“A young man’s mind feels like a battlefield. It get’s violent at times for me. I understand the two divides of life pretty well to know when not to give up and when to postpone the fight”, Oroko starts. The 21 year old Resolution Impala Saracens player in a telephone interview with our media team reveals what few know about him. Most don’t know him yet. He is not a name an opponent would see on the team list on Thursday night and get scared of. The biggest reason is because he’s managed to stay grounded amidst a world full of attention hungry people. He completes his tasks on the pitch with silent effectiveness. He keeps a feature phone and you would be lucky to find him on social media. He lives a frugal life. The past knows why. In this interview, this fast rising loose forward opens up to display just what character and discipline can do for a young rugby player.
Do you ever feel like you are underrated?
Well sometimes I do, but it does not matter. I come from a very humble background. I was raised in Kawangware 46 by a single parent. Being raised by a single parent gives you two options: Learn to fight or give up and be forgotten. My entire High School life was full of questions to self. Nakuru High School was not performing well during my time and we were high school rugby nobodies. Some chose to stop playing altogether. I continued to date.
When did things start looking up for you?
Immediately after completing my High School education, I came to Impala Club and was thrown into the Standard Chartered Impala Rugby Academy. Then we were infamously called ‘team 3’ a badge we wore with pride. The best thing when I joined was this: All teams from Gazelles, to Boks to ‘team 3’ were linked in some way. Players could ascend if they were authentic. Some would descend whenever they slacked. It was never guaranteed and it actually made some of us work extra hard in getting recognized. That understanding that you can rise up drove me to where I am today.
Did you achieve anything at the Academy?
I could call that period when I was in the academy as the vital phase. Under coaches Samson Onsomu and Steve Juma, I understood what true rugby feels like. We went ahead to win 2 Mwamba Cup trophies. We won the Nationwide trophy thrice.
Then you graduated to the Resolution Impala Saracens Boks Outfit…
Yes, I did. But no sooner had I settled in with the Boks, players like Paul Mutsami & Billy Omondi were already getting included in the Gazelles set-up to play Kenya Cup matches. This made me question myself inwardly and outwardly as I worked to chase my Kenya Cup debut. The longer I struggled to get noticed, the more I never even got close to playing with the Gazelles on Thursday during match practice. It is at this point I discovered that time is an important element to maturation. Some of us are fast learners. Some adapt to tough situations quicker than others. Some like me however, continue depositing effort in the bank of time & I have seen it yield fruit.
Which player do you think gets it right at Impala?
Duncan Ekasi. If you look at the man, he has gone to school, graduated, earned himself a job, has won top tier league accolades, has a family & still goes to school. He is not proud at all and is always the voice of reason in moments of misunderstanding both on and off the pitch. I have seen players my age or younger than me come here & want to get it all in a season. I am sure people like Ekasi went through the challenges I am currently going through. Maybe even more, but they managed to overcome them. My other inspiration comes from Dennis Karani. He is interested in Law like I am. His ability to balance rugby and studies still surprises me to date. Another is Joel Omer. His rugby scars are visible, but he still plays. He also managed to balance higher education and rugby and continues to amaze.
Do you think you made the best decision when you joined Impala?
I mentioned earlier about how violent it gets sometimes. Rugby affords me release. I am a proud benficiary of the scholarship programme at Impala. My specialization interest lies within intellectual property law & family law. I am working hard to make sure I excel in both. It would be an uplifting feeling to graduate from MKU with a degree borne off my love for rugby. With my skills, I should be able to advocate for children who find themselves in family-borne situations that could cloud their future.
Were the 3 matches any significant?
This season, I played in some of the most unexpected stages with the Gazelles. First was the Kenya Cup Quarters against Kabras and the others were the Enterprise Quarters fixture against Quins and the Semis against Kabras. My Kenya Cup debut this season was during a big match. That signifies to me that I am made of the right material to stay here. I want to stay right here, with the Gazelles.
You must have been witness to some players losing it. What do you think has kept you here?
I have had injuries. My first was a tissue bruise around my thoracic cavity. The other was a popped shoulder. These are setbacks that can bring your rugby dreams to a complete halt. But they never meant anything much to me. I don’t smoke or drink. I don’t use any illegal substances as well. I will stay clean even after I ‘make it big’. I want to at least play for the national team.
Have you learnt a lesson while at Impala?
As a man, you should not have excuses in life. I come from Kawangware but I cannot say that my parents lacked so I will lack as well. I pay my own house rent using money saved from my weekly allowances and through other avenues, pay the remainder of my school fees and necessities.