Bitok chuffed at new KVF calendar, format

National women’s volleyball team head coach Paul Bitok has lauded decision by the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) to fully adopt new a league format, aimed at ensuring Kenya’s volleyball calendar runs in conformity with that of International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).

The upcoming transitional KVF season will serve off Friday in Nyeri and end in July to pave way for the new league calendar which will start in October and conclude in May next year, and Bitok says the changes will spur Kenya’s volleyball growth.

Kenya’s national regular league has been operating from February to December with all the matches bar playoffs being played outdoor throughout the period, but the new format will see matches played on home and away basis – in the gymnasium.

“At last, we will now be running our volleyball how it should be done and according to the international volleyball governing body. It has been long overdue because we have been doing things the way we used to do when I was a player, definitely an outdated way of doing thins,” Bitok told Citizen Digital.

In the new format, the period between May and September specifically will be left for national team assignments and beach volleyball.

Also, both men and women leagues will be played by 12 teams and in four phases namely classificatory, quarterfinal, semifinal and final. The teams will form a single group and be listed according to their technical levels in the previous season.

Bitok added that the new system will make the league more competitive and increase potential of attracting sponsorship.

“Club championships are usually held between March and April and that time our league will be hitting climax so it means our teams will be on top form before going to compete for the African titles. By improving the quality of the league, our national teams will also go a notch higher in the continent and beyond,” he opined.

The decorated volleyball gaffer is the brainchild of the adopted format which he formulated immediately after he returned from Rwanda where he had a successful 10-year coaching career.

Meanwhile, women’s league defending champions Kenya Prisons will serve off the transitional KVF league against DCI and Ashton, according to the fixtures released by KVF.

In the men’s contest, 14-time champions GSU will launch their hunt for the unprecedented 15th KVF glory against Kenya Army and Vihiga Queens.

After Nyeri, the national regular league will head to Lions High School in Kisumu in March 13 to 15.