A total ten teams; eight in men’s category and two female teams, have confirmed their participation at this year’s Rutsindura Memorial Tournament – set for June 23-24 in Huye. The eight male teams include; Gisagara, REG, UTB, IPRC South, KVC, APR, IPRC East and Kirehe while Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) and APR are the two already registered teams. According to organizers, there will also be a youth category and four secondary schools have so far confirmed to take part. Those include; the hosts Petit Séminaire ‘Virgo Fidelis’ de Butare, Group Scolaire Officiel de Butare, Nyanza-based Christ Roi and Gisagara Philippe Nery. One foreign side, DR Congo’s Young de Goma has shown interest to be part of the two-day annual event. Times Sport has learned there could also be participants from Burundi and Uganda. “The event keeps growing bigger every coming year; the 2018 edition is no exception. We are also trying to build the competition from the grassroots and give a platform to raw talents to be harnessed and shine,” the headmaster of Petit Séminaire Virgo Fidelis, father Placide Uwineza told Times Sport in a telephone interviewon Tuesday. The annual tournament is organised every year by Huye-based secondary school Petit Seminaire Virgo Fidelis in memory of former teacher and volleyball promoter, Alphonse Rutsindura, who was killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Also a former lecturer at the National University of Rwanda, Rutsindura was instrumental in the development of volleyball in the country. He also coached the national women volleyball team before becoming the first vice president of the local volleyball federation, FRVB. Rwanda Energy Group (REG) and Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) are title holders after winning the tourney’s 15th edition last year, in men’s and women’s category respectively. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
