By DAILY NEWS Reporter, 28th December 2011 @ 11:00, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 2614
DOMESTIC volleyball stakeholders have called for more participation of youth in the sport, as they bid farewell to a promising season in the game's development in the country.
Effective participation of youth in volleyball, particularly in schools, has been seen as the better way to promote the sport and realize a sound junior development programme in turn.
Dar es Salaam-based volleyball player, Philipo Peter, was adamant that most of the schools in the country, especially at the primary level, lack venues for volleyball and the situation seem to pose the biggest challenge in the sport's promotion.
"Most of the schools in the country do not participate in volleyball and they do not have volleyball grounds in the first place," said Peter.
Another volleyball enthusiast, Kamili Muhange, noted that the scarcity of quality volleyball equipment, coupled with the high price of the available equipment, has rendered efforts to effectively promote the sport from the grassroots rather difficult.
"There is scarcity of volleyball equipment in the country and the available equipment is sold at a very high price...a single ball's cost is as high as 100,000/- and with that price, it is obvious clubs, particularly from the streets, can not afford, a situation that ultimately leads to the clubs' demise," said Muhange.
Muhange's comments could be substantiated by a sad demise of a Dar es Salaam-based outfit, Chui volleyball Club, located at Mbezi Tangi Bovu, in which the club's players were forced to opt for soccer because of their failure to secure financial support to buy new volleyballs and nets for their venue.
Volleyball, nevertheless, has witnessed an inspiring march towards effective revival and promotion at the domestic level this season, in which the sport's governing body in the country, Tanzania Amateur Volleyball Association (TAVA) managed to host a couple of major club tournaments.
The National Volleyball Club Championship, held at the Popatlal Secondary School venue in Tanga in October, was the first major event bringing together top domestic volleyball clubs to show their mettle and battle for silverware.
Prisons emerged champions of both men and womem categories following convincing wins over rivals, Jeshi Stars, in the final after the latter's men and women outfits had also qualified for the stage with impressive victories over other opponents in semi-finals.
Mwalimu Nyerere International tournament was the second and last, in the list of major events at the domestic level, in which the tournament was held at the Hindu Mandal venue in Moshi, Kilimanjaro from the 14th to the 18th of this month in honour of the Father of the Nation, the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere.
A total of 25 clubs, 13 domestic outfits and the rest coming from neighbouring East African countries, battled it out in the tournament, which also geared towards effective promotion of the sport in the country.
Jacaranda Hotels Club from Mombasa, Kenya, won the men's category with a hard fought 3-2 victory over Dar es Salaam's Prisons in the final while Prisons ladies thrashed bitter rivals, Jeshi Stars, 3-0 to win the women category trophy.
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