Feb. 24, 2004

Head Coach Marcus O'Sullivan writes about his Kenyan recruiting trip with Associate Head Coach Antony Williams...

I've often wondered where the shores of Tripoli were. As I gazed at the TV set at the front of the airline cabin watching the computerized icon of a plane inch its way across the Sahara Desert, the song, Sail Away , by Irish musician, Enya, came to mind. In one of her songs, she references the shores of Tripoli, a place I used to think of as a romantic yet legendary land. So I looked at the computerized map, I realized it was for real. The gigantic British Airways Flight 62 traveled at an altitude of 37,000 feet and a ground speed of about 600 miles per hour and soared through the African jet black sky. Its final destination, Nairobi, would eventually put Antony Williams and me just south of the equator.

I was compelled to ask Antony, "Is this going to be worth it?". Antony said, "Who really knows? But you have to try". Feeling like a traveling salesman, I convinced myself that if I knock on enough doors, eventually one will open. It's the part of the job most coaches dislike, yet a necessary part to the future growth of a Track & Field Program. Think of it as the Human Resource Department of a company. It brings new blood and life to complement the already existing culture. It allows you to shape and design the ideal program that fits your University's goals and objectives. Any Villanovan will tell you, Penn Relays is a priority, the IC4A's in the past and now the NCAA's. Being an Olympian is the ultimate, add to this the fact that I love cross country, and you have a rather diverse mixture to guidelines for recruiting. However, Penn Relays remains a priority so I try not to drift too far from the necessary prerequisites to field a relay team. When it comes to recruiting, the chosen athlete needs to match the goals of our program. Knowing we have to compete against Arkansas drives me to the far corners of the earth to find the athlete or athletes needed to compete against them successfully.

I truly believe if you put the time in, make the contacts, and continue to establish the name of Villanova worldwide, it will invariably pay off. The late Jim Tuppeny once told me - "Jumbo coached 25 years before the program finally took off, and he was a great salesman". And so, there I was on my way to Kenya in search of a new horizon. By the way, for those who are interested, I earnestly do try to recruit Americans. It's not easy, let me tell you. But I won't give up on that front either. To depend on it completely could leave the program weak for years. My philosophy is, to be the best you must recruit the best; where they hail from should be secondary. Besides, the cultural exposure and team experience are tremendous. It's terrific to watch the kids from all countries, including the US develop friendships with each other and grow as a team.

On the flight from London to Nairobi, I sat next to a lady from Eritrea, an independent country in Northeast Africa, with Ethiopia to the South and Sudan to the North. She explained to me how it was taking her 4 days to travel home to see her family. When she was not flying, she spent the layovers in various airports. The cost of the ticket from Toronto to Eritrea was affordable, she explained, and the hardship of having to sleep in an airport was minor. Not a bed to sleep in for 4 nights; a determined lady, I remember thinking to myself. My two overnight flights from Philadelphia to London and then London to Kenya seemed to pale by comparison, especially when I thought of being picked up in London, fed a nice English style breakfast, and placed in a warm bed to recoup from the previous night's flight.

THE ARRIVAL:

We arrived in Nairobi to the welcome of Agnes Korir, the sister-in-law of Amos Korir, Class of '81. She explained to us that her husband, Barnaba, brother of Amos, was unable to come due to business commitments in Eldoret. Antony and I patiently waited while she tried to negotiate a car ride to our final destination shortly thereafter. She informed us that the taxi was willing to drive us to Eldoret at a cost of $300.00. Waving her hands, she dismissed the idea as ludicrous and insisted that she herself would drive us. I had been told that the journey was 2 ? to 3 hours. I felt that this was an enormous inconvenience to Agnes. She assured us that everything was fine; however, she needed to go to her house in Nairobi and check on the children before leaving. We accompanied her to her home, met her children, and then prepared for the journey. The road was bad, full of pot holes, and it was a marvel to watch Agnes perform with the skill of a Formula One racing car driver, maneuvering the holes while maintaining a 50 mph speed. A little over 6 hours later, we arrived in Eldoret. This is when I began to realize that in Kenya, the concept of time was different to that of the western world. Agnes chatted the whole way and with but one stop for coffee, she drove a stick shift for 6 hours without complaint.

We arrived in Eldoret late in the evening. The journey took us from just below the equator in Nairobi to marginally above the equator in Eldoret. Barnaba and Amos were both there to greet us. We sat for dinner in a local hotel and chatted for a couple of hours. Barnaba talked about his running days at Iowa State, and Amos recollected stories from his Villanova days. Amos wanted to know how Jack Pyrah was doing. Jack was Amos's coach while he had attended Villanova.He was happy to hear that at 85 years of age, Jack was still traveling to meets with the team. The day had finally caught up to us, and sleep was crying out, so we decided to call it a day. The hotel bedroom had a net over the bed; the first reminder that the mosquito was present and malaria was indeed a threat.

DAY 1

Antony and I had planned to rise early; however, the alarm came and went and we slept until 10:00 a.m. A prearranged driver by the name of Kimbowai from the Olympic Training Center had agreed to meet us at 8:00 a.m. He never called to wake us, but instead sat in the lobby of the hotel for 2 hours and allowed us to sleep. When we did meet him in the lobby, he greeted us with a broad smile, genuinely happy to see us . Time is definitely an interesting concept in Kenya ! Our driver took us to the Keino Training Center. Sponsored by the International Olympic Committee, the center is available to all countries, and not limited to the African nations. Respective teams came from all over the world to train at 6,000 feet above sea level. Contained on Kip Keino's farm , the center has plenty of places to run.

We were greeted by Charles the Chef, and he immediately had hot Kenyan tea on the table.

Charles presented me with some tea, a mixture of hot milk and tea leaves boiled together. It had a distinctive taste, one which upset my stomach and I began to feel nauseated after one sip. I had two choices, drink in the Kenyan way and have it that way for the whole trip or nip it in the bud right there and then. After the second sip, I nipped it in the bud. I explained to Charles that I would prefer to have my tea black, and he immediately understood. I don't think it had been the first time someone requested it. The week was so much better because of it.

The center itself was very impressive - with a dormitory setting and a communal area for athletes to share. You were not going to find a phone or a computer, and night life was relatively non existent. We quickly discovered that most of the athletes were in bed by 8:30 - 9:00 p.m. It was a 6:00 a.m. start for the first of two to three training runs a day. There were no distractions. They were simply there to run. These are athletes preparing on behalf of their respective countries for the Olympics this summer.

After lunch we went into the town of Eldoret. There I met with Brother Colum, the sole purpose of the trip. He has coached the high school boys and girls in the area for over 25 years, devoting his life to their well being and their pursuit toward adulthood. Brother Colum was accompanied by Brother Paul, a retired Brother. We greeted each other. Brother Paul asked what it was I expect to find at St. Patrick's. I said, "I'm not sure". "Well, you won't find much in the way of facilities, so please don't expect too much .......This is a very poor region of the world as I am sure by now you have figured out", Brother Paul explained . I nodded in understanding. "However", Brother Paul continued, "it will be an experience of a lifetime to see the source of some of the greatest runners of our time".

All I could remember of St. Patrick's came from a documentary I saw on television some years ago. It had children running all over the place with very modest buildings in the background.

We sat and talked about the prospect of a high school student attending Villanova. Brother Colum appeared interested, but expressed concern about them surviving academically. We both agreed we would not try to put a round peg into a square hole. A Kenyan high school prospect would certainly need to be capable academically. I set up an appointment to visit the School of St. Patrick's the following Saturday.

While in the town of Eldoret, Antony and I both agreed to see if we could get plane tickets for the return trip to Nairobi - a trip we would have to make in 5 days. The thought of a 6 hour drive on a very rough road the following Tuesday convinced us to at least check out the price. At $48.00 a ticket and that included the airline tax, we put the money on the table and bought ourselves 2 tickets. Compared to $300 for a 6 hour car ride, the flight had more appeal.

On our way back to the training camp, we stopped at the supermarket to buy bottled water. While leaving the store, we bumped into Mrs. Keino (Kippy Keino's mom - Kippy is now a student-athlete on the team). Antony had met her during Villanova's freshman orientation and recognized her in the store. We greeted each other and we arranged to visit her the following day. That evening at the Training Center, we met the legendary Kip Keino. He had just arrived back from Nairobi after being on a business trip. We chatted about his son, Kippy, and as to how he was adjusting to Villanova. We, too, also agreed to meet and see his farm the following day.

DAY 2/INDEPENDENCE DAY

Kenya celebrated 40 years of independece that day. I woke up at 7:30 a.m. a bit weary from the sporadic sleep, waking a number of times during the night. Paranoid of being bitten by mosquitoes, I found myself out of bed on a few occasions looking for the creatures against the cream painted wall. Malaria was something I was going to avoid at all costs while in Kenya. Eventually, the mosquito combat wore me down, and I eventually dozed into a deep slumber. Antony and I both started our malaria tablets four days ago; however, it was little comfort, especially when you see them flying around the bedroom.

Kip Keino was there to greet us when I stepped out of the training center into the early morning sunshine. Before breakfast, he proudly showed us around the farm. He pointed to the very first house they lived in. It was nothing more than a shack. Eventually, he built a number of homes on the farm, each one better than the previous. His goal was to make the farm self-contained and self-sufficient. I spotted the windmill, it's blades cut through the air as it pumped water from the ground. He pointed to men as they manufactured, by hand, cement blocks for future construction. He also showed me the almost completed Bio Gas System. They were going to use cow manure to create methane and supply the Training Center and the farm with their own gas supply. I could tell he was excited about all these projects - his vision appeared to be endless.

After breakfast, he drove Antony and me to the Children's Orphanage, now located on the other side of Eldoret. It was their summertime vacation here in Kenya so many of the children were either out in the fields working or playing in the playground. They were curious about our arrival yet I could tell they were accustomed to receiving visitors. They lined up in orderly fashion and shook hands while they introduced themselves. We had a cordial drink and then the teenage children provided us with a one hour tour of the farm and orphanage.There was: Alice, Grace, Anne, Franklin and a very talkative Caroline who took the time to escort us all around the farm. From the dairy and cheese production to the vegetables and beef cows, the objective once again was self-containment. Phyllis Keino made us lunch and thereafter we drove to the Eldoret Club, the local golf club, to meet up with Kip Keino. During the drive to the club, we spotted sports rally cars driving speedily into the town of Eldoret. Phyllis explained that it was the Trans Kenyan Car Rally. It started in Mombasa on the east coast and would finish on the border of Kenya and Uganda. It takes place every year around the Independence Celebration. We arrived at the club in time to meet with Kip Keino for afternoon tea; we were joined by Brother Paul. Brother Paul told us that he was now retired, he played golf, ran a farm, and served on educational boards. Brother Paul, a Patrician Brother, came some 25 years ago to teach at St. Patrick's. He remained here ever since and appeared to be very comfortable in this environment. However, he still drank tea like an Irishman - hot black tea with a little cold milk. He explained that in all the years the thought of drinking hot milk boiled together with tea was enough to turn his stomach. I agreed wholeheartedly. Maybe it's a cultural thing!

We arrived back at the Training Center in time for dinner. "Ungali" was part of the menu. Ungali is made from cornmeal and is a firm version of cream of wheat. Firm enough that when it is flipped onto a plate, it can be cut with a knife. It is a staple of Kenya. All in all the taste was palatable.

Tomorrow was the Big Day. I was going to meet Brother Colum and visit St. Patrick's. After all, this was the purpose of the trip. Sleep came early, however, after I completed the mosquito patrol.

DAY 3 - THE VISIT

From Eldoret, we traveled 45 minutes northeast to Iten. We made our way up the western side of the Rift Valley. The Rift Valley is a geological fracture that bisects the western plain of Kenya from North to South. It is a relatively shallow valley when compared to the Grand Canyon, however, spectacular in its on right. When we arrived in Iten, it was market day. Throngs of people flocked in the main street buying and selling goods. Poverty was everywhere. Life is simple for the Kenyan, with the main objective being to stay alive. These people truly have nothing, and with a government that has nothing, there is nowhere for these people to turn. When we arrived at Saint Patrick's, Brother Colum was there to greet us.

Brother Colum arrived in Kenya over 25 years ago with a commitment to his Patrician order to stay 3 years. He arrived during the rainy season, not the best of times, and quickly felt discouraged by the challenges he faced. Conditions were really tough and initially he thought he would fall short of his 3-year tenure. However, he adapted over time, and the 3 years turned into almost 3 decades, (27 years to be exact). While teaching at Saint Patricks, he managed to get involved in athletics and it wasn't too long before he had a track & cross country team established. As we stood together in the schoolyard in very humble surroundings, he pointed to me the results of his coaching and the mentoring of these young boys. A tree garden was now maturing in the middle of the schoolyard.

Brother Colum pointed to the Nandi Flame tree. This was planted to remind everyone of Peter Rono's gold medal in the 1988 Olympics. Moving his fingers, he identifies a Podo Tree for Olympian David Kiptoo. There were trees everywhere. For 3-time world champion, Wilson Kipketes there was a tree, and a tree grew tall for Bronze Medalist, Mike Boit. Brother Colum pointed to another tree and said it was for 3-time winner of the New York & the Boston Marathons, Ibrahim Hussein. The trees filled the garden. Indeed it was a garden of athletic history.

Brother Colum spoke with immediate recollection and warm sentiment when he pointed to each tree. He described, "Some had taken the professional route directly out of secondary school (high school) while others went through the U.S. collegiate system and then made track a career." We toured the school and then Brother Colum introduced me to the young athletes who were now on holidays (the equivalent of our summer). It was a very cordial presentation. I said a brief hello and that I was very happy to be there. Then I wished them good luck in the upcoming cross country season which was soon to commence.

Brother Colum and I walked and talked. He appeared to be so proud of his work and the hand he played in shaping St. Patrick's. "They deserve a chance", he said. The United States' system was indeed an option for the right candidate. These boys were like sons to Brother Colum. He gestured to me that if an American coach was going to recruit here, it was important that he or she understand what kind of background they come from and simply take an interest in them. "It really does make a big difference", Brother Colum said. The purpose of my trip, I explained, was to establish Villanova as an option for the young boys of St. Patrick's. We both agreed that the athletic and academic fit was crucial to the overall success. Brother Colum introduced us to some suitable candidates and we chatted about college life and our athletic program. For these athletes, the professional circuit in Europe was well outside their reach so the idea of continuing their education was indeed a promising option. We chatted about SAT scores, something Brother Colum was well aware of.

During the afternoon, Antony and I drove down into the Rift Valley and stopped at Tombach Teachers College. Brother Colum explained that it was an intensive 18 month educational program where the students take 10 hours of class per day. "They have very little time to train, but it is a great time to improve their English," he said.

The view of the Rift Valley from Tombach College campus was magnificent. We drove back up the valley toward Iten and took the sights in along the way. The market place was still going strong at the end of the day as we drove through the town of Iten.

Before leaving, Brother Colum and I chatted some more. He emphasized how the poverty had forced many of the young athletes to attempt the professional circuit at an early age. How could you blame them? After seeing where these young boys and girls live, I had a better understanding. These past few days were an eye opener. The conditions in most parts were atrocious yet as Brother Colum pointed out, the children still manage to smile. They were worried about simple things -- getting daily nourishment and a place to sleep. Seven hundred people die from AIDS in Kenya every day. Brother Colum said that part of his coaching incorporates teaching these facts. "They need to understand these diseases and their consequences, how to protect themselves and remain healthy", Brother Colum explained.

Before setting off on our journey back to Eldoret, Brother Colum wanted me to visit the Principal's Office . We entered the room and he told me to turn around to look at what was on the wall. I did so and I saw a poster of the 1988 Olympic Final. Brother Colum pointed to me and then to Peter Rono. I finished eighth that day, but out in front crossing the finish line in the Gold Medal position was Rono. His victorious right hand reaching for the sky while we all struggled in his wake to maintain our positions. There was not much between us at the finish line, yet it was enough for Peter. In the last 300 meters of the race, Peter Rono looked over his shoulder no less than 25 occasions (People counted as it was a topic for discussion following the race). I think he was waiting for someone to pass him, but no one did. If my memory serves me right, it was the only time I remember Peter Rono ever being in front of me at a finish line. I remember thinking after the race -- what a day Peter picked to win. My goodness he did win big. Knowing what I know now about this area, the poverty and deprivation, as I looked at the photo, I could not help but think that perhaps Peter Rono had needed the win more than the rest of the racing field in 1988. As he reaches for the sky with an open hand, I turned to Brother Colum after a moment and said, "That one was for St. Patrick's".

As we left the office, I stepped out into the courtyard, and there was the Peter Rono's Nandi Flame tree enjoying the gentle breeze coming from the Rift Valley. As Brother Colum and I parted, we agreed to stay in touch. We then journeyed back to our base in Eldoret. It was a long day and as Brother Paul had foretold me when I had first arrived in Eldoret - the day would remain in my memory for a long time. I agreed.

DAY 4 - Daily Activities

When two 1200 lb. bulls get together and try to sort out some personal issues, the last thing you would think of doing is getting in the middle of their disagreement. However, this never occurred to Kip Keino. On this bright Sunday morning, our attention turned to an array of shouts in a nearby field. When we ventured outside to see what was going on, Kip Keino was in the middle of a bull fight. Not in the traditional sense of a Spanish matador, but rather trying to pry the two bulls apart. Such a spectacle! Here was an Olympic Champion having no nonsense between these two animals. The farm assistants were shouting words of encouragement to their boss, giving at least the appearance of being ready to jump in and lend a hand. You could tell that they were silently hoping that their services were not going to be needed! Kip was rendered backward by the animals

and lost his footing. Perhaps through this distraction, they had had enough of each other and consequently backed away from each other. It was then the staff jumped in to try and herd the bulls back to their respective areas. Little did the bulls know then, but their fate had already been determined. Kip told me later that they were scheduled to go to the market the following week.

After an eventful start to the day, things settled down while we got ready to drive to Nandi; this is where Kip Keino was born - Nandi Hills to be precise. He wanted to show us his tea farm. I had been drinking it all week, and I was curious to see where it exactly came from. The distance we had to travel was about 38 miles, but it was going to take us about 2 hours to get there. The plan was to be on the road by 10:00 a.m. so by Kenyan standards, we were fashionably late when we finally got started at 1:00 p.m. Do you recall the van driver waiting for 2 hours in the lobby of the hotel for Antony and me on the first day? By now I was beginning to understand the meaning of Kenyan time.

Nandi is the second largest producer of tea behind India and the world's largest exporter. The only way I can describe the tea farms was that they appeared to be ocean-like spreading across the hills like a luscious green carpet. The fields were endless. Standing in the midst of this landscape, (PHOTO ) I thought how incredible it was that much of the world depended on this area for their tea consumption. Periodically, we stopped to take in this awesome sight.

On the return home to Eldoret, Kip wanted to stop by his country house and check on it and the surrounding acreage of tea plants. When we got there, we found a large beehive on both gable ends. Amidst the agitated bees we managed to get into the house, have a look around, and make sure everything was ok. I asked how was he going to get rid of the bees. It's not like you pick the phone up and call an exterminator. He would return the following night, climb up into the attic, and he himself would remove all the honey while he sedated the bees with a smoke propellant. The following night he returned and filled his many baskets with the honey while they dozed under the influence of the smoke spray. This was all done at night and he did not get back to Eldoret until after 1:00 a.m. We had agreed to be up by 6:30 a.m. the following day to catch an early flight to Nairobi. Kip was going to accompany us as he had business to attend to in Nairobi.

DAY 5

Charles, the house chef, had breakfast ready and we were ready to leave for the airport at 7:00 a.m. At 7:30 a.m., Kip was still in his farm overalls. Ian, his son, stood in the yard patiently waiting. There are two flights to Nairobi everyday. I knew from previously talking with the travel agent that the later flight was totally booked. So the thought of a 6 hour drive on a road filled with potholes was looming in the distance. I asked Kimbowai, our driver, if Mr. Keino missed many flights? "Oh no.....never!", Kimbowai exclaimed. Somewhat reassured, but not totally convinced, I went to ask Ian, his son, the same question. "Oh yes, last time the flight was on the runway when we arrived at the airport... oh yes, we did miss that one", Ian replied. Then we saw Kip walking toward the house. "Hukana Matata ( This means 'no worries' in Kenyan ). I'll be right there", said Kip Keino. A few minutes later Kip Keino was dressed sharply in suit and tie ready for the flight to Nairobi. It was like a superman transformation. From farmer to business executive -- now that's my kind of man ! He had morning meetings at the National Olympic Committee Office where he works.

We were finally all seated in the van for the airport. As we drove past the main house, Kip, who was sitting in the front passenger seat swung his body around and said the gift he had for me was in the house. "I'll have to get it before we leave" motioned Kip. "Noooo !" I could hear myself scream. However, calmly I said "Hukana Matata" and smiled..... I did see the Lion King ! "We'll get it next time" I added. Meanwhile, I'm thinking of the flight. We have to make the flight! I must say I admired Kip's zest for life. He packs more into a day than most people and enjoys the excitement of it all. He smiled all the way to the airport, probably knowing all along we were always going to make the plane.

The flight down to Nairobi was brief. We traveled south across the equator ready to spend the day in Nairobi. It was market day today. My wife, Mary, had ordered a few items. She told me where to get them and how much to pay. Like she's been here before! I looked at Antony and said, "I can't go home without this and that". I've come six thousand miles and we are now within walking distance of the shops. He wasn't enthusiastic about being in the tourist congested area of Nairobi. He was already apprehensive about waiting in the lobby of the Stanly Hotel; it had been evacuated the previous week due to a bomb scare. The reduced rate specials that they were offering at the hotel didn't help his confidence. We had agreed to meet another of Kip's sons, Martin Keino. Martin and I were friends from our running days. He had attended Arizona State, continued to run professionally, and was now settled in Nairobi. Martin accompanied us to the market and helped in the bartering process. Antony, in spite of his reluctance, thoroughly enjoyed himself and we got some good deals. We bumped into Don DiJulia's son, Michael, who had been in Nairobi for the past three months with the Peace Corps. Imagine, you go all the way to Kenya - and meet a neighbor from Havertown. It's a small world.

The flight back was once again throughout the night hours. It was non eventful, and we arrived in London in plenty of time to make our connection to Philadelphia.

Was the trip worthwhile? Did we make any headway? I think so. I feel that Antony and I laid the foundation for another avenue to recruit. It takes time. It's important to remember that we are coaches first, recruiters second. Unfortunately, we get these flipped around every so often. I will continue to recruit overseas and do something of this nature during a down period of the year. December appears to be that time when athletes are preparing for finals. I need to be patient, but I am confident it will pay off.