Volleyball coaches back from Sudan

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE national team coaches Vulindlela Jasper Moyo and Itsanang Abu-Basuthu returned home on Sunday after attending a high-level Federation of International Volleyball Level Three Coaching Course in Khartoum, Sudan. Moyo and Abu-Basuthu who are senior women and men’s national team coaches respectively are now the most qualified volleyball coaches in Zimbabwe. According to information provided by the FIVB, the Level Three Coaching Course which ran from May 24-31 in Sudan was the first for Africa. It drew 15 participants with Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia having two each while Sudan had three. South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Niger and Oman had one participant each.

The two Zimbabwean coaches join an unnamed Namibian gaffer who got his FIVB Level Three Coaching Certificate last year in India as the top trainers in Southern Africa.

An elated Moyo who also coaches ZRP Raiders said he is now a “wiser coach” after participating at the high-level clinic and his next step is to go for an instructors’ course.

Bulgaria’s Jevkov Jechev was the technical director of the course in Khartoum with Tony Wistman of Sweden being the instructor.
“Special thanks go to my relatives and friends who made my trip to Khartoum possible, the Sport and Recreation Commission and ZVA who did the paperwork. I am now a wiser coach after widening my knowledge as there are a lot of things that we have been taking for granted which are key in developing and nurturing talent.

“Obviously I would like to continue enhancing my knowledge in sport and my next step is to go for the instructors’ course,” Moyo said.
According to Moyo, some of the things that they have been taking for granted is testing players’ agility, speed and jump during sessions leading to some being said to be attackers yet their jumps allow them to be liberos.

He was frank enough to admit that there were some sports injuries like a swollen finger which they overlooked and said from now on he will insist on having his players medically examined for all aspects of knocks before, during and after training sessions.

Moyo said some of the new topics that they covered were sports science, specific team training, team management during matches and scouting opponents which generally means spying on opponents.

“Besides the technical stuff that we learnt, we were made to realise that just like cricket and soccer, volleyball can also create employment. Some of our colleagues at the clinic from Rwanda and Burkina Faso testified that in their countries they have professional volleyball leagues. I understand that the economic conditions are challenging but I believe Zimbabwe can have  a professional league in future,” Moyo said.