Volleyball coach wants men's team given attention

Volleyball coach Godfrey Okumu, who is attached to University of the Philippines women’s team, believes the gap between the Kenya men and women’s national teams can be bridged if right mechanisms are put in place.

Okumu, a holder of a FIVB Level 3 coaching certificate, said players' and coaches' selection are key as well, as sponsors coming on board on the men’s team to help turn round their fortunes.

Okumu, who moved to Philippines in 2017 having been in Japan from 2003, where he was part of the technical bench at the Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler men’s club and Hataka Girls High School, observed that failure by the Kenya Volleyball Federation to take into consideration the above pointers will see the men’s team continue to perform dismally.

The best performance by the men’s national team was a bronze medal at the 2010 African Games in Mozambique.

On the flip side, the women’s team, Malkia Strikers boast of five African Games gold medals, a record nine Africa Cup of Nations titles, as well the winning the historic 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix Group 3 competition.

“As a country, the volleyball talent tap can never run dry. But it’s sad that every championship comes with a new coach and really this in a way destabilizes the system of play. You can’t have a new coach in every event.

I know many sports, if not all back at home are struggling to get sponsors and volleyball is not any different. But I believe something can be done for the men’s team to attract facilitators. Also having players turn professional would be helpful ,” said the 50-year-old Agoro Sare High School alumnus.

The former national team left attacker, who played alongside Webuye West member of Parliament Daniel Wanyama and celebrated coaches Paul Bitok and David Lung’aho, said he would now redirect his energies to Motolite women’s club that plays in the Premier Volleyball League after the National University cancelled the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) last month due to coronavirus outbreak.

Philippines has confirmed 4,648 positive cases of the Covid-19, with 197 recovering from the virus and and 297 deaths as of Sunday. The country has a population of 108,116,615.

“The premier league was scheduled to serve off in June and I remain hopeful that the COVID -19 would have been curbed by then. It will be boring to have the whole year go to waste,” said the tactician, who was drafted into the national women’s team during the 2011 and 2015 FIVB World Cup in Japan, alongside the then head coach Lung’aho and assistant Japheth Munala.

During the 2015 World Cup, Kenya won two matches as they overpowered Algeria (3-0) and Peru (3-2), claimed a set against Cuba to improve their rankings where they finished 10th in the 12-team round robin tournament that was won by China.

The father of one at the same time challenged the players to embrace studies saying they would not play forever.

“You got to have a back up plan. And through studies you cannot lack something to do. I’m coach and at the same time teach sports management and leadership at the varsity side.”