KAVC look to lead Ugandan clubs renaissance at their own tourney

KAMPALA.

Forty eight years and counting. Kampala Amateur Volleyball Club (KAVC) plans to make their 50th birthday two years later with a bang; as a self-sustaining club with its own home on land acquired in Kyetume, Mukono District.
That, however, must come with renewed on-court dominance both on local and regional scenes.
Uganda’s oldest club will host about 30 clubs from the region at the 22nd edition of the NSSF KAVC International due August 3-5.
The tournament organising committee (LOC) chairman Peter Buyungo, says KAVC aim to expose local players to the best competition in the region. KAVC men and women have won this trophy six and eight times respectively but territory has shifted to Rwanda as a Ugandan club last won this annual event in 2014 when Sky beat Rwanda’s Inatek. KAVC last won in 2011 beating fellow Ugandan side Sport S 3-0.
“Our history is good and we have to maintain it. We did well winning the National Club Championships last year and improving from 19th to 14th at the Africa Club Championships in Egypt in April,” Buyungo said.
“We have put in time and we need to bring that to bear in this championship,” he added ahead of the tourney held in memory of KAVC founders Dr. Wilson Ojikan-Odeke, Neko Mudusa-Ojala, Ahmed Jetha and Erika Selzam.
The championships will be played for three days rather than the usual two as KAVC, whose partnership with NSSF has lasted 10 years, look to give players more resting time.
“All we ever wanted from KAVC was accountability and the spirit of sportsmanship. Those have been constants and hopefully our partnership can go on,” NSSF’s public relations manager Victor Karamagi, said promising to unveil an improved cash prize on July 24.
Uganda Volleyball Federation (UVF) president Hadijah Namanda, a former KAVC player, saw the journey start in 1996.
“It has been baby steps. It’s not easy to make a championship that improves every year but nothing puts KAVC down,” Namanda said.