We rarely get to see them but without their voices, football would not be football. These are commentators whose contribution to tournaments cannot be overlooked since they relay the games even to fans who are not in the stadium.
One such commentor is Pharenc Oluoch Nduko, popularly known as Balozi. He is the official Safaricom Chapa Dimba commentator, quite a feat for him since it is a great platform on which to showcase his prowess. Chapa Dimba has been of massive impact for Oluoch who has been empowered to complete big ticket projects like putting up a home and giving better education to his son. He is grateful to Safaricom for this and for the impact the tournaments have been of to young talented players, their families, and their communities. He hopes that Chapa Dimba goes on for years to come, so that we have many players earning from it, feeding their families and some carrying the country’s flag outside.
Oluoch’s journey started as far back as 2011 when he started commentating for fun at school ball games. This came naturally for him since he has always had a big voice and he loves Kiswahili. Growing up in his craft, he looked up to the iconic Jack Oyoo who is credited with making radio football so precise that one would think they were watching it on TV.
By the time Oluoch was in form two, he was able to travel to Shimo La Tewa in Mombasa where he got to work without a microphone. Fans appreciated him and assured him that his star would shine bright, and this motivated him even further. He has since gone on to make appearances in national ball games and CECAFA tournaments. He dreams of graduating from a pitch commentator to higher levels, and to mentor upcoming youngsters who would like to follow in his footsteps.
His work does not come without challenges. For instance, with his experience in the football ecosystem, sometimes he can spot irregularities in player selection in terms of age and game level, but he cannot bring this forth as a commentator. Also, being a commentator does not mean that one does not support particular teams and sometimes he gets frustrated when his players are not doing well. Additionally, sometimes he observes what he feels are faults in the games but in all these, he has got to respect the referees and the game as a whole and keep his thoughts to himself.
For those who wish to be commentors, he says don’t wait. Start practicing even in the safety of home and build your craft from there. Express yourself to your parents so that they can appreciate the passion you have and see the potential opportunities that lie ahead. He gives an example of Benson Omala whose parents are supporting him as his star rises.
To be a great football commentator, you have got to love what you do. You need to master players and every aspect of football through thorough research. For this phase of Chapa Dimba for instance, he studied the tournaments all the way back to Phase one so he could have a well-rounded picture and enough authority to relay accurate information to football fans.
