Kenya men's Para Volley team during their match at Kasarani stadium / CHARLENE MALWA Kenya men’s sitting volleyball head coach Richard Kanyi believes structured development, consistent exposure, and tactical focus are essential if the national team is to become a serious contender in future international competitions.
Speaking after Kenya’s commanding 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-12) win over South Africa in their classification match at the Africa ParaVolley Championship at Kasarani, Kanyi described their classification win as a turning point.
“We’ve seen what’s possible when we prepare well, but to get to the next level, we need deliberate investment in training camps, international friendlies, and a local league,” said Kanyi.
“If these players can get consistent match exposure, we can compete with the best. We’ve already proven we have potential.”
Kenya’s men closed their campaign on a high after enduring a tough group stage that saw them fall 3-0 to Egypt, Rwanda, and Morocco in straight sets.
The team struggled with reception, game tempo, and finishing but displayed glimpses of cohesion, especially in the latter stages of their final group match against Morocco.
Kanyi, who guided a relatively young squad to Lagos, said the experience in Nigeria offered valuable lessons. “The tournament exposed us to high-level sitting volleyball — fast transitions, tactical depth, and mental resilience. We now know what areas to improve,” he said.
“Reception and transition play were our biggest weaknesses, and those are already priorities for our next training block.”
Against South Africa, Kenya found their rhythm early, using solid court positioning and aggressive serving to control the pace. The second set saw South Africa rally briefly, but the Kenyans remained composed to take the set and carried their momentum into a dominant third set.
“It’s our first win at this level, and we’re treating it as a launchpad. We must now plan for structured training. We are speaking with stakeholders to set up a national league and regional friendlies. That’s the kind of foundation that will build a strong national team.”
With the 2027 African Para Games qualifiers on the horizon, the team is expected to regroup later this year. Kenya ParaVolley Federation also plans to involve more counties and clubs to grow the sport nationally and strengthen the national pool. “This win gave us belief, and now we must match it with proper systems,” Kanyi concluded.
