Nzioka appointed as coach for Kenya Netball team

Kenya Netball Federation (KNF) has appointed its Fixture Secretary Joseph Nzioka as the head coach of the women’s national team following the exit of long-serving coach Jamia Babala.

Nzioka’s appointment comes barely a week before the kick-off of the Africa Women’s Netball Cup Championship to be held in South Africa from October 16-23.

Speaking to Citizen Digital moments after his appointment on Tuesday, Nzioka vowed to take the national team popularly known as Dives to the next level after a below-par performance in recent years.

“Last year we did not do well but this time round we are prepared, our first match is against Tanzania and we are hopeful that we win and at least 2 other matches,” Nzioka said.

As an early leap into the future, Nzioka is planning to tap into his experience gained in different secondary schools as a coach, to lay a marker in the national team with young talent his main focus.

“The squad will be led by the captain Simiyu a great player from prisons and Linda Okingo ulinzi’s team captain will be her assistant,” he added

The 28-year old tactician is renowned for guiding Makueni’s Syumile Secondary School netball team to the 2018 national school games held in Eldoret in his debut season as the coach.

Early this year he switched to Katwála High School of Kitui where he also stamped authority in his first stint leading the team to the Eastern Region finals exiting at the hands of his former employers Syumile.

The netball team will leave the country on October 14 two days before the tourney kicks off in Cape Town.

-Report by Joan Chepkirui