Act now to save volleyball

The Kenya Volleyball Federation men and women’s national league play-offs got underway yesterday at Kasarani.

The round-robin tournament features General Service Unit, Kenya Defence Forces and Kenya Prisons men’s teams, all aiming to qualify for next year’s Africa Club Championships.

The women’s teams in the tournament are Kenya Pipeline, seeking their fifth straight title, Kenya Prisons, Kenya Commercial Bank and Bungoma County.

It encouraging that the play-offs finally secured sponsorship from KCB, this being the first time KVF secured a facilitator in almost a decade. The game had taken a beating due to lack of sponsorship.

It is a shame that most of the league matches take place in the open field yet volleyball is an indoor game.

Kenyan clubs and national teams have of late not performed well owing to lack of facilities and sponsorship.

Kenya will not be taking part at the Women’s World Under-20 Volleyball Championship next year in Mexico after the team finished fifth in the Africa qualifying tournament in September at Kasarani, a clear manifestation of how women’s volleyball standards have plummeted.

There is nothing really to write home about regarding the men’s volleyball standards.

Kenya’s women’s teams have also lost their grip on the club championships. They are yet to win the continental title since Kenya Prisons in 2013.

The federation must now wake up from its deep slumber.