Playing by the rules, now setting them...

Volleyball referee Judith Tarus officiating KVF Premier League at Nyayo National stadium. Nov 30, 2024. [Jonah Onyango, Standard] They wear many hats! They are daughters, mothers, role models, professionals in their respective fields and patriots who have flown the Kenyan flag high and brought glory to the country. They served Kenya religiously and when sunset fell on their playing careers, former Malkia Strikers stars Judith Tarus and Lucy Chege refused to turn their backs on the sport they so passionately loved. While retiring and never having to worry about the challenges of sports such as keeping up with the changing rules, long hours of intensive training, winning or losing was enticing, the duo chose to transition into refereeing so they could continue serving the country and the sport. Tarus and Chege have succeeded in both worlds first as players and now as referees and boast of illustrious volleyball careers spanning decades. "Retirement is inevitable because as you age, you must give a chance to upcoming players to take over and keep the team stronger. I transitioned into refereeing because I wanted to remain active in the sport. I love volleyball and I wanted to be part of it even though I was no longer playing," Tarus said. Mercy Moim of KCB strike celebrates against Kenya Pipeline volleyball club during their Kenya Volleyball Federation playoffs for men and women at Kasarani Gymnasium in Nairobi on October 04, 2023. [Stafford Ondego, Standard] Chege on the other hand said her desire to stay hooked to the sport inspired her to venture into officiating. "I wanted to remain connected to volleyball and since I was nursing an injury, becoming a referee gave me an option of continuing to serve the sport," she said. They admitted that officiating also comes with challenges and one must have thick skin, be confident, decisive, assertive and have a clear understanding of the rules. "Unlike playing where you have to abide by the rules, officiating involves enforcing those rules and so it requires one to be confident and firm because not all your decisions will be accepted," said Tarus. "At first, I struggled during games with large crowds especially when they became rowdy and intimidated me, but over time, I have learned to focus on the game because my job is to control players, coaches and what is happening on the court," Tarus said. Just like Taurus, Chege had to overcome the fear of fans and their reactions to her decisions. "Refereeing starts with diving deep into the rules, acquiring great knowledge, maintaining good focus, staying alert and working closely with the second referee and line judges. Over the years, I have also learned that when teams are not satisfied, all I do is calm down, be in control and make a firm decision," Chege added. Chege, who captained Malkia Strikers for five years and her club Kenya Pipeline for seven years, is not regularly officiating due to work commitments. However, she is never under pressure when officiating men's games. "The men's matches are fast and very tense compared to the women's, but I mastered the art of control and so I never let pressure get the better of me instead, I help calm the tension," she added. Lucy Chege with other volleyball umpires in an international assignment. [Courtesy] On officiating the men's matches, Tarus said they always made her nervous, but with time, she has gained courage and is continuously working to improve while up the net. "It was not easy when I started, but with time, I have become brave after learning from my colleagues who are more experienced than me. I keep up with the changing rules which makes it easy for me," she said. Having enjoyed rewarding careers with their clubs and national team when Kenya dominated the continent, they said the standards of the game are very high now due to changes in rules and also the crop of players. "The standards have improved, nowadays setters are tall players unlike my days when they were of average height. The challenge system has also brought fairness to the game because back then, there were no video referrals so the first referee's decision was final," Chege said. They encouraged other female players to consider refereeing careers upon retiring because with the knowledge they already have in the sport, they have the potential to become international referees. Elizabeth Marian 9, and Juliana Namutira of KCB Bank block a strike from Kenya Prisons during their Kenya Volleyball Federation KVF Finals and Playoffs at Kasarani Gymnasium in Nairobi on June 08, 2024. [Stafford Ondego, Standard] "Nothing is impossible, I encourage retiring female players to take refereeing courses and I'm happy that some of them are already officiating at the national level, they will soon break onto the international stage," Chege said. Chege was in athletics from the onset, starting out as a sprinter in 100m and high jump. While at Ithanga High School, Murang'a games teacher Allanson Mburu noticed her high jump prowess and introduced her to volleyball. Growing up she admired how Kenya Pipeline players played and was aspired to not just play like them, but also join the prestigious club. Her silent prayer was answered in 1996 when she joined the club which she played for until she called it quits. Chege has a decorated volleyball career with club and national team. She won numerous Africa Club Championships titles. She has also won several accolades including a Head of State Commendation in 2006 and Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA). She retired from national team duty in 2011 after representing the country at the All Africa Games held in Mozambique. The mother of two suffered a knee injury in 2013 and opted to retire after playing for Pipeline for 18 years. Fans watch action between Kenya Pipeline and KCB volleyball club during their Kenya Volleyball Federation playoffs for men and women at Kasarani Gymnasium in Nairobi on October 04, 2023. [Stafford Ondego, Standard] Tarus, who also played hockey at Itigo Girls High School, was inspired by her late sister Abigael Tarus who represented Kenya in the 2004 Athens Olympics to play volleyball. She ditched the hockey stick and perfected her volleyball skills. Her passion, hard work and dedication bore fruit when she caught the eyes of Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) coaches culminating in her joining the club in 2002 as an outside hitter. As fate would have it, the then KCB coach David Muthui and United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) coach Halima Bakari discovered her potential to become an exceptional libero. "I was good in reception, my decisions were spot on and I had all the qualities of a good libero so the coach changed me from an outside hitter to a libero," Tarus said.

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