This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
Kenya Prisons women's volleyball left attacker Pamela Masaisai has spoken out about her decision to almost retire from the sport in 2019. The 23-year-old athlete made the revelation in an interview, citing her disappointment at being overlooked in the national league play-offs.
Published on June 9, 2020, Masaisai's comments come as a surprise, given her impressive performance in the regular season of the 2019 KVF women's Premier League. Her team, Kenya Prisons, finished top in the league, but Masaisai was not fielded in the three matches that secured their title.
According to Masaisai, she felt unwanted and deemed surplus to requirements after being left out of the play-offs. However, her fellow players and coaches reassured her of her capabilities, and she changed her mind about retiring.
Despite her initial disappointment, Masaisai has continued to excel in the sport. She was named the best attacker during the Nandi County Open Tournament in Kapsabet last March and emerged as the Most Valuable Player title during the Africa Merchant Assurance Company Limited (Amaco) international volleyball tournament in May in Eldoret.
More recently, Masaisai was included in the provisional squad for the Tokyo Olympics and is out to give her best to make the travelling party. However, she will have to fight for slots in the team alongside other experienced players, including team captain Mercy Moim and newcomer Pamela Adhiambo.
