A record 29 teams in the national volleyball league (men, youth, veterans and women) will feature in this year’s Father Emmanuel Kayumba Memorial Tournament, which is scheduled on February 18-19.

Indatwa and Inkesha School (formerly Groupe Scolaire de Butare) are seeking to improve the level of the annual Father Emmanuel Kayumba memorial volleyball tournament.

According to the organisers and school head teacher, Father Celestin Rwirangira, the 29 teams in men, women, youth and veteran categories will compete in the annual tournament.

The tournament is organised in memory of the late Father Kayumba, who passed away in 2009. He was instrumental in the growth of volleyball in Groupe Scolaire de Butare, a school that has, over the years, produced some of Rwanda’s best players in the sport.

"Our aim is to continue to remember Kayumba through the sport of volleyball. We have been organising the event each year to continue to build the game he loved so much,” Rwirangira said.

The teams include UNIK, Gisagara, UTB, KVC, APR, IPRC South, Kirehe and REG; the in youth category are hosts GSOB, College du Christ Roi, IPRC East, IPRC West, Petit Seminaire Virgo Fidelis (PSVF), Groupe Scolaire St Philippe Neri de Gisagara, Gatenga, Lycee de Nyanza and Rusumo High School.

In the women category are Rwanda Revenue Authority, APR Women VC, Ruhango and IPRC-Kigali, while the veteran category includes Mamba, Tout Age, Relax, Umucyo, Nyaruguru, WASAC, Les Anciens du GSOB and Les Anciens du PSVF. The venues to be used are GSOB and G.S Gatagara.

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