VOLLEYBALL enthusiasts in Sengerema District in Mwanza region will have the pleasure of being part of the on-going efforts to effectively revive and develop the sport as the district is scheduled to host a bonanza at the end of next week.

Mwanza Regional Volleyball Association (Mwareva) has organized the bonanza, which is expected to attract a host of clubs from all other corners of the city and from neighbouring regions. Mwareva official, Honorati Mayunga, urged all teams wishing to participate in the bonanza to confirm as early as possible so that the association could put all necessary arrangements in place on time and thereby, realize smooth organization of the event.

He, for that matter, declined to mention the number of teams that are expected to battle it out in the bonanza as the move depends on the confirmation of the respective outfits. The bonanza will be the first ever for volleyball followers in the district and the area's willingness to play host to the event offers more hope on successful spread and development of the sport across the country.

It will be the third in the list of the latest bonanzas to have been organized by Mwareva in the region, a move that sheds light on the promising progress that volleyball revival and development enjoys currently in Mwanza and the rest of the Lake Zone. The two previous bonanzas were held at the Baptist Club and the Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) Mwanza venues, in which SAUT team dominated both events and laid hands on top honours.

Sengerema team was among participating outfits in the Baptist Club bonanza, played on April 29, this year, at the team's venue located at Kona ya Bwiru, a few kilometres from the Mwanza city centre and attracted six teams that were grouped into A and B. Group A had Bugando Club, Misungwi Club and hosts Baptist Club while group B comprised Bank of Tanzania (BoT) Mwanza Club, SAUT and Sengerema team, with matches played in round robin, best of three sets' format.

The top two teams in either group progressed to the semi-finals before the lat four stage's winners later eased into the final. Bugando, Misungwi, SAUT Mwanza and BoT Mwanza battled it out in the semi-finals and the entertaining encounters eventually saw group B competitors, BoT Mwanza and SAUT Mwanza qualify for the final.

The final, according to organizers, had to be halted because of bad light with the two teams tied 1-1 after two sets and SAUT were, in the end, declared champions on the basis of having won a total of seven sets by the time they had qualified for the final. BoT Mwanza, in contrast, had won six sets on their way to the final.