The General Service Unit (GSU) coach, Gideon Tarus, expressed disappointment as the team announced that they will not be able to participate in this year’s African Clubs Volleyball Championship due to financial challenges.
The men’s championship is scheduled for May 9-22, while the women’s event will take place between May 13-26 in Tunisia.
This marks the third year in a row that GSU has been unable to participate in the continental tournament, with the team’s last appearance being in 2019, where they finished ninth.
According to Tarus, one of the reasons for the team’s current performance is a lack of motivation, which could be attributed to the absence of cash awards for winning the league.
Despite winning the last four league trophies, the team failed to defend the East Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) trophy in Rwanda last month and was eliminated early on in the Paul Bitok national volleyball tournament earlier this month.
Tarus also noted that the team lost many players in the middle of the season, which made it difficult to find suitable replacements.
Kenya Ports Authority is the only team to have confirmed participation in the men’s category, while Trailblazers, who finished third last season, are also eligible to take part in the event.
Last year, KPA and Equity Bank represented Kenya in the tournament. Tarus acknowledged that missing out on the club championship is a big blow to the players, but the situation is beyond their control.
The team is expected to return to training next week after taking a week-long break following their fourth leg league matches at Nyayo stadium last weekend. Tarus plans to talk to the players and encourage them to maintain the high standards they have set in the last five years.
