Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE national junior men volleyball team head coach Kudzai Bakayidza is not panicking despite the slow start at the ongoing Under-20 African Nations Championships in Egypt.
The Bakayidza’s charges got off to an identical 3-0 defeat against the hosts Egypt and Algeria in their two opening assignments.
Currently they sit at the bottom of the Group A log table without a point.
Egypt, Uganda and Algeria occupy the first, second and third spots with five, four and three points in that order.
To entertain hopes of making it to the second round of games, Zimbabwe will have to collect points against Uganda today.
Despite being in a precarious position, Bakayidza believes the first two defeats were good lessons.
“This tournament is a huge eye opener, basically it is the first for our young boys besides the Region Five games,” said Bakayidza.
“Obviously experience and exposure are proving to be our major set-back, you can see that our opponents are well advanced in that aspect.
“We just have to hope for the best but most importantly, we take this as our first step into the future, with more exposure we will definitely rise to be a force.”
Despite facing challenges, he remains hopeful about the future, emphasising the potential he sees in his players.
“We are taking time to sit them down and look at the psychological aspect of the game . . . this is largely because we noted that after these two defeats, mentally they have been affected,” said Bakayidza.
“The young boys have lost confidence, probably this is also due to lack of international exposure so before we face Uganda, we have to address that aspect.”
Bakayidza asserts that maintaining the current structure of junior teams is crucial for nurturing growth and development of the game.
For years, Zimbabwe had neglected its national team frameworks, resulting in a narrow focus on club championships for the local players.
Further, the lack of emphasis on national teams hindered the overall progress of Volleyball in the country and on the regional stage.
“The recent friendly games we had against Zambia, were our maiden step in reviving our national teams,” added Bakayidza.
He believes the team showcased significant improvements in various aspects of the game from the international friendlies, to the Egypt outing.
This, he said, is a positive development as ZVA builds for the future.
“From those friendly games, coming to Egypt, you can see the improvements which is why we are calling for the Association to continue in this trajectory,” said the coach.
“For a team to be solid and speak with one voice, they need more time together which means that from here, we do not want to totally disband the team.
“The more time they spend together, the more they will become a unit, going into the future I think periodic camps will be the best way forward.”
