Volleyball: TrailBlazers chase more history as play-offs start

Kenya Volleyball Federation National League newcomers TrailBlazers will be seeking to make more history when the men's play-offs serve off Friday at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium.

Having made history as the first team to make the men's national league playoffs on their first season in the competition, TrailBlazers have now set their sights on earning a ticket to next year’s African Clubs Championship.

The top two teams at the end of the play-offs will earn automatic tickets to the continental clubs bonanza.

Reigning champions General Service Unit (GSU), Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), 2016 champions Kenya Prisons will join TrailBlazers in the three-day event after emerging in the top four positions at the completion of regular season last month.

TrailBlazers founder Richard Joseph said their focus was on representing the country at the Clubs Championships.

“Our opponents had written us off when the league begun last November. Many thought we were merely a show off after we introduced scientific ways of training our players but I’m glad we had the final laugh," said Joseph, a Haiti national.

"We have been labelled as underdogs ahead of the play-offs and we take the tag with grace but we know what we want and we are going for the title.”

TrailBlazers will start their campaign against KPA from 1pm on Friday.

“We are not under pressure. KPA won against us 3-2 in our last encounter but we have rectified the mistakes and we will be going for the kill. The players are in good spirits and we can’t wait to get started."

"A lot of work was put in to ensure we qualify for the play-offs, ranging from our nutritionists, trainers, technical bench - both here and back in the Philippines and Haiti - and the playing unit. I’m happy the teamwork paid off and we have the same zeal and gusto going into the play-offs,” added Joseph.

There will be no love lost when GSU lock horns with their perennial rivals Kenya Prions at 10am in one of the two fixtures lined up for Friday.

GSU start as favourites to win the title and the opener going by their recent success against the Warders.

The paramilitary side thumped Prisons 3-0 last month and the team’s coach Gideon Tarus said the script remains the same.

Prisons assistant coach Ibrahim Odour warned their opponents to underrate them at their won peril.

Fixtures

Friday

GSU v Kenya Prison 10am

KPA v TrailBlazers 1pm