Making their maiden appearance at the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) league, Rift Valley Prison has set high hopes to ensure they secure play-offs.
The team, which registered poor results in the opening fixture in Nyeri’s Kinoru stadium, lost all their matches. In the first match, they lost in straight sets of 26-24, 25-18 and 25-21 to former champions Prison Kenya and a 3-1 loss to Kenya Defence Forces in 25-21, 21-25, 25-22 and 25-18.
Team Captain Emmanuel Tongoch is optimistic that once the Corona-virus pandemic will come to an end and the league resumes, they will have an opportunity to prove to the country that they are forces to reckon with.
He said they were nervous in the opening fixtures, playing against top teams in the country but that fear is now over since the players have adapted to the high profile league and great players.
“In the first leg, it was hard for the players but we recovered well. Heading into the second leg, hoping Corona-virus pandemic will have come to an end, we want great results. Our target is to qualify into the play-offs or the worst in top seven,” said Togoch.
He said that they have discovered their weak areas and they are working on seriously that led to their loss in Kinoru.
“We want to improve in areas like receiving and blocks. At the moment, we are working to improve on the same heading into the second leg,” added Togoch.
The team will be the 4th in the league after Western, Mombasa and Nairobi prison all competing in the league apart from the general Prison Kenya.
“Volleyball is a game of challenges and dynamics might change. We are working on our tension, which we have achieved,” he added.
Uasin Gishu County Governor Jackson Mandago said he is committed to supporting sports and nurturing upcoming sportsmen in the county.
Mandago, who was the guest during the official team’s launch said: “We want to assure as the county government that we will support the team and other sports discipline in the county.” said Mandago, asking the Ministry of Sports to work on branding and advertising as it is an area that needs to explore and grow the sports.
Coordinator Barnabas Keino said the team has improved much and they will be playing in local friendly matches to sharpen their skills.
“We have hope that the team will do well since it comprises of prison warders, county officials and the locals,” he said.