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Kenya: Volleyball - KCB Men Won't Play in Tripoli
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The Nation (Nairobi)
27 March 2008
Posted to the web 26 March 2008
Chris Musumba
Nairobi
Kenya Commercial Bank men volleyball team has pulled out of the Africa Club Championship which is to be held in Tripoli Libya next month.
The club's team manager Kenneth Tonui confirmed his squad will not be making the trip to North Africa citing late invitation as the reason that locked them out. Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) had offered KCB the opportunity to return to continental competition after seven years but the bankers are not taking up the chance.
Consider next year
Tonui said they had already budgeted for the season in January but the invitation arrived a month later and his efforts to convince the management to send the team to Tripoli has since been quashed.
"We are definitely out. Maybe we will consider it next year, but for now, we will just focus on the league title," he said.
However, the women's team will be trying to get their name on the continental trophy they last won in 2005. Head coach Paul Bitok is confident he has discovered the problem which cost the team the last two competitions which have been won by Egypt's Al-Ahly.
Pivotal position
The women's tournament will be held in Cairo from April 25 - May 5.
Bitok said setting has been his main problem but he said he relishes the challenge ahead as he has signed up veteran Esther Ouna, 36 and youngster Florence Bosire to assist Halima Bakari in the pivotal position in the team.
"I have lost twice because of this position. Now I have got Ouna from her retirement and I have the players for the assault on the title," he said.
Ouna last played for Telkom about five years ago when the team was still under the Kenya Postel and Telecommunication management.
She was moved to the Posta side when the two departments were separated . But Bitok, has given her a new lease of life and she intends to pay back with a superb display in Cairo.
"The arrival of the two players has increased the competition which is healthy for the team. Now I must make a decision on who to drop when I name the final 12," said Bitok.
The club has also acquired the services of four other young players - Joyce Tarus, Florence Bosire, Grace Cheptoo and Truphena Nyongesa - to boost its squad. Now Bitok has the task of blending them with the experienced to gain maximum performance to challenge for the title.
Oldest players
Veteran national team captain Dorcas Ndasaba has since been named assistant coach to Bitok, as she moves into management having played for over two decades. At 37, Ndasaba and Margaret Indakala 42 are the oldest players in the squad.
This year, KCB, Kenya Pipeline and Kenya Prisons are the three local teams that will be vying for the continental honours in Cairo.
The respective coaches - Paul Bitok, Sylvester Kioko and David Lung'aho - have all said it won't be an easy job to capture the crown on foreign land.
While KCB are pitching camp at Kasarani, Lung'aho is leading his Prisons charges in training at the Nyayo Stadium.
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Kioko on the other hand, has his squad at their backyard in Embakasi preparing for the tournament.
The Warders won their first national league title last year, beating both KCB and Pipeline.
However, they lack experience at this level with only three players Moim, Jane Wacu and Lydia Maiyo having continental experience.
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