Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) will subject the national men’s team, Wafalme to longer training periods in an indoor facility in a bid to improve their performance in future international events.
KVF president, Charles Nyaberi, said training in outdoor facilities is one of the team’s main undoing hence the poor results.
Nyaberi recently unveiled provisional squads for the second edition of the East Africa Community Games that will be staged in Kigali, Rwanda from December 12-22.
Nyaberi said the squads that were unveiled last weekend, will stay together in order to blend in time for the Rwanda show.
“We intend to start our residential training as early as November 14 for the residential training ahead of the Community Games. Even after the games, we intend to maintain the team in training in a bid to improve their performance,” he added.
Nyaberi said they are confident their men’s side will revive their old good days by the time they are through with their training program.
“We were ranked third in Africa in 2011 after winning bronze at the All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique but we went back to slumber. We want to go back and at least get the men’s team to the podium,” added Nyaberi.
He noted that as much as the East Africa Games are not very competitive, they will serve as a build-up for the All Africa Games qualifiers scheduled for March next year in Accra Ghana.
Nyaberi noted: “We have a very busy calendar because, after Kigali, we have Africa Games qualifiers, then Paris Olympic Games for Malkia. We also have the World Championships qualifiers next year for both men and women.”
He said the team they have named will train together beyond the Rwanda show so that they can bond and produce the best results in both cadres.
“This is a very special squad. We have named a squad of 20 players in both the men's and women's categories, who will travel to Rwanda for the games. The team is a mix of experience and talent and we are looking to a brighter future,” said Nyaberi.
Nyaberi cited tough competitors from the North and West African nations as the reason Walfame have remained in the shadows of their women’s counterparts.
“Due to cultural beliefs, North Africans put more emphasis on men's competition and most of them play in professional volleyball in Europe and other parts of the world,” said Nyaberi.
“I must say competition for our women’s team is not as intense in Africa. Apart from Cameroon and Egypt and once in a while Algeria and Morocco, we are a cut above the rest,” he noted.