Adelaide Mukhebi’s rugby journey began in 2004, not on a pitch, but from the front row of a match thanks to a neighbor, Mary Ochieng, a former Impala Ladies coach. She was invited to watch a game at Mwamba, and that's all it took. Adelaide fell in love with rugby, and it became a lifelong calling.

Her passion for the sport has been the driving force behind her long and varied career. This passion is the very reason she feels coaching is so essential. "I have patience for coaching young ones and imparting rugby skills to the next generation to be better people and better future rugby players," she says.

A Rugby Veteran with a Heart for Mentorship

Adelaide’s experience in rugby is extensive and impressive, spanning across playing, coaching and refereeing.

She began her coaching career in 2006 as an age-grade facilitator for the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU), visiting five primary schools a week and later coaching girls' high schools. "It wasn't easy though, but the passion drove me so that we could have continuity of girls and boys playing rugby," she recalls. Her efforts have paid off, and she smiles when she sees players she coached at the grassroots level, like Johnstone Olindi and Charles Kuka, now on the international stage.

Adelaide’s commitment to the sport led her to become a World Rugby-accredited Level 2 coach. Her coaching journey also intertwined with her refereeing career. She earned her World Rugby Level 2 refereeing accreditation in 2007, recognizing the importance of knowing the laws of the game to teach them effectively. This experience even led her to serve as an Assistant Referee (AR) during the Junior World Rugby Trophy in Kenya in 2009.

As a player, she experienced both highs and lows, playing internationally in both 7s and 15s. During her time, players were driven by the love of the game rather than allowances, which were nonexistent for women at the time. "Life was hard," she says, recalling a trip to Uganda where the team had to sleep in a school and carry their own blankets while their male counterparts traveled by air. Despite these challenges, she was a pioneer for women's rugby, playing for clubs like Mwamba, Vivian girls (now Northern Suburbs), and Quins Queens.

These struggles, though setbacks, became stepping stones. They taught Adelaide determination and resourcefulness, qualities she now passes on to the next generation. Her leadership today is rooted in those early experiences,  showing her players that barriers can be broken and progress comes through persistence.

Shaping the Future at DBA Africa

At DBA Africa, Adelaide finds a home that shares her vision. She describes the DBA Academies as an advanced institution built by dedicated people to improve the lives of players and coaches. As the coach for the U11s, she is part of a team that ensures the program runs smoothly, with a specific plan for each weekend's session.

Adelaide firmly believes that DBA Africa is changing lives through sport. She highlights several key aspects that make the academy unique:

• Coach Development: All coaches complete a safeguarding course to handle challenges effectively, and some are sent on exchange programs with international partners.
• Player Support: The academy provides transport to and from training, and kids receive lunch, a simple but vital gesture that helps those from needy families.
• Holistic Approach: The program focuses on much more than just rugby. It teaches life skills and has a dedicated team of professionals, including a physio, counselor, and psychiatrist, to support the athletes' well-being.

Adelaide is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of athletes to become future local leaders. The DBA playbook guides coaches to ensure their teachings have a lasting impact. "At DBA, it's not all about rugby alone, but nurturing talent, our daily livelihood, and injuries are attended to by the physio, we have a Councillor and psychiatrist among us," she explains. Through her 18 years of coaching age-grade players, she has seen firsthand how the values of rugby discipline, respect, integrity, and passion can help young people succeed both on and off the field. This work is especially important in Kenya, where the gender gap in women’s sports remains wide, with far fewer girls accessing opportunities than boy

" Ade’s " story mirrors DBA Africa’s mission: creating opportunities for girls in sport, developing strong coaches and ensuring athletes are supported in every part of their lives. Her work at the DBA WaziWazi Rugby Academy - Nairobi  is proof of how investing in one coach can influence hundreds of young people.