Prison’s Lydia Maiyo (right) in action against KCB during a past league play-off match at Makande Hall in Mombasa.
Height is a major advantage in volleyball. Players with the extra inches can dominate at the net both in attack and defence with strong spikes and water tight blocks. They can indeed be intimidating to opponents.
As the Kenya Volleyball Federation men and women’s National League semi-final play-offs begin at Makanda Hall in Mombasa today, Nation Sport, after digging up the league’s bio date, shines the spotlight on the tallest players expected to feature.
Former Kenyan international Michael Chemos of defending men’s champions Kenya Prisons is the tallest male player standing at 200cm (6 feet 6 inches).
The tallest female player also comes from Prisons in the frame of Malkia Strikers international Lydia Maiyo, at 185cm (6 feet 1 inch) in her socks.
Their superior heights were determined from team bio data and also talking to coaches and officials.
Chemos, a natural left attacker but currently playing as an opposite hitter, will be instrumental as Prisons take on hosts Kenya Ports Authority in one of the men’s semi-finals, while former champions General Service Unit will play Equity Bank in the second play-off.
National men volleyball players Michael Chemos during their FIVB World championship qualifier against Egypt at Kasarani on February 7, 2014.
Maiyo should feature prominently for former champions Prisons when they battle with vibrant Directorate of Criminal Investigation for a place in the women’s finals.
Defending champions KCB clash with African bronze medallist Kenya Pipeline in the other women’s semi-final.
Chemos, who is expected to fill the gap left by Elphas Makuto who is away in Rwanda with Police Rwanda, said, height was an added advantage but it needed to be accompanied with the right skillset, individual drive and discipline.
The lanky Chemos, who used to run competitively in 800m before he was introduced to volleyball at Weaver Bird Secondary School in Kitale, said they were eager to book a slot in the final set for June 5-8 at the Moi International Sport Centre, Nairobi.
“I was into athletics in my earlier years. But one day while watching a volleyball match Kitale Railways people kept telling me that I had the height to thrive in volleyball. When I joined Weaver Bird high school, the games teacher, on seeing my height – I was quite tall in Form One, immediately shepherded me to the sport and that’s how I moved from athletics to playing volleyball,” said Chemos.
The 34-year-old retired international has plied his trade in Japan, Finland, Qatar, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.
“Hospital Hill Secondary School later recruited me, after I impressed at the 2007 national school games. After I cleared secondary school, I played for various clubs before Kenya Prisons employed me in 2010, and I have been with them to date.” Maiyo played for Kenya from 2011 to 2021. Kenya’s tallest volleyball player is dwarfed by world’s biggest men in the game.
The tallest active player is Iranian giant Morteza Mehrzad who stands at a remarkable 246cm (8 feet 1 inch).
He is followed by Russia’s middle blocker who is 218cm (7 feet 2 inches).
Over to the girls. Maiyo, who played for Kenya from 2007-2015, said she started out playing netball before being lured to volleyball because of her height.
As a fresh Form One student at Itigo Secondary School she was keen on making the netball team but during one of the games day the institution’s volleyball coach snapped her up owing to her height and she never looked back.
“I was taught the basics and within no time I had mastered the game. Lugulu Girls High School poached me with a partial scholarship offer owing to my volleyball talent. After finished secondary school studies I moved to Kenya Pipeline but for a short stint before I crossed over to Kenya Prisons to date,” said Maiyo, sibling to former Kenya international Phillip Maiyo.
“You might have height but if you don’t have basics, and discipline then height counts for nothing. Nowadays players from secondary school don’t have basics, what they know is just to spike hard.”
The 36-year-old sounded a warning: “We have what it takes to reclaim the league title we last won in 2021.”
The tallest female volleyball players in the world is are Russia’s opposite players Valeriya Kozlova and Mariya Dayneko who are both 210cm (6 feet 9 inches).
Will these aging court warriors make a difference for Prisons this weekend?
Semi-final play-offs
Today:
Kenya Prisons v DCI (9am, W)
Kenya Pipeline v KCB (11am, W)
GSU v Equity (1pm, M)
Kenya Prisons v KPA (3pm, M)
Tomorrow:
DCI v Kenya Prisons (9am, W)
KCB v Kenya Pipeline (11am, (W)
Equity v GSU (1pm, M)
KPA v Kenya Prisons (3pm, M)
*All matches at Makanda Hall, Mombasa
