This archive report was first published on 12 May 2020.
Esther Wangeci, a former Kenyan international volleyball player, has spoken out about the challenges she faced after joining the French club Charmalieres in 2015.
Wangeci, who had been a regular player for the Kenyan national women's volleyball team since joining from Tetu Secondary School in 2011, admitted that her transfer to France contributed to her career decline.
"That's where the rain begun beating me. I left for France in 2015 when my star was shining. Unfortunately, I managed to play only five matches for the team out of a possible 21. And that really demoralised me. Besides, I was playing in the same position as red-hot Christelle Nana from Cameroon and on most occasions, I was overlooked during team selection," Wangeci said.
Wangeci, who played for the French club alongside Jane Wacu, Brackcides Agala, and Evelyne Makuto, struggled to regain her form after returning to Kenya in 2016.
"With that, my game declined rapidly. When I returned home in 2016 after one season, I wasn't at the same level where I was when I left and I must say it has never been the same again. In retrospect, I think it was a wrong move," she said.
Wangeci has expressed her willingness to play for Kenya again and is focused on helping her club, Kenya Pipeline, prosper in future assignments.
