Are Uganda Volleyball League series too short?

Sport-S defeated UCU Doves 2-1 in the finals to celebrate their first National Volleyball League title since 2009.

The job was much easier for KCCA Ladies, who made light work of Sport-S 2-0 in the women's finals.

Win four games in the Uganda Volleyball Federation Playoffs and take your trophy home —two in the semi-finals and another two in the finals. 

Of course, victory has to be celebrated, but questions remain as to whether a three-game series to decide a champion is a sufficient sort of test at the highest level. 

Series in sports are supposed to be the ultimate test of the mental and physical strength of teams and their abilities to make adjustments against the same opponent in just a matter of days.  

Uganda's top-flight volleyball campaign has teams playing 18 regular season games and the top four qualifying for the playoffs starting at the semi-final stage. 

In the men's division, Sport-S got past OBB 2-1, while UCU had KAVC for company and excelled with a similar series victory. 

Whether the three-game series are too short or sufficient depends on who you talk to and the dynamics that come with prolonging the action in an amateur kind of setting that sport is in the Pearl of Africa. 

"I think it is a disservice," UVF Technical Director Tony Lakony told Score at the end of finals. 

"It is mainly because the game is a kind of leisure. Clubs are not really funded, and neither does the federation have a sponsor yet," he added. 

Apart from institutional clubs like KCCA and universities, Ndejje and UCU, clubs struggle to get through the season, and some cannot wait for the season to end. 

For a team that does not get into the playoffs and cannot afford to take part in any of the open tournaments that happen across the year, players play 18 games in 12 months. 

"Hopefully, we can do best of five next season; it is a proposal I already tabled to the executive and will go to Congress," Lakony revealed. 

Sponsorship issues 

There is agreement in unison that the three-game series is too short, and there is a need to stretch the games.

But at what cost? And what is in it for clubs to spend money, showcase their talents and end the season with nothing but empty pockets? 

"If there was something the teams are getting, then playing five games would not be a problem," Sport-S head coach Benon Mugisha reasoned. 

The biggest attraction for most sponsors in Uganda over the years has been the league and senior national teams.

UVF went through the season with no sponsorship, and the title winners were awarded medals and trophies. If a cash reward was attached to these, it must be the best-kept secret in the fraternity.

KCCA head coach Shilla Omuriwe believes the series should be stretched to five games and players allowed enough recovery time.

"Athletes should have enough recovery time. That is the only way the playoffs can be enjoyable," she opined.

Borrow a leaf

The problems affecting volleyball are pretty much the same as those in basketball. 

Institutional clubs are more stable compared to the community teams, attracting sponsorships remains a formidable challenge to deal with, and availability of an indoor arena remains a dream. 

But to win the National Basketball League, you must fight and get into the top eight first.

In the playoffs, the journey is much longer, and the games are more.

A team must win two in the quarters, three in the semis and four in the finals. That is a total of nine games before winning the championship.

Volleyball might want to borrow a leaf.  

National Volleyball League 

Champions 

Serie A 

W -KCCA 

M -Sport-S

Serie B 

W -UCU Lady Doves 

M -Elyon 

Serie C

M -Mbarara Youths Volleyball Club