East African secondary boys' schools' volleyball champions Cheptil Boys are hoping to use the inaugural Eldoret City Open tournament in Eldoret as a build-up for Africa show planned for January in Morocco.
Cheptil head coach Mathias Kosgei said the tournament scheduled for this weekend will be a good way to test the players before competing in the Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association Games.
“We have the chance to prove to the country and the region that we are capable of playing top volleyball. This tournament is crucial to us and a win will inspire the players,” said Kosgei, who guided the team to reclaim the title at the National Secondary Schools Games.
The event director Paul Bitok said as much as the tournament is the first edition, it has gained popularity not just locally but regionally.
He said over 60 teams from the country and the region had confirmed participation including 70 percent of the national league teams.
“Eldoret is a city of champions and it is important we put hands together to promote the game. We want to have a big tournament in this region and I guess this is it," said Bitok.
He revealed that teams from Uganda and Rwanda are eager to take part in the tournament and are inspired by the calibre of teams that have confirmed participation. “With proper partnerships, we hope to achieve our dreams very soon," he added.
He said the draws will be held on Friday and the top prize will be Sh 100,000 for the winners. " If we get more sponsors in the next two days, we will increase the amount," he noted.
Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) North Rift chairman David Letting said they started the tournament as a way of lifting the region.
“This region is a nursery for sports, especially volleyball and athletics. The main reason behind the tournaments is to nurture talent. We want to build on the talent we have produced in the past," he added.
"Players like Philip Maiyo and even Bitok are products of our local program and we want to build up on that; of course with their support," said Letting.
Event marketing officer Martin Keino said it is important that such events get support from corporates if the game is to grow.
“We believe such a tournament needs support to build the economy of this region. The local economy is massive and we need to leverage such key events to empower the youth,” he said.
Uasin Gishu County speaker Philip Muigei, who also played the game said volleyball is not the second-rate sport as many people would think.
“Volleyball is a professional sport and a well-paying job. It is not a secondary sport and we need to involve as many youths as possible. We are known as the city of athletes but we are changing the narrative because we have great volleyballers too,” said Muigei.
