Volleyball teams resume training ahead of KVF league restart

Some Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) clubs have, since last week, resumed training albeit in small groups, with a return to top-flight volleyball edging closer amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Reigning men league champions General Service Unit (GSU) are currently at their headquarters base Ruaraka while their women counterparts Kenya Prisons, under the tutelage of Josp Barasa, are laying the groundwork at their Nairobi West base ahead of the anticipated sports resumption.

Last year’s men league runners up Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and third placed Kenya Prisons have also hit the ground running.

The Kenya Prisons men head coach David Lungáho who doubles up as the KVF technical director says all clubs were urged by the federation boss Waithaka Kioni to kick start training in readiness for a possible league serve off next month.

KVF has already set the month of October as the tentative action-return date for the National League season should the government give the go-ahead for sports restart.

“I can confirm that most teams have resumed training as we wait for the final protocols of sports resumption in the country. The federation advised the coaches to prepare their respective teams because the plan is to start our new season next month.

“We’re training in small groups of not more than five players to ensure safety of the players but in the next few weeks, depending on the ministry of sports’ directions, we will hit the ground running,” Lungáho told Citizen Digital.

Lungáho’s opposite number Gideon Tarus of GSU is upbeat ahead of the new season as his charges eye unprecedented 15th men’s title when sports restart.

“We’ve been out of action for a very long time so my players have started their training with road runnings before handling the ball as we try to find our feet but the safety of our players remains our priority. We are very cautious and all the safety guidelines are being followed.”

He added: “We’ve not bolstered our squad owing to the disruption brought by the pandemic and we’ll not rush to add new faces but we’re optimistic we will defend our title.”

KVF nullified the 2020 season, which had served off in February with only one leg played, in June following a forced-stop in March by the coronavirus.