Ammaton Samunya: You Were Never Behind

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Dear younger me,

I look at you now and remember the boy you were in Nakuru. You were working night shifts as a receptionist while chasing a dream that sometimes felt bigger than your circumstances.

You would spend the night working at the reception desk, dealing with guests, answering calls and making sure everything was in order. Then morning would come, and instead of going home to get proper rest, you would pick up your football boots and go for team training with Nakuru Bucks.

Sometimes, after training, you would finally get a chance to rest. But there were also days when we had matches, so there was hardly any proper time to recover. You were working at night, training in the morning and sometimes playing matches with a tired body.

Yet you kept going.

I know there were moments when you looked at your life and wondered whether football would really take you anywhere. You were playing in Division One, coming from Eldama Ravine, while trying to make ends meet through your job.

But I want you to know something now: you were never behind. You were building your story.

And through all those difficult days, Mum was one of your biggest inspirations.

You thought about her sacrifices, her support and everything she had done for you. You wanted to make her proud. Even when things were difficult and the future was uncertain, thinking about Mum gave you another reason to keep pushing.

So don’t be ashamed of the receptionist you were.

That job helped you survive while you chased your dream. Those night shifts taught you responsibility. Those mornings at training taught you commitment. The lack of rest taught you how badly you wanted football.

Then came the opportunity you had been waiting for.

When Ulinzi Stars came calling, it was difficult to believe that the boy who had been working night shifts and training in the mornings was about to step into professional football.

You were leaving the reception desk behind and moving into a completely different world.

You had to say goodbye to the people you had worked with and take a chance on yourself. That was one of the biggest turning points of your life.

Then you arrived at Ulinzi Stars and discovered that football at that level demanded even more from you.

The military environment brought a different kind of discipline. Training was tough, fitness was demanding, and there were no shortcuts.

But you had already learned how to keep going when you were tired.

You had worked through the night and still gone to training in the morning. You had trained and sometimes played matches without getting the recovery you needed.

So when things became difficult at Ulinzi, you understood what sacrifice meant.

You adapted.

You worked.

You listened.

And you kept improving.

Today, when I look back at that journey, I realize that those difficult days shaped more than just my football.

The patience, discipline and mental strength I developed while working and playing helped me deal with pressure on the pitch.

From Eldama Ravine Soccer Centre and Menengai High School to Nakuru Bucks, from working night shifts as a receptionist to Ulinzi Stars, and eventually to KCB, the journey has changed me.

I remember when I used to watch football highlights and imagine what it would feel like to be the player on the screen.

Then there came a time when I was the one being watched.

To be recognized for my performances, to be named Man of the Match and to know that I had become the player I once dreamed of becoming was a special feeling.

But even then, I knew the story wasn’t just about football.

It was about the journey.

It was about the boy who kept going.

It was about the people who believed in him.

And especially, it was about Mum.

If I could walk back through those hotel doors today and meet you before one of those night shifts, I would tell you to be patient.

Don’t allow difficult circumstances to make you doubt yourself.

There will be moments when you feel tired. There will be moments when you wonder whether the sacrifice is worth it. There will be moments when the dream seems far away.

But keep going.

Respect every honest job you do. Respect the people who help you along the way. Stay humble. Keep working on your football. And never forget where you came from.

Most importantly, remember why you started.

You wanted to build a better life. You wanted to make Mum proud. You wanted to prove to yourself that your circumstances would not define your future.

And the dream is still bigger.

I want to reach the highest level possible in football. I want to keep growing as a player, compete at the highest stages, represent my country, and one day play professionally outside Kenya. I want to experience what it feels like to play against some of the best players in the world.

But beyond football, I want to build a life that makes Mum proud.

I want my success to mean something beyond the trophies, matches and recognition. I want to be able to look back at where I came from and know that I used every opportunity I was given.

So, dear younger me, keep working those night shifts, keep going to Nakuru Bucks training in the morning, keep pushing through the tiredness, and keep believing, because one day you will look back and realize that those difficult days were not wasted.

One day, you will play professional football.

One day, you will wear the Ulinzi Stars shirt.

One day, you will play for KCB.

One day, people will watch you instead of you watching them.

And there are still more dreams ahead.

One day, you will play on bigger stages, represent your country and take your football beyond Kenya.

And one day, you will look at Mum and know that all the sacrifice was worth it.

You kept going.

And the story is still being written.