Why KAVC will win the volleyball league this year.
By daniel OKWEE
When I was about 10 years and doing my primary 4, I over heard my Grand father bragging amongst his pears about how form is temporary and class is permanent This was after Villa SC walloped ASEC Abidjan 4-1 in 1993 African Cup of Champions Clubs at Nakivubo. Being a true Villa fan. The old man asked my grand mum to make the best meal out of the ‘Papu otin Gwen’, loosely translated to mean the father of all chicks in the home. Only to be disappointed when Villa failed to honor the second leg and was latter banned for two years from continental competition.
It never downed on me that the old man was right. By that time I only thought the team that wins every now and then is the team to support.
In Uganda’s Volleyball, when you talk about the game of six, you can never dodge the name KAVC (Kampala Amateur Volleyball Club). It’s like talking about Football world cup 2010 without mentioning Ghana.
KAVC is the oldest Volleyball Club in Uganda, the only club to have represented Uganda in continental competition in Africa Club Championships in Cairo in 1998 and 2008 in Nairobi besides Sister club Nkumba University( Women), And the only club with an established managerial structure. Other clubs like Nemo stars, Sport S and lately KCC have also adopted managerial structures in the days running of events.
The national volleyball league reached its climax (first round) last weekend and all seem to go KAVC’s way in both the women and Men’s league.
The men are top of the table with 20 points and a game in hand, followed by UCU with 19 points and a game in hand as well. Newly promoted\ rebranded KCC stars are bottom of the table with 1 point.
The women’s league is also being commanded by KAVC women with 21 points and followed by defending champions NUVC with 20 points. Newly rebranded KCC Royals are bottom of the table with 0 points.
If the season ended today, then both KAVC gender team shall be champions. This is not good news for the other title contenders like Sports S, Nemo stars and NUVC men who are also down to the drawing board having all fallen to KAVC by the same margin.
The patience, discipline and hard work coupled by the return of Titus Toma as head coach seem to be paying off. Toma as a senior setter has instilled in a high level of discipline that seem lacking in the last two seasons.
A bigger share of the success also comes from Pierre Kamughasa who has rediscovered his splendid form. The other teams must be wondering what has come of this newly married man.
Kamughasa single handedly destroyed title contender NUVC in Entebbe before embarking on another lone destruction of the money bags and defending champions Sports S at Namboole last weekend. It takes one good player to make or break a team. How I wish other players like Jensen Chestite (NUVC), Emma Kato (Sports S), Joel Endra (UCU) can borrow a leaf from this man. George Aporu and Hassan Sekkajolo are trying it out with Nemo stars and KCC respectively, but are still to discover the combination.
The women’s title is still very unpredictable with University sides UCU, NUVC and Ndejje leading the pack alongside KAVC.
Pundits will wait to see how a combined kavc family will fare in their own tournament KAVC Founders memorial Tournament come 14th and 15th August. This title has eluded them for the last 10 years.
Ceteris peribus, unless the other teams re invest in discipline and hard work, Octopus Paul will definitely not hesitate to pick KAVC men for the title.
