At PLAY HANDBALL, we are proud that our youth coach from Kenya is participating in the International Coaching Course at the University of Leipzig, and we have the privilege of supporting him. Brian Kithiny is an active player on the Kenyan national team and also serves as a youth coach as part of our project in Kenya. To sustainably establish handball expertise in Kenya and promote sports development, it was important for us to enable Brian to attend this three-month training for handball coaches in Germany. Brian has big goals, and he sees himself as a role model. He is determined to show the youth in Kenya that it is possible to realize their dreams, just as he has done. He wants to inspire young people in his homeland to believe in themselves and to work hard. A great guy with great goals! In our conversation, Brian shares his first impressions and future aspirations.
More information about the International Coaching Course: ITK Leipzig.
Hey Brian, how is it going so far?
My time at Leipzig University is one big, awesome adventure! I came here to study international handball coaching, and it’s been more than just classes and books. I’m learning so much about how to coach kids, help them grow in the sport, and even shape their lives beyond the court. But trust me, it’s not all about handball, Leipzig is a city that keeps surprising me every single day!
Awesome! What impressed you so much about the city?
First off, this city is gorgeous! Picture this: cobblestone streets, old historical buildings, and lush green parks everywhere. It’s the kind of place where you can take a peaceful walk, then suddenly stumble upon a hidden café or a street performer playing music. The vibe here is so chill, but there’s always something going on.
How do you deal with the weather difference?
Yeah, it’s colder than Kenya’s sun-soaked days, but I’m starting to love wrapping myself up in warm clothes and feeling that crisp autumn breeze.
I can imagine. What are the biggest differences between your home country and Leipzig for you?
The difference in transportation! Back home in Nairobi, we have our beloved “matatus”. They are crazy, colorful, loud, and full of life. You jump in, there’s loud music, people talking, and it’s a wild ride every time. Here in Leipzig they have trams. Super quiet, super organized. It’s like night and day. The first time I got on a tram, I was like, “Wait, where’s the chaos?” It was so peaceful, I didn’t know what to do with myself! But hey, it’s kind of nice not having to fight for a seat or hear blasting music at 7 a.m.
The transport in your home sounds really exciting! How do you like German cuisine so far?
I miss ugali! With sukuma wiki or nyama choma, that’s home for me. I like German food, especially “Döner” (shawarma). But nothing hits the same as a hot plate of ugali. I’m trying to find an African store in Leipzig but no luck yet. Meanwhile, I’m trying new dishes and becoming a bit of a foodie.
Maybe in the multi-cultural city Berlin you will find an African store. I would like to know what makes people in Kenya and Germany different.
The people here are a little reserved compared to back home, where everyone’s open and always ready for a chat. But once you get to know them, they’re warm and friendly.
And the culture?
Wow. Leipzig is a city that lives and breathes art and music. There’s always something happening, concerts, street performers, art shows. It’s like every corner of the city has its own surprise waiting for you.
Leipzig seems to be an awesome city, thank you for sharing your impressions. Please tell me more about the content of the Coaching lesson!
It’s on another level. We’re not just talking drills and techniques; we’re diving deep into how kids develop through sports. I’m learning how to create a positive, fun environment for young athletes, which I know will be priceless when I get back to Kenya. Helping kids grow in confidence and love for the game? That’s what I’m here for!
And what is a regular study day looking like?
So basically, on a day like today, we start with a 1 hour and 45 minutes theory class! We get to learn all about handball, how to develop kids and what to teach them at what age group. It’s so inspiring! So today’s theory classes had dribbling as a lesson, we’d see how to develop someone who has never dribbled a ball to someone who is a dribbling pro!
After that, we have a quick break and then it’s time for the fun part – practice! Then, we meet at the handball gym, where we get to try out what we’ve learned practically and use the materials we’ve been shown. Then it’s time to split into groups and let our ideas flow! We’ll come up with some things to do in our own practice.
After our practice, we head back to class for the last session, which is didactics. This is where we get to learn about talents, motor abilities, coordination and conditional abilities. We also have sports science class where we learn about the human body in general. We even learn about bones, muscles, nutrition and all that! We have an inclusion class too, where we learn about including people with disabilities in our sports. We learn how to train them and how to love them all together! We also have handball camps where we go for training observations to the DHFK teams and see how their training is structured.
If you let your handball dreams run free, what do you think the result will be?
I think I want to be a top coach and develop these kids and show them that it is possible and it can be done. I want to change the face of handball in Kenya and if possible make handball among the top sports in the country. I also want to travel around Africa and the world seeing what we can always do better at home. For now I’m a player and I always dream of playing in the biggest stages. I want to use this as an opportunity to motivate the youths and young ones showing them it is possible.
At the end, I would like to know what you think of the project so far.
To sum it up, I’m having an absolute blast! Between learning how to coach young handball players, adjusting to the trams (still miss the matatus though!), and exploring this amazing city, I’m loving every second of it. Sure, I miss home, especially the food, but Leipzig has become a second home in no time. Can’t wait to bring all this experience and knowledge back to Kenya!
Interview: Laurids (Volunteer, in Cape Town)
