Kenya women volleyball team coach warns on fitness ahead of worlds

NAIROBI, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Head coach of Kenyan women's volleyball team Japheth Munala on Thursday called on his players to maintain their fitness over the festive season to stay in shape for the forthcoming 2018 FIVB World Women's Volleyball Championships set for Tokyo, Japan next September.

Munala warned no player is assured a place in the Japan-bound team emphasizing only the fittest will be considered for the global event.

Nine-time African champions Kenya landed a daunting Pool D of the competition where they will take on Serbia and Brazil as well as Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Kazakhstan.

Munala warned the players of the team known as Malkia Strikers not to relax as they head out for Christmas and New Year holidays outlining plans to start preparations early for the global competition in the first part of next year.

"It takes time and effort to build fitness. It is easier to maintain fitness than to start rebuilding it when it's lost," the Malkia coach advised.

Munala called on the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) to organize high profile matches against global powerhouses such as U.S., China, Japan and Brazil to give his team the workout it needs to perform at the world championships.

"Malkia Strikers exposure and experience ahead of Japan. This can only be realized through better training and playing friendly games with top countries in the world," Munala emphasized. Enditem