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2006 Volleyball World
Championships:
Kenya names final squad of 12
players
 Nairobi,
Thursday Sept 23- Kenya which is one of Africa’s three
representatives to next month’s World Women Volleyball
Championships in Japan has named a strong final squad of 12
players.
Dropped from the team, which was named by Kenya’s Japanese born
head coach Sadatoshi Sugawara after a gruelling three months
training are Diana Khisa and Edna Rotich who were making their
maiden appearance in the national team.
Veteran Telkom Kenya player Dorcas Ndasaba who has participated
in four World Championships and two Olympic Games in Sydney 2000
and Athens 2004 was among those who made the final list of 12
players travelling to Japan.
Sugawara who will be deputised by two local coaches David
Lung’aho of Kenya Pipeline and Paul Bitok of Kenya Commercial
Bank retained two liberos in the team namely Mildred Odwako of
Ulinzi and Judy Tarus who turns out for Kenya Prisons at club
level.
“I have based my selection on each player’s current form and
ability to deliver at the World Championships. I am confident
that this time round Kenya will improve on its past
performance,” said Sugawara who was also in charge of the team
at Olympic Games held in Sydney in 2000 when he was deputised by
Africa’s volleyball guru Gilbert Agara Ohanya who has since
retired.
The Japanese born tactician stated that he opted to pick two
libero players as they fitted in his game plan whereby one will
be given the defence role and the other reception role which are
the two areas which has been Kenya’s main undoing.
Beauty queen Janet “Jano” Wanja who is the darling of volleyball
fans in Kenya also made the final squad as a setter along with
veteran Lucy Chege, Catherine Wanjiru, Leonidas Kamande and
Jacqueline Baraza all who have vowed to give a good show at the
World Championships.
Speaking after Sugawara named his final 12 players for the World
Championships, Wanja and Ndasaba said they were happy to be in
the team and promised to give out their best in Japan so that
Kenya can go past the first round.
Assistant coaches Lung’aho and Bitok said training has been good
and the 12 players in the team are now focused as the World
Championships draws near and they were going to carry the
country’s flag high.
Kenya is in Group A along with Korea, Poland, Chinese Taipei,
Costa Rica and hosts Japan. Coach Sugawara has vowed to beat
Costa Rica and Chinese Taipei so as to enhance Kenya’s chances
of reaching the second round for the first time.
Before moving for residential training camp in Kasarani, the
team has been training at Karura for the last two months. Apart
from Kenya other Africa’s representatives at the World
Championships are Egypt and Cameroon.
Kenya’s final squad- Attackers: Dorcas Ndasaba, Catherine
Wanjiru, Lydia Maiyo, Centre Players: Leonidas Kamende, Jackline
Barasa, Brackcides Agala, Right Attackers: Lucy Chege, Doris
Palang’a, Setters: Janet Wanja, Jane Wacu, Libero: Mildred
Odwako, Judith Tarus, Head Coach: Sadatoshi Sugawara, Assistant
Coaches: David Lung’aho, Paul Bitok.
By Jack Kwemba from Nairobi,
Kenya
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