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About the club
The old Cambrian is essentially a rugby club formed by old boys of the prince of Wales school, today known as the Nairobi school was formed in 1930 to play rugby at the prince of Wales school. they also played at other grounds which they hired for a small rental fee up to the second world war. during the war years the club was dormant and was resurrected in 1945 to compete in the Nairobi district rugby championship.
From 1945 the old Cambrians searched for its own grounds and in 1949through the effort of the old boys Reggie Alexander, Bernard Kampf, and Tubby Block acquired the present Ngong road grounds.
Two second-hand wooden army huts were acquired and erected on the present site. The huts were supported on cedar post 3 feet above the ground level founded on a hard stratum below the black cotton soil. An open verandah was added as well as an extension for changing rooms kitchens and offices.
Membership of the old Cambrian club gradually increased through the opening of its doors to cater to the needs of other sporting disciplines. The club expanded by constructing two tennis courts a squish court the cricket oval hockey and soccer grounds. In 1956 the membership decided that the name old Cambrian club no longer reflects the membership at that time and decided to change the name to Impala sports club - an impala was the old Cambrian emblem. The first chairman was Mr. Duncan McGregor, who had been the rugby captain of old Cambrians from 1949 to 1951.
The swimming pool was constructed in 1958. Expansion of the clubhouse continued between 1960 and 1970, especially with the tennis and squash courts. Tennis and squash in particular attracted large numbers of members in the early 1970s and it was not uncommon for 50 tennis players to turn up on Thursday evening to participate in the weekly men’s mix-ins
Every Thursday at the clubhouse, it was a common sight to see two long parallel lines of tennis players stretching from one side of the lounge to the other. At weekend fixtures they assembled in the Wimbledon Lounge which was built in 1975 to serve as a separate lounge for social functions.
Founded in 1930
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The year 1974 remains the most memorable year for impala sports club due to its remarkable sporting achievements. The year saw the rugby side win its fifth enterprise cup consecutively, the tennis section won all four divisions of the Nairobi league. The Kenya squash champion, Marshall Mulwa was from the impala club squash section, the cricket section won the cricket knock-out cup betting all the forest road clubs. The trophy cupboard overflowed with a silver plate.
The success of the 1970s was epitomized in a mural painted on the stone wall of the lounge showing sportsmen in action. The artist Arthur Lewis managed to convey the sporting heritage of the impala sports club by depicting five sportsmen displaying their prowess in sports.
The heady days of the club activities came to an abrupt end on a sad night in 1986 when the entire wooden impala clubhouse was destroyed by fire together with all the club trophies and records lost all that remained were two photographs the marble top pool table the mural on the wall and a list of past chairmen up to that time.
For two long years devoted impala club dire heart members (camped) under the swimming pool area shelter. As members camped at the poolside, they consulted one another on the best way to design and finance the construction of a new (current) clubhouse. The clubhouse was too economical both in construction and finishes especially the area where the main bar would be located. The clubhouse a slightly larger building constructed on the same site as the old clubhouse was opened in October 1988. The impala sports clubhouse serves its purpose but it could not quite recapture the special convivial atmosphere of the original timber building. But with determination and vigor, impala sports club house should aim to refocus its energies to being a dominant sporting club in Kenya.