Kenya/Tanzania: Juma Emphasises Mental Strength As Rising Starlets Gear Up for Tanzania

23 January 2026

 Rising Starlets head coach Jackline Juma says the team's recent training camp has laid a solid foundation as Kenya prepares to face Tanzania in the next round of the U20 Women's World Cup qualifiers.

Juma revealed that the camp was designed to assess depth and identify players capable of competing at the highest level despite limited preparation time.

"We had a four-day camp and worked with two groups of 30 players each. There were new players we wanted to observe. Time was limited, but in those two days we managed to identify about 30 players we want to push to the very end," Juma said.

While noting that some players are still working on fitness and overall balance, the coach expressed confidence in the squad's potential.

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"Some of them are still battling fitness, others are still working on the four components of football. But we will continue to push and work with them based on what they can give us," the gaffer said.

Juma stressed that modern football demands a complete player, highlighting the importance of mental strength alongside technical, tactical and physical development.

"Mentality plays a very big role in football. But you must work on all four components, technical, tactical, physical and mental. None is more important than the other. All four must come together to create a complete team and a complete player ready to compete," Juma said.

Looking ahead to the Tanzania encounter, Juma described their opponents as experienced and disciplined.

"Tanzania is a good side with experienced players. Some have featured in the senior national team, others in the U20s and U17s. It is not a team we will underrate," she observed.

Juma added: "We are working hard as well, and we believe we can get a positive result."

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