St Anthony’s Boys High School from Rift Valley Region, their coach Peter Mayoyo (left), before their boys' football final match against and Dagoreti High School from Nairobi Region at the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association Term Two Ball Games at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega County on August 12, 2023. St Anthony’s won 2-0.
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The story of Peter Mayoyo: the man who can't stop winning
What you need to know:
- He is currently pursuing a PHD in Kiswahili at Egerton University and is set to graduate this year.
- He is also a part time lecturer at Moi University, Egerton University and Mount Kenya University.
Your first encounter with St Anthony’s Boys High School football coach Peter “Big Machine” Mayoyo might be intimidating. This is because of his commanding physique and nature.
However, upon interacting with him, you realise that he is gentle giant - warm, friendly and knowledgeable.
While the rest of the technical bench celebrated their 2-0 win over Dagoretti High School in Saturday’s boys’ football final wildly, Mayoyo remained cool, probably an indication that he had expected it.
Cocky? Not according to the 58-year-old who started coaching in 1989 in Mombasa. His nickname, Big Machine, comes from the fact that he has achieved big things.
“My body is big, I have achieved big things and my students and players have also excelled and that is why I am the Big Machine," he says with a smile.
“I’m not cruel and even my students can attest to that. I only push people to go beyond their comfort zone more so if I know you have a talent. I do a lot of things, but I sleep and dream of football,” says the Kiswahili teacher.
He played football though not competitively at Mbale High School, but it is in hockey where he excelled, featuring in continental club competitions and also featuring for the national team.
“Education took a centre stage in my life and therefore I was not able to play football competitively but had a short stint with Re-Union which featured in the Kenyan Premier League then referred to as the Super League,“ he said.
He was posted in Mombasa as a teacher in the late 1980s and got to travel to the Netherlands to train as a coach as part of a teaching exchange programme between the Kenyan government, Holland and Hungary in 1988.
"I came back with a KNVB certificate and that is where my interest grew and became a full coach in high school,” he adds.
Within four years, he won his first national title with Mombasa High School as they edged out Ofafa Jericho High School. He lost the 1993 and 1994 finals to Kapenguria Boys High School, before reclaiming the title in 1996. He went on to scoop four more titles with his last in 2006.
“Over the years, I have managed to play in many finals with tremendous success and I cannot think of another coach who has achieved what I have,” he says.
He moved to St Anthony’s in 2014 and had to wait until 2019 to win his first title with the “Solidarity Boys” as they edged Dagoretti High School 5-4 on post-match penalties at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu.
He won the under-16 national football title in 2018 before winning the Under 16 African title the same year after beating Nigeria in the final.
Among the players who have been under his tutelage include Kenya Police coach Francis Baraza, James Kibande, Ian Karani, Moses Mudavadi among others.
“I have nurtured very many players and coaches. The list is long. Almost the entire Nzoia squad has my players, Bandari and Kenya Police. I have done a lot for football and will continue to do more,” he added.
He is currently pursuing a PHD in Kiswahili at Egerton University and is set to graduate this year.
He is also a part time lecturer at Moi University, Egerton University and Mount Kenya University.
