called up to the planets is therefore a great honour for any player of Ligi Ndogo.

FUNDING:

Sponsorship:

Ligi Ndogo relies on sponsors to be able meet its obligations. We also source sponsorship in kind e.g. balls, uniforms, trophies, Photography and so on.

Milo, Brookside Dairies, NIC bank, Jaffa Gold, Capital FM, Middlesex University, Kenya Commercial Bank, EABS, General Motors Tread Setters, Coca Cola have all been sponsors at one time or another during the 5 years of Ligi Ndogo's existence.

Subscriptions:

Ligi Ndogo charges a season subscription fee of Ksh4,200 Ngong Road and 3,000 South B respectively. This is used to provide a new set of Kit every season, pay the coaches and administration and lease and maintain the grounds.

Ligi Ndogo is very strong on Parental Involvement and the fee ensures that the parents take their children's involvement more seriously.

MEMBERSHIP:

Ligi Ndogo membership currently at over 500 is varied constituting of Children from all walks of life. While members pay a fee every season, 15% are FREE drawn from the local community where we operate, in this case KIBERA and MUKURU. This number is targeted to grow to 30%.

A team consisting of a General Manager, Administrator and League Manager run Ligi Ndogo. There is an advisory committee constituted from Parents and Sponsors. There is a team of 12-part time Coaches and Five support staff.

COACHES

Currently there are 20 semi professional coaches working at Ligi Ndogo. They are organized by the league manager who oversees coaching activities. The coaches also undergo training and refresher courses at the end of every season, thrice a year as part of our drive toward capacity buiding.

Before been confirmed as coaches for the next year, Ligi Ndogo coaches undergo theory and practical aptitude tests to ensure they continuously improve their skills.