How Bitok’s Rwanda adventure began by stroke of luck
Rwanda national men's volleyball team coach Paul Bitok (second left) talks to his players during a timeout during their African Games Zone V Qualifiers match against Uganda on June 5, 2019 at Kasarani Indoor Arena. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- After watching his training session with KCB’s women team ahead of the 2008 East and Central Africa Club championship, Rwanda’s APR were left in awe of his training methods and sought his services.
There is luck, determination and grit written all over Paul Bitok’s journey to Rwanda and his ten-year stay in the country where he has made a name for himself.
After watching his training session with KCB’s women team ahead of the 2008 East and Central Africa Club championship, Rwanda’s APR were left in awe of his training methods and sought his services.
“APR had come three days earlier and after watching one of my sessions they were impressed and reached out. When we beat Prisons 3-2 in the final, they were convinced I was the right man for the job and they approached me officially,” Bitok told Nation Sport.
He replied in the affirmative and crossed the border in 2009 to take charge of APR’s men’s and ladies teams. It wasn’t long before another door opened up for him albeit with a tinge of luck.
Jean Pierre, then the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sports in Rwanda, was equally impressed by Bitok’s training sessions at APR and offered him the national team job.
“Jean Pierre is a former Rwandese international so he knew me from my playing days. He attended one of our sessions at APR and he was happy with how I was training the team. Since I used to double up as coach of Kenya’s Under 21 ladies team, I often used to ask for permission to go back home and train them,” recollects the Kapsabet High alumnus.
“So Pierre decided that they need my services in the Rwanda national team and made a good offer. I took up the job and since then I have worked with three different ministers who have always appreciated my work,” revealed the Sports Science diploma holder from Semmelweis University.
Lawrence Yakan, Fred Musoni, Yves Mutabazi, Christophe Mukunzi, Vincent Gasongo and Placide Sibomana are some of the Rwandan players who have turned pro during Bitok’s decade-long stay in Rwanda.
