Kenya Volleyball Federation president Waithaka Kioni has said that having numerous players turning professional abroad will help national teams improve their performances at the world stage.
Kioni said getting professional stints in Europe and Asia will help mould players into world-class and thus better performances in future events.
“Having as many players as possible plying their trade with top clubs abroad will take Malkia Strikers steps ahead. With that, we can become a force to reckon with in the world stage,” said Kioni.
He added it would be a great achievement to have Malkia Strikers elevated to play in the FIVB National League.
“In addition, having our team play friendly matches against teams ranked better than us and top foreign clubs will be a plus for our teams,” said Kioni when the team were hosted to a luncheon by the Villa Rosa Kempinski.
He observed that it is a pity that four players, who had been offered professional deals with clubs from Europe and Asia during the All Africa Games in August, will have to wait a little longer.
Kenya Commercial Bank duo of Noel Murambi and Leonida Kasaya, alongside Kenya Prisons' Mercy Moim and Sharon Chepchumba of Kenya Pipeline, are rumoured to be on the radar of some clubs abroad but will not be joining their suitors any time soon.
The KVF league playoffs are around the corner and most of the mentioned players are crucial for their teams. In addition, most of them are yet serve a full year at their local.
Kenya Prisons will be defending the trophy, 2017 holders Kenya Pipeline and Kenya Commercial Bank who have had a lengthy title drought will be campaigning to return the gong to Embakasi and KenCom respectively.
In the meantime, KVF is gearing to align their competition calendar with that of FIVB from next year as proposed by Malkia Strikers head coach Paul Bitok and adopted delegates.
The changes include the league starting in January to mid-year before resuming in September, synchronising with the international calendar. Also, the league will shift from being staged in open field to playing in indoor facilities.
