Volleyball runs through talented Makuto family blood

The Makuto six (from left): Luke of Equity Bank, Elphas of Kenya Prisons, Violet of Kenya Pipeline Company, Asha Makuto (retired volleyballer), Evelyne of Kenya Prisons and Douglas of Embakasi during the Amaco International Volleyball Tournament in Eldoret on May 27, 2018. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • The other Makuto siblings are Philip, a from three student, and Bernard, who is in form one.
  • Both are students at Kulumben High School and play volleyball for the school team.
  • The other sister Emily playing volleyball in school but didn’t quite take up the sport actively.

It would be difficult to get a family so dominant in volleyball than the Makuto siblings.

The three sisters and as many brothers — Asha, Everlyne, Violet, Douglas, Luke and Elphas — had a reunion of sorts during the recent Amaco International Volleyball Tournament organized by Rwanda-based former Kenya international Paul Bitok.

PHOTO | FILE Kenya Pipeline attacker Asha Makuto will not feature for her team in the women’s African Club Volleyball Championships set for April 17 in Tunisia.

Asha, 35, is the senior in the family of nine and has been playing for Kenya Pipeline Company for years before retiring last year.

Before we met her for the interview, she had been working at the Kenya Pipeline Company station’s 27 (Eldoret Depot) where she was on the night shift.

"I was working at night and I had to rush to the field and see how my siblings are playing in this tournament because it is very hard to get all of us in one game. I enjoy volleyball so much and that is why I can even sacrifice my sleep," she tells the writer.

Asha went to Kulumben Primary School in Malava before proceeding to Mukumu Girls High School where she sat her ‘O’ level in 2002.

She started playing the sport in 1996 after shifting gears from athletics where she had specialized in the 100 and 200 metres sprints.

Kenyan's Everline Makuto (right) receives the Most Valuable Player trophy from FIVB President Ary S. Graça (centre) and Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario (left) at the end of the Women's Africa Nations Volleyball Championships at the Safaricom Indoor Arena on June 20, 2015. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

"I had to change my sport from athletics to volleyball because I used to admire the game and that led me start playing in 1996 after one coach Mate Barasa recruited me to train in volleyball," says Asha.

After high school, she joined Ulinzi where she played for two years before shifting to Posta in 2004 where Waithaka Kioni (current chairman for Kenya Volleyball Federation) took her to Kenya Pipeline Company where she established her career before retiring from sports in 2017.

Asha had a professional stint, recruited in 2008 by Aluasel Sports Club based in the United Arab Emirates where she played until 2016.

"This was made possible by one (former Kenya international) Dorcas Ndasaba who showed me the way and I really want to thank her so much," says the former volleyball player who was then under coach David Lung’aho in the national team.

Playing for Kenya Pipeline Company, Asha started mentoring her siblings who all started playing volleyball at tender ages.

"My brothers and sisters were inspired by my hard work and discipline and they knew that was the way to go. They are all playing for various clubs and I know they will go places," Asha, the mother of one boy, Felix Ogembo, recalls.

In national colours, Asha played for the national team at a junior tournament in Croatia (1998) and was with the senior team to the 2003 All Africa Games at the 2003 World Championships in Japan among many other competitions.

"One tournament that made me got employed was in 2005 when we played against Egypt and won and that is when I was identified by Kenya Pipeline. It will always remain as my memorable match," says Asha.

Evelyne Makuto, 28:

Born on August 25, 1990, Evelyne went to Kulumben Primary School before joining Mukumu Girls High School where she graduated in 2008 and, thereafter, joined the Kenya Prisons Service.

"After high school, I joined Kenya Prisons because they had seen me playing in various games and that is how I was employed.

"My big sister Asha gave me a lot of inspiration and I really wanted to be like her which came to pass," said Evelyne who loves eating ugali and fish.

Kenya Prisons attacker Violet Makuto (centre) attacks against Tunisia's Carthage during their semi-final match at the Women's Africa Club volleyball championship in Egypt on March 13, 2018. PHOTO | CAVB |

Evelyne’s recalls her best game to date as Kenya’s victory over hosts Australia in the Volleyball Grand Prix in 2016.

"Playing against Australia was a tough game, but I really enjoyed after we were able to beat them," said Evelyne.

"I want to continue working hard and inspire more young upcoming youths by even helping them to shine in their careers, just like me."

Elphas Makuto, 21:

Born in 1997, Elphas just like his siblings, joined Kulumbeni Primary School before proceeding to Malava Boys High School where he concentrated in building his career.

In 2016 he joined Kenya Prisons Service after he was spotted playing well in various championships in school.

This is his second year in volleyball after recruitment and his dream is to make the national team.

"I love the volleyball game and my dream is to be in the national team. I have just started my career and I’m really happy that my sister showed us the way as a family. We are not going to let her down," says Elphas.

Elphas adds that his sister laid the foundation for them and they are working hard to see the Makuto name remain in the limelight.

"Our elder sister laid the foundation for us and we will not let her down. That is why when we meet as siblings we encourage one another to work hard so that our name can remain on the limelight," says Elphas.

Elphas is well on his way to the national team having been awarded as the Most Valuable Player award during the recent Amaco Volleyball International Tournament in Eldoret.

Violet Makuto, 26:

The 26-years-old volleyball player is dreaming of big things in the sport, saying she’s just started.

"I have been playing volleyball since I was in standard three at Kulumben Primary School and even as I play for Kenya Pipeline Company, I’m aiming to help my club to reach the next level of the sport," she says confidently.

Just like Evelyne, Violet, who is left handed, was motivated by her big sister Asha and at a tender age she wanted to be better than her.

"I saw Asha going to different countries because of sports and I started training knowing that it will even pay for my school fees when I finish my primary education," said Violet.

When she joined Malava Girls High School in 2008, she perfected her skills where they could go for various championships and this is where coach Japheth Munala from Kenya Pipeline Company identified her.

"We went to Kisumu to play and we met with coach Japheth Munala from Kenya Pipeline Company who saw how we were playing.

"He started a holiday programme where we could remain in school and train," said Violet.

After finishing her high school education, she was recruited in the pipeline team together with Leonida Kasaya and Agripina Kundu, who were both her classmates, joining her sister Asha.

So far, she has been able to receive three trophies — best blocker during the club championships in 2015, best attacker and most valuable player in the play-offs.

Her best match was at the Africa Women’s club Championships in 2014 against Tunisia.

"When we played against Tunisia in 2014, I enjoyed the game because it gave me enough experience meeting other international players in the world and learning new tactics in volleyball," said Violet.

Just like her sister Evelyne, Violet loves fish and ugali which she says gives her "a lot of energy."

Luke Makuto 30

Luke Makuto plays for Equity Bank after starting his career in 2007 when he played for the Kenya Police after graduating from high school.

From 2008 to 2009, he played for the flower firm Homegrown Company in Naivasha before shifting to Postal Corporation in 2010 where he was also made the captain of the team.

He later joined national team that year.

GSU’s Luke Makuto (right) goes for a spike against Giakanja in preliminary match during the Kenya Volleyball Federation Challenge Cup at Kamukunji Stadium in Nyeri ton March 4, 2017. GSU won 3-0. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI |

He later played for GSU before shifting gears to Equity Bank under Jeremiah Mukopi who was his coach since primary school and who identified his talent as a volleyball player.

Born in 1988, the player also went to Kulumben Primary School, like his siblings, before joining Samitsi High School in Malava where he sharpened his ball skills

Luke, who is the right attacker and at the same time central blocker, believes the sport will take him places apart from bringing them together as a family.

"This tournament here has brought the whole family together and that shows you how sports can be a unifying factor," says Luke.

Douglas Makuto, 22:

Douglas started playing while in standard three after seeing his seniors in the sport.

Born in 1996, Douglas joined Kulumben Primary School and represented the school up to the provincial level before proceeding to Malava Boys High School.

He represented Malava at the Eastern Central Games in 2013 in Uganda and 2014 in Tanzania.

After his form four, he played for Kenyatta National Hospital in 2015 before joining Kenya Seed Company in 2016.

Things didn’t work out well and last year he decided to go back to school where he is now studying an Electrical Engineering course at National Industrial Training Authority in Nairobi.

"I decided to go back to school after our contract came to an end in Kenya Seed Company. "A few teams have already approached me and soon I’ll be playing again," says Douglas.

The other Makuto siblings are Philip, a from three student, and Bernard, who is in form one.

Both are students at Kulumben High School and play volleyball for the school team.

The other sister Emily playing volleyball in school but didn’t quite take up the sport actively.