Eldowas players during a past match/HANDOUT

Head coach Mathias Kosgei is keen to build a strong, balanced squad as Eldowas make their Kenya Volleyball National debut in September.

The Eldoret-based institution ended the season with 39 points, one behind Division Two winners Chema Volleyball Club.
Beast, Kenya Air Force and Simlaw Seeds followed with 37 points for each.
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Kosgei said: “I am thankful to the boys for their exemplary performance across the season. They gave their all, and it has paid off. I am happy for this promotion. It is quite an encouragement.”
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Kosgei, who missed the final leg of league matches due to his involvement with Cheptil High School at the Kenya Secondary School Games, said his double role has allowed him to blend tactical growth with player development.

He added: “My encounter with school games has helped boost my performance in the league. I started off coaching at Cheptil and I still instruct them to date, which shows there has been progress.”

He recalled the team’s bright start to the season, opening with a 3-1 win over Kenya Airforce and later pushing title favourites Chema to the limit.

 “Chema gave us a run for our money, but I believe we could have finished top hadn’t we stumbled in the second leg."

Despite the historic promotion, Kosgei said preparations were hampered by limited training.

 “The biggest challenge has been having difficulties in training, which normally happens five times a week,” he said.

“All my players are unemployed (have no contracts). This means we must sit with the management to see if things will pick up.”

Kosgei, however, lauded the club’s leadership for their support, which helped in better planning and logistics compared to previous years.

“The management was a bit more cooperative; they budgeted for the entire season which helped a lot,” he said.

 “But training was a bit problematic. Other clubs had depth and support that we didn’t.”

He also pointed to a lean technical bench and limited substitutions as a disadvantage throughout the season.

 “My team lacked strength off the bench, and that made tactical decisions difficult,” he said.