APS Bomet's rise to the top: a fusion of passion and purpose

As National Super League (NSL) champions APS Bomet prepare for life in the FKF Premier League next season following their automatic promotion following by virtue of clinching the second-tier league, the outfit may have lived beyond its shelf life, having started out as a community policing platform that facilitated interactions between police and the local Bomet community.

Their stellar 2021/22 season in the NSL saw them became the first team from Bomet County and the third side from the South Rift region after Brooke Bond FC and Zoo Kericho to qualify for the top-tier league following their title triumph.

Kericho-based outfit Brooke Bond FC made the cut for the cut for the topflight in 1999 after clinching the Western Zone Nationwide League but exited the scene three later seasons due to financial constraints.

Zoo Kericho followed their footsteps nearly two decades later, but their stint in the Premier League was cut short after a ban by international soccer body FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee after successful investigations revealed the outfit had indulged in match-fixing in 2021.

However, APS Bomet’s humble beginnings and rise to the top have been a blend of passion and unwavering determination to outlive its purpose.

Following an upsurge of criminal activities and drug abuse in the local community in 2004, then Bomet police boss Abdulahi Adan was desperate for a platform he could use to engage the local community in combating the social evils and nurture sports talents in the process.

His efforts birthed APS Bomet, an outfit that fostered good relationships between the public and the police while marshaling efforts from both sides in the fight against crime and drug abuse.

Fueled by the local fan base’s passion for the pastime sport, the team rose through the ranks with their crowning as NSL champions on Sunday at the IAAF Bomet stadium, capping an impressive near-two-decade journey that has brought sustainable transformation to the locality.

Adan did depart from the outfit in 2016 after being transferred to Nairobi to serve as an Administration Police (AP) Senior Assistant Inspector General, but this did not deter him from monitoring their progress closely.

“We started as an outreach platform where we could engage the local community in our effort to foster good relations between the police and members of the local community.

“Back then (2004), we understood that sports, more so football, have the power to lure youths out of social ills like drug abuse and crime.

“We also wanted to provide a platform for them to nurture their talents and earn a living out of it.”

In his eyes, the team’s biggest success since inception is a clear testament to “what the government and members of the public cooperation can achieve.”

His sentiments were echoed by Bomet County Commissioner Beverley Opwora, who reiterated the importance of the government starting such initiatives.

 “Most of our fans are members of the public from the local community who have pushed us this far. This achievement is significant because it shows the two groups can work closely and ensure the challenges affecting society are overcome.

“This has also demonstrated that sports can be used to improve many people’s lives,” she added.

Having made it to the top, the team will now be expected to challenge for top honors in what Adan sees as the only way to maintain their forward trajectory. However, they must iron out niggling problems that could curtail their impetus to achieve their ambitions.

League and Competition chairperson in the FKF Caretaker Committee Ali Amour feels the Bomet County government should expedite the upgrade of the IAAF Bomet Stadium to give way for the outfit to be allowed to is it as its home ground next season.

 “By making sure the stadium is in the right standards, it will improve the economy of the county because people from across the country will be here especially when matches are played at home,” he said.

Head coach Charles Odera is confident Bomet will hit the ground running in the top flight league next season, but quality additions to the squad will be instrumental to a successful debut.

“First of all I challenge my players to feel confident enough that they can go toe-to-toe with the league’s best but we will also make additions that will enhance our depth.”

While their journey in the top-tier league opens a new chapter in their two-decade-long history, the club has surely lived its purpose.