Rift Valley Prison Volleyball has begun its preparations in earnest ahead of the first leg of Kenya Volleyball Federation League (KVF) serves off on 23rd and 24th January 2021 at the Eldoret Main Prison ground.
The Eldoret meeting consists of men’s group two league that has the hosts Rift Valley Prison, Nairobi Prison, Vihiga County and Nairobi Water in the new structure on 23rd and 24th January 2021.
According to the fixtures released by KVF, hosts will open the court against Nairobi Prisons on Saturday playing simultaneously with Western Prisons against Vihiga County in the morning hours before Western Prison taking on Nairobi Prisons and Rift Valley Prisons play Vihiga County in the afternoon.
On Sunday, there will be two matches in the morning as Vihiga County play Nairobi Prisons with Rift Valley Prisons tackling Western Prisons
Barnaba Keino, the officer in-charge of Eldoret Main prison said it is the only team from the Rift Valley playing at the national level after making their maiden appearance last year in Nyeri but the league was forced to be suspended due to the coronavirus.
Team manager Robert Cheruiyot said they training well at the Eldoret Main Prison with much expectations when the league resumes.
“In our preparations, the players are fit and we expect to win all the matches that come that day by taking home advantage. By the end of the league, we expect to qualify into the play-offs despite the challenges arising as the new comers in the league,” said Cheruiyot.
Head coach Haron Chebii is optimistic that they will win at home despite coronavirus hitting his players in the first days of training.
“This a new team in the league and we played well in the first game and we emerged the most disciplined team in Nyeri. Once we resumed training, two of our players tested positive for covid-19 and we had to break again and resumed in December,” said Chebii.
“As a coach, I expect anything in sports but due to the preparations, we expect good results and because we are playing at home, we have pressure from sponsors and fans because we are playing at home. When you play at home, many fans tend to cheer their players hence they need good results. The player should know that the interest of a sponsor is a win,” said
Captain Anthony Chemonges said that volleyball is a game of moral and discipline and mental stability is the key to success.
“Playing at home, we need to win. After playing in Nyeri, we were a young disciplined team and they gave us moral support that we are a good team. We have been given facilities to play well. Playing at home, we don’t want to lose any game to visitors,” concluded Chemonges.
The KVF full fixtures for the weekend 23rd -24th January
GROUP ONE WOMEN
Venue KPC Estate Nairobi
Saturday Jan 23, 2021
10.00 hrs – Nairobi Water vs Kenya Pipeline
14.00 hrs – KDF Vs Nairobi Prisons
Sunday Jan 24, 2021
10.00 hrs- Nairobi Prisons Vs Kenya Pipeline
14.00 hrs – Nairobi Water vs KDF
GROUP TWO WOMEN
Venue – Nyayo National Stadium
Saturday 23, 2021
10.00 hrs – DCI VS KCB
14.00 hrs – Kenya Prisons Vs Kenya Army
Sunday January 24, 2021
10.00 hrs – KCB Vs Kenya Prisons
14.00 hrs – Kenya Army Vs DCI
GROUP ONE MEN
Venue – Mombasa Shimo La Tewa Prisons
Saturday 23, 2021
10.00 hrs – Prisons Mombasa Vs AP Kenya
10.00 hrs – Kenya Forest Rangers Vs KDF
12.00 hrs –KPA vs Prison Mombasa
14.00 hrs – AP Kenya vs Kenya Forest Service
14.00 hrs – KDF vs KPA
Sunday January 24, 2021
10.00 hrs – KFS VS KPA
10.00 hrs – KDF VS AP KENYA
12.00 hrs –KDF VS PRISON MOMBASA
14.00 hrs – AP KENYA VS KPA
14.00 hrs – PRISON MOMBASA VS KFS
GROUP TWO MEN
Venue – Eldoret GK Prison
Saturday 23, 2021
10.00 hrs – Rift Valley Prisons vs Nairobi Prisons
10.00 hrs – Western Prisons Vs Vihiga County
14.00 hrs – Western Prison Vs Nairobi Prisons
14.00 hrs – Rift Valley Prisons Vs Vihiga County
Sunday 24, 2021
10.00 hrs – Vihiga County vs Nairobi Prisons
10.00 hrs – Rift Valley Prisons Vs Western Prisons
GROUP THREE MEN
Venue – NAIROBI KAMITI PRISONS
Saturday 23, 2021
10.00 hrs – Kenya Prisons VS Equity Bank
10.00 hrs – Kenya Army Vs GSU
14.00 hrs – Equity Bank Kenya Army
14.00 hrs – GSU VS Kenya Prisons
Sunday 24, 2021
10.00 hrs – Kenya Prisons VS Army
10.00 hrs – GSU Vs EQUITY BANK