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| Edith Wisa, new player in Prisons women’s volleyball team squad, trains for a past tournament. [PHOTO: OSCAR PILIPILI: STANDARD] |
By OSCAR PILIPILI
Edith Wisa, 19, has been named as part of the 12-member Kenya Prisons volleyball women’s team for the FIVB World Club Championships scheduled for Zurich, Switzerland on October 7-14.
The centre player who joined Prisons last January is the only player in the team on international debut.
The squad is reinforced by players national team stars Brackcides Khadambi, Elizabeth Nafula, Mercy Moim, Diana Khisa, Everlyn Makuto, and Jane Wacu.
Other players tasked with ensuring that Prisons achieve their first match victory of World Championships are setter Salome Wanjala, middle blockers Joan Chelagat and Dorcas Jepleting and right attacker Esther Mwombe.
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Khisa was confirmed captain of the team and she said: “Prisons squad is made up of experienced players and we hope to use experience we gained in last three editions to achieve better results on this occasion.”
The team was unveiled by Assistant Commissioner for Prisons Rose Moturi at Kasarani on Tuesday
Moturi is also chairperson for Kenya Prisons Volleyball Association.
Prisons, who doubles up as African and Kenyan champions, are making fourth straight appearance at the annual event after making their debut in 2010.
Head coach David Lung’aho and his charges have conquered African volleyball scene like colossus but they are yet to make impact at global level.
Mr Lung’aho believes that having played in the last three Club Championships, his players have gained enough exposure to help them make an impact in Zurich.
The seventh edition of the World Club Championship might just be the right time for Lung’aho’s team to conquer the world.
First match
Prisons play their first match of the tournament when they take on Guangdong Evergrande of China on October 9 before wrapping up their Pool “A” fixtures with a match against hosts Volero Zurich on October 11.
Meanwhile, national Under-23 team departs today for the FIVB World Championships to be held in Tijuana, Mexico on October 5-12.
The team is coached by Sammy Mulinge with Gaudencia Makokha who also turns out for national senior team as the captain.
Meanwhile, Volero Zurich will try to fulfill a noble task of contending for honours in front of their home fans World Championship.
The club leaps on a new orientation to re-position itself among the top European clubs that is now beginning to take shape.
As a first step, the club appointed Belgian coach Jan Jose de Brandt, who coached several club teams in Spain, Turkey and Azerbaijan.
With this principle in mind, Brandt had to find the right players in the squad — sort of putting together each piece of the puzzle to create a solid lineup.
Osmokrovi raked in individual honours in the 2011 season with club team Rabita Baku.
