Girls’ team eye top two at Africa Youth meet

HEAD COACH Paul Bitok has set a target of finishing in the top two at this year’s Africa Youth CAVB Championships scheduled to run from March 25-30 in Egypt.

Thursday, March 21, 2013
Coach Paul Bitok taking the girls through drills last week at Amahoro indoor stadium. The New Times/J. Mbanda.

HEAD COACH Paul Bitok has set a target of finishing in the top two at this year’s Africa Youth CAVB Championships scheduled to run from March 25-30 in Egypt."We will go there with calm heads as we have a lot to gain and nothing to lose, and if we can finish in the top two, it will be a success story for us” said the Kenyan trainer.He also stated, "It is the first time for them to compete at this level but they have been doing well in training which is good, and I hope we will go there with strong character and mentality to win.”The competition serves as a qualifier for the FIVB Youth Girls’ World Championship, which will be held in Thailand later this year.Players eligible to participate in this competition must have been born from January 1, 1996. This category is considered as the key development age for girls in Africa.The top teams in women’s volleyball will be participating in this competition, including defending champions Egypt, last year’s runners-up Algeria, Tunisia, Rwanda and Kenya.Girl’s team qualified after all countries of Zone V withdrew from the CAVB Zone V qualifiers, which had been scheduled in January in Kigali.