The Mozambique National Federation started the Beach Volleyball summer season this weekend in Mozambique capital of Maputo.
The kids also take part in the action
Seven courts were established in the Indian Ocean beaches. Two of them, 10 men teams play in 2 pools in a round robin system in each pool. While in the second round the top two teams in each pool will play in the semifinal.
At another court, 7 senior women teams play in a round robin format to determine the female champions.
The Women In Action
2 other courts will be used for the Under 15 and under 17 men teams divided in 4 pools through to the the finals.
The 6th court will be used by 5 popular teams (workers, Fans, and fun seekers) as they compete in another
round robin system to determine the champions.
7 Courts Were Established In Maputo
The court will be used by 40 kids from the African Dream Project Centers and Maningue Volei project centers.
African Volleyball Confederation “CAVB” Zone 7 has selected Madagascar to host the first edition of Beach Volleyball Cup in July 8 to 10, 2016.
The competition will take place in Soma Village Mahajanga, Madagascar. The arrival date of the teams will be July 6 followed by the technical meeting on July 7.
“We hope to have a successful competition to help the development of beach volleyball in our zone,” said Zone 7 secretary general Jean Michel.
“We expect to have many teams as Zone 7 with its 4 countries are usually interested in Beach Volleyball competitions specially Mauritius who have the honour to win the first Women’s Continental Cup edition in 2012.
Sherif El Shemerly returned as head coach of Egypt Men’s Volleyball National team this week ahead of the World League third weekend, after his first spell as a National team head coach from 2011-2012. He replaced Nehad Shehata who took over the responsibility in the first and second World League weekends following the expulsion of the Italian coach Flavio Gulineli ahead of the World League campaign. Shehata will continue as coach in the third weekend of World League and at the Olympic Games.
Egypt will line up against Netherlands, Korea and Czech Republic in the third weekend of the World League July 1 to 3, 2016 aiming to compete for one of the three slots of Group 2 in the finals which will be hosted by Portugal.
The new coach selected the same squad to play in Korea as the team star Ahmed Salah and the setter Abdalla Abdelsalam and the outside hitter Mohamed Abdel Moniem are still missing for different injuries.
El Shemerly started his career as a coach before he retired as a player when he took over the responsibility of the youth team in his club of origin Heliopolis while he was only 25years old. He progressed to the senior team as Assistant coach in 1991 to start his real coaching career.
He then moved to Qatar as Wakra club Youth & Junior teams Coach 1995- 1996 before being upgraded as a coach for Qatar’s Youth national Team 1996 till 1997. He returned back to Egypt to lead Heliopolis Club Senior team in the Egyptian premier league from 1997-2000.
In 2000 he started one of his most successful eras as a coach when he was appointed as Assistant coach for the Egyptian U19 Youth team at the 2001 FIVB Boys U19 World championship, then he was upgraded as a head coach few weeks ahead of the competition. His name started to shine when he led his boys to the semifinal of the world championship known to be the best ever rank for an Egyptian team at the world level.
Sherif El- Shemerly
He went forward with the same squad when they were upgraded as a Junior team to lead them to the second round of the 2003 Men’s U21 World Championship in Iran. During this period he led both youth and junior teams to the African title before he returned back to frame a new generation after he led the Youth team in 2004 to win the African title before moving with them to the Men’s U21 category to once again win the African crown with them and participate with both teams in the world championships.
Shemerly shifted to another challenge in 2005 when he was appointed as Assistant coach for the senior Egyptian team. in 2011 he took over the responsibility as a head coach to lead the team to their 4th in a row African Nations Championship’s title in Morocco.
He then worked as Qatar VB Association “QVA” Technical Director of National Teams in 2012 till he was appointed again for a second spell as Egyptian National team head coach to conduct the team at 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
He headed the CAVB Coaching Commission 2010 till now and a he is member of the FIVB coaching commission 2012 till now.
To a stranger, her name is as ordinary as other common names. But behind the name Seraphine Mukantambara is a unique story.
The Rwanda Revenue Authority and Rwanda international, is a Genocide survivor, who has been a key figure in volleyball for both club and the country.
Mukantambara, a fast-rising Volleyball star
In 2014, the Rwanda international right attacker was named Most Valuable player (MVP) in Africa, which was an unprecedented achievement in the history of Rwandan volleyball.
In December last year, Mukantambara also well known as ‘Baby’ by her peers, joined Turkish second division league side Elazig IL Ozel for a three-month trial, but failed to earn a permanent contract, and decided to return home.
The 22-year-old Mukantambara has a heart touching story about her childhood. Born on the very day that the 1994 Genocide against Tutis started, she never had a chance to see her father as he was killed during the massacre together with several of her family members.
Fortunately she survived together with her mother, and four siblings. To many, her name may pass like any other, but there is a unique story behind her Surname; Mukantambara.
Her grandfather was killed in the Genocide, but before his death, as the war raged on, he asked Mukantambara’s expectant mother that if she happened to survive, she should name the child Ntambara if it’s a boy or Mukantambara if she’s a girl, literally to mean “Born in times of war.”
Mukantambara, (Left) With the best players at the 2016 Genocide tournament
“When I was in primary 5, I asked my mother why she named me Mukantambara because at times I felt uncomfortable with it, and when she told me the meaning behind it, I started loving it. I have maintained it as my name from that day,” she said.
While narrating her childhood, she disclosed that before she picked interest in volleyball, she had a passion for football, and her favourite position was in goal.
She began playing volleyball in primary five, just for fun and was spotted by the then St. Aloys Rwamagana volleyball team coach, and was further encouraged by the school director, Gilbert Nzayisenga , who offered her a bursary to study at the school.
“By then I never knew I would play volleyball as a professional sport, however they (St. Aloys) nurtured me and the coach and director kept encouraging me to be confident, and as time passed by, I started to fall in love with the sport,” she recalls.
Playing career
In 2010 while in senior one at St. Aloys, national team head coach Paul Bitok visited the school and conducted a training session with the school’s volleyball team, which Mukantambara was part of.
The Kenyan tactician, who has nurtured several current volleyball stars, selected her as part of the team for a training camp that was to be held in Ruhango district in preparation for the regional FEASSA games that were to be held in Kenya.
Coach Paul Bitok instructing Mukantambara
“By then I had started feeling that I could actually make it if I put my mind on it, fortunately coach Bitok was always on hand to give us guidance and motivation, which really played a big part in my improving.”
She never managed to break into the team that went to Kenya for FEASSA games, and it was after these games that Bitok handed her, a maiden call up to the U-20 national team that competed at the African U-20 Championships in Tunisia.
The following year, the Rwanda Volleyball Federation (FRVB) selected three raising talents from St. Aloys Rwamagana—these included; Delphine Uwicyeza, Olive Mutamba and Mukantambara.
The trio was brought to Kigali where the former two joined APR while Mukantambara was recruited by Rwanda Revenue Authority – the trio continued their studies at APACE.
Mukantambara says: “When I joined RRA, I found Dorcus Ndasaba, a Kenyan right attacker at the club and because she was an experienced player, I learned a lot from her and when she left the club to join APR in 2012, I became a regular player until today.”
In his five year spell at RRA, Mukantambara has won numerous titles with the league defending.
On a personal level, she has won six MVP in different competitions, including; Genocide memorial tournaments (2012, 2013), 2014 MVP and 2015 best attacker at KAVC tournament in Uganda, MVP Africa Youth Olympic Games (2014) and best attacker in the 2016 Genocide memorial tourney.
Mukantambara to the left at a Beach Volleyball Event
National duty
Mukantambara captained the girls’ youth team to finish third in the 2014 Africa Youth Olympic Games in Botswana, where she claimed the tournament’s MVP award.
She was part of the national women’s youth team that finished 4th in African Championships in Cairo, Egypt in 2011 and also finished 4th with the junior team in Tunisia, the same year.
Again in 2014, she was part of the national youth team that finished top in qualifiers of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Ghana, but failed to impress at the eventual Games in Nanjing, China where Rwanda finished in a disappointing 25th place.
In April this year, she was part of RRA club that finished 4th in the 2016 Women’s African Club Championship in Tunisia.
Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Education of Kibungo (INATEK) volleyball club head coach Dominique Ntawangundi has commended his team after winning this year’s volleyball Genocide memorial tournament that climaxed on Sunday at the Amahoro indoor stadium.
The national league defending champions comfortably overcame Uganda’s Powerhouse Sport-S in straight sets 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-15) to claim their second memorial title after their maiden title in 2013.
Backed by a full house of home fans, INATEK won the first set 25-16 points, while the second one ended 25-21 before sealing the final set 25-15 to claim the title.
Speaking to Times Sport after the match, Ntawangundi expressed his happiness at winning the tournament at the third time of asking, following the disappointment of losing to Rayon Sports in the finals of the last two editions.
He said, “I am grateful to my players for having won this tournament, we defeated Rayon Sports in the quarter-finals, who beat us in the last two finals, it’s a good feeling for the whole team.”
“The intensity of the tournament is increasing year by year and it can be noticed from this year’s participants, Sport-S, who reached in the final in both categories,” Ntawangundi explained.
In the women’s category, Uganda’s Sport-S Volleyball club emerged winners after a hard-fought 3-2 win against defending champions, Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA).
Champions INATEK and Sport-S were awarded a trophy and Rwf500,000 each while the first runners’ up Sport-S (Men) and Rwanda Revenue Authority (Women) were given medals and Rwf300,000 each.
The tournament as been organized every year since 1998 to honour players, coaches, administrators and fans killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
In the wake of the forthcoming National volleyball league 2016/2017 season, the Gambia volleyball Federation will conduct a 3 day national refresher programs for coaches and referees.
The programs will run on different dates. The coaching program will run from the 17 – 19 June and will be instructed by renowned coach Mr Yahkya Ndiaye from Santhiaba volleyball club in Ziguinchor. Each club is to send in its head coach for training.
The technical directorate officials will also partake in the training. Referees Refresher starts from the 24th – 26th June for all national referees to be conducted by Yunusa Faye an international referee.
In an interview with the acting president of Gambia volleyball Federation Bai Dodou Jallow, he disclosed that the stage for the national league will be set for due commencement at the sidelines of the two programs.
“Meanwhile we are sending letters to clubs about these trainings and also for the opening of registration of the national league from 15 – 30 June 2016 Jallow stated.
Gambia Volleyball Federation To Organise Coaches And Refereeing Refresher Courses
This will be the first capacity building program for the year and we are putting together things for the participants to be well equipped as this will avail them the opportunity to refresh their know how in the game of volleyball”.
African representatives Egypt will compete in Pool B at Rio 2016 Olympic Games men’s volleyball tournament along with Poland, Russia, Argentina, Iran and Cuba as pool line-up has been officially confirmed following completion of the Men’s Olympic Qualification Tournament.
Pool A includes organisers Brazil, Italy, USA, Canada, France and Mexico.
In their 4th Olympic Games finals, the Egyptian team is now looking to get positive results after they missed London 2012 Olympic and lost all their matches in Beijing 2008.
The Men’s Olympic Qualification Tournaments in Japan and Mexico on Sunday confirmed the final five spots, with Poland, Iran, France, Canada and Mexico all claiming the last berths.
They will join hosts Brazil, FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup winners and runners-up USA and Italy respectively, African Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament winners Egypt, European Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament winners Russia, South American Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament winners Argentina and NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament winners Cuba.
The teams have been divided into two pools of six, with the top four sides from each progressing to the elimination round.
The pools were allocated using the serpentine system, with those with the highest world ranking as of January 1, 2016 drawn first into Pool B after hosts Brazil (who are automatically placed in Pool A).
Hosts Brazil will have a challenge on their hands, with the world No.1 set to take on FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup winners USA, runners-up Italy and FIVB Volleyball World League and European champions France in Pool A.
Brazil beat Italy in the semifinals of the London 2012 Olympic Games but were beaten by USA in the pool stage. They were also downed by France during last year’s World League Finals at the Maracanãzinho, the same venue that will host the Olympic Games.
USA will have confidence knowing that they have beaten both France and Italy in the last 12 months. However, the side have not beaten Brazil in the last year and will be looking to find a way to control the hosts.
Canada and Mexico complete the group, and with the former winning bronze at last year’s Pan American Games and finding the spirit to qualify for the Games in Japan on June 5, they will fancy their chances against the top teams.
It will be an Olympic versus world champion showdown in Pool B, with London 2012 gold medallists Russia set to meet World Championship 2014 winners Poland. The Poles won all four of their World League matches with Russia during last year’s World League and will be confident they have the form to beat them. But they were defeated in five sets by the world No.3 at the European Olympic Qualification Tournament in Berlin, Germany in January which is something that Stephane Antiga’s team will be looking to address.
Badawy Mohamed Moneim and Omar Hassan of Egypt in Action
The ever-improving Iranians, now under the guidance of legendary Argentinean coach Raul Lozano, will be breathing down the necks of both sides however. They beat Poland as recently as June 4, seeing them off in four sets at the Olympic qualifier in Japan, albeit after Poland had booked their Rio 2016 berth.
Argentina will also be looking to the likes of the talismanic Luciano De Cecco and Sebastian Solé to push them into the quarterfinals and beyond. That is how far they progressed in 2012, with 2016 hosts Brazil ending their campaign in straight sets. Both Solé and De Cecco played that day, as did Nicolas Uriate, Nicolas Bruno, Rodrigo Quiroga, Pablo Crer and a host of other Argentinean stars who will be desperate to improve on that result in Rio.
Cuba and Egypt complete the group, with the former looking to revive the glory days of the 1976 Montreal Olympics bronze-medal winning side and the latter aiming for a top 10 finish for the first time after placing 11th at Beijing 2008 and Athens 2004 and 10th at Los Angeles 1984.
The Rio 2016 Olympic Games men’s volleyball tournament runs from August 6 until August 20.
The African Dream Project has taken a new step in Congo Brazzaville as the center in Pointe Noire began the work through the training sessions for the volleyball skills conducted by CAVB Instructor Kamel Rakaya.
CAVB Instructor Kamel Rakaya
Children coming from different sides of the province were selected through a scientific tests to start the training in outdoor courts.
The project is called “Dr. Ary Graca Volleyball Development Program for Africa” as it comes from the great interest of the World Volleyball Governing body “FIVB” to help volleyball development from the scratch since Dr Ary took over the responsibility in 2012.
South Africa will host the 2016 Men’s U23 African Nations Championship as the country returns to the organisation chart of volleyball competitions since the 2008 Men’s Olympic Qualifier after CAVB awarded them the hosting rights of the competition.
It will be held from October 12 to 20, 2016 in the city of Durban and open to players born on 1st January 1995 or after.
As a Final Confirmation of the team’s participation, CAVB will appreciate receiving the final confirmation before the deadline 26th September, 2016.
Elyes Garfi (Tunisia) receiving the 2014 trophy
This is the second edition of the competition after the first one was hosted by Egypt in Sharm El Sheikh in 2014 and it was won by Tunisia.
The competition will act also as a qualifier for the 2017 FIVB World Championship as the top 2 teams confirm their participation.
Morocco will return back to hosting African events 5 years after they organised the Men’s Senior African Nations Volleyball Championship in 2011. The African Volleyball Confederation “CAVB” has granted them the honour to organise the 2016 Men’s U21 African Nations Volleyball Championship in Tangier.
The competition will hold from September 18 to 24, 2016 with the 24th of August as a deadline for the National Federations to register for the event.
Egypt are the defending champions of this age group as they won the last edition in their homeland in February 2015.
The top 2 teams in this competition will qualify to represent Africa at the FIVB Men’s World Championship in 2017.
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