•The gaffer said reception which has been Kenya's Achilles heel can be nipped in the bud by crafting young players to take up the roles that have become the reserve of the more experienced athletes.
• "We rely so much on senior players such as Agrippina Kundu and Mercy Moim because we are yet to get youths who can fit into their roles at the moment," —Bitok
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
Malkia Strikers must embrace change if the national women's volleyball team are to compete with global powerhouses, coach Paul Bitok has pointed out.
The gaffer said reception which has been Kenya's Achilles heel can be nipped in the bud by crafting young players to take up the roles that have become the reserve of the more experienced athletes.
"We rely so much on senior players such as Agrippina Kundu and Mercy Moim because we are yet to get youths who can fit into their roles at the moment," he noted.
He asked the next federation leadership to concentrate on junior and youth programs.
He went on: "It's easier to let the juniors master the role because sometimes it is difficult to train a senior player to adjust to what they are used to."
Bitok, who hails from Simat village in Nandi county, coached Rwanda for more than a decade and left the national team better than he found it.
"The Kenya Volleyball Federation needs sponsorship. The Ministry of Sports needs to inject funds into junior programmes to improve the standards of the team and create structures. This is what I experienced while in Rwanda and I left them on another level. Even if we train hard with the same senior players, we can only improve but we can't solve the problem."
Bitok noted that even though players coming out of school have the talent to shine, age-group competitions have to be embraced to allow for a smooth transition of players to the national team.
"Transition of players from junior categories to Malkia Strikers is not there. Secondary school players are only raw talent without basic techniques. Even their coaches at school lack basic training."
"We need sports academies as soon as possible. We have time to prepare well for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games if we can get structures working.
"All in all, I am happy that despite our inadequacies, we now have Veronicah Adhiambo and Sharon Chepchumba on professional stints after starring at the World Championships. Noel Murambi and Violet Makuto could soon join them."
Bitok is on record as saying the women's league season should be cancel canceled altogether to pave way for the start of the 2022-23 season this month. However, KVF have since released fixtures for the fourth leg fixtures yesterday.
"We have no choice but to participate after the schedule was announced. Malkia players are a bit tired after the World Championship. Don't forget there was the African Club Championship earlier. The mid-season transfer window further complicates an already complex situation."