This archive report was first published on 5 November 2019.
Published on November 5, 2019, by Agnes Makhandia
Kenya's top volleyball clubs are facing a major setback ahead of the end of season play-offs, scheduled for November 22 to 24 at Kasarani Indoor Arena. The General Service Unit (GSU), Kenya Prisons, Kenya Ports Authority, and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) will battle for the men's title, while Kenya Prisons, Kenya Pipeline, Kenya Commercial Bank, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) will contest for the women's trophy.
However, six clubs based in Nairobi will not be granted access to the indoor facility for training, a norm in past seasons. Only KPA (Makande Hall) and KDF (Moi Air Base, Eastleigh) have indoor training facilities. As a result, teams will have to train outdoors in preparation for the play-offs, which will be played in a round-robin format.
GSU was the first casualty on Monday, denied access to the facility. Coach Gideon Tarus expressed his disappointment, saying it has left them in an awkward position.
"It's always good to train indoor since the play-offs are hosted at the same venue. We wanted to start our preparation early, but it's unfortunate that won't happen. We are exploring other venues to see if we can get an alternative. However, if we fail to get one, we will train outdoor just like other teams," said Tarus.
GSU has welcomed back experienced duo of middle blocker Cornelius Lagat and libero Alex Kariuki from work commitments. "In the absence of Lagat, Emmanuel Kogo, Shadrack Misiko, Simeon Kipkorir, and Cornelius Rotich have done well while Noah Bett and Gabriel Ndumbui were also good in the absence of Kariuki. We now have a full squad and are spoilt for choice ahead of the event," said Tarus.
