)
For the first time ever, the Lady Volleyball Cranes will spend months preparing for a major event, and Lakony believes that will give him and his coaching staff enough time to assemble the best team for the country.
Uganda Lady Volleyball Cranes head coach Tony Lakony is excited by Uganda Volleyball Federation’s decision to have ample time for training as the team prepares for the 2023 Zone V All Africa Games Qualifiers.
For the first time ever, the Lady Volleyball Cranes will spend months preparing for a major event, and Lakony believes that will give him and his coaching staff enough time to assemble the best team for the country.
“It is good that we have this ,” Lakony told Pulse Sports after he was confirmed as the man to handle the team on Monday.
“This is the first time we have ever called the national team months to the event and it is part of the things that we have learnt,” he added.
Lakony is the head coach of 2019 National Volleyball League champions KCB-Nkumba and also doubles as the UVF technical director.
He will be assisted by Bart Muting and Mariam Nakamanya.
Planning ahead
While the Zone V Qualifiers expected to be held between June and August are the tournament in sight right now, Lakony and his team have eyes on next year’s Olympic Qualifiers.
“Our end goal in this is the Olympic Qualifiers next year. Through this process we shall be able to find the right balance in the team.
“We have until May to know exactly what we need from these players and who can give us what.”
The Volleyball Cranes were last in action in 2019 and from the squad that played back then, there are only four players who made the cut to the current squad.
Joan Tushemereirwe, Habiba Namala, Eunice Amuron and Doreen Akiteng are the four. Margaret Namyalo, who missed out in 2019, is one of the veterans included.
We need height
Over the years, Ugandan teams struggle to get past their opponents because of their physical attributes. Technically gifted players are often limited at the top level simply because of height.
And that is one problem Lakony and his team are trying to solve by introducing younger who have the right size and polishing them for high level volleyball.
“It is very important that we get the tall, strong, athletic players who can be able to learn, develop and contribute positively.”
The 21 players summoned are not necessarily the ones who will represent Uganda when the time comes. There will be more added to the training group and others dropped after assessment by the coaches.
The team’s training sessions will start next week and the side will hold a single session every Tuesday for the next six weeks.
Friendly games are also being lined up to put the team in the best shape possible before competition.
Players like Monica Aloyo, Scovia Alungat and Scholar Akello pass the height teat but still have work to do technically, Lakony will hope to have them ready on all fronts.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)