Mtwara Region’s girls’ volleyball team head coach, Enock Akyoo, has pointed to poor preparation as the main reason behind the team’s disappointing performance in this year’s UMISETA games.
Once seen as favorites and defending champions in the girls’ category, Mtwara failed to secure a spot in the finals. The team is now set to face Arusha in a third-place playoff match scheduled for tomorrow in Iringa.
Speaking to The Respondent Online, Coach Akyoo did not mince words, acknowledging that the team’s journey this year has been marred by challenges, especially inadequate training and logistical issues from early stages.
“As defending champions, we’ve had a rough season. The problem began with poor preparations, starting from UMITASHUMTA to UMISETA. This greatly affected our performance,” said Akyoo. “However, we are determined to go back, restructure, and prepare thoroughly for the next games.”
Despite the setback, Akyoo remains optimistic about the future of volleyball in the region and believes better planning will help Mtwara reclaim its former glory.
In the boys’ category, Tabora will go head-to-head with Geita for third place.
Meanwhile, in the finals, Mbeya will face Simiyu in the girls’ division, while Pwani will clash with Mwanza in the boys’ championship match. Both finals are set to be played tomorrow at 2:00 PM in Iringa.
The UMISETA games continue to be a vital national platform for nurturing sports talents among secondary school students across Tanzania.
