When Moses Omondi of Kenya Volleyball Federation men's league side, Trail Blazers, was released by his former employer Equity Bank, he must have felt as if his world was crushing.
Having been named the league's best attacker in 2017, it must have been a hammer blow to learn that he was considered not good enough to be part of the bankers' push for the men's title.
However, the Homa Bay High School alumnus received a new lease of life after he was signed up by his current employers.
The club's founder, Richard Sylvain, saw in this rejected stone someone who could be pivotal to his vision of taking Kenyan volleyball to the next level.
And now, this rejected stone has become one of the chief cornerstones — along with many others whose careers seemed to reach a dead-end — at one of the fastest-rising clubs in Kenya, noted for its professionalism.
The opposite player, who also had unsuccessful trials in Japan in 2018, says the devil is in the details when it comes to their training and preparations for matches.
Omondi says there is a big difference in the way things are run at Trail Blazers and other Kenyan clubs where he has plied his trade.
"The difference is the management and relationship. Players are in a better environment than what we were used to. The equipment we use are good and injury management is top notch," the Kenya University graduate says.
He adds that he is currently at the best fitness level he has ever been in his career. "We eat well, not much, so the body recovers fast. We want to finish in the best three positions for this season. In two years time, we have to win the African Club Championship and further our talent outside Kenya. All in all, our training will reflect our performance," Omondi says.
Back in action
Another person in the team enjoying a resurrection of sorts is head coach Geoffrey Omondi.
The experienced former Cooperative Bank men's coach returns to the touchline after being in the cold for three years after ditching the bankers in 2017 before it was disbanded early 2018.
And what a rebirth it has been for Geoffrey who is already dreaming of a first league title in his coaching career.
"I have never worked with a team like the Trail Blazers. My job has been simplified because I only focus on techniques and tactics. I think deep, do a lot of research to bring out the best of me and it's kind of specialization," the former Kenya Commercial Bank player says.
He is not under any illusions that it will be a walk in the park considering their destination to the top is still a thousand miles away. Nonetheless, he is optimistic his broad shoulders can comfortably accommodate the weight of expectations.
"I feel no pressure at all. I am doing what I am supposed to do. We have started well in the league but more tougher tests await. We are going nothing short of the title even though it won't be smooth sailing. It will be icing on the cake to lay my hands on the crown after past heartbreaks," he says.
Stats don't lie
For Sylvain, numbers make sense more than anything else when it comes to sports management. He is a believer in sports science and technology and has embraced the same in all the activities of the team.
It is this principle that enabled him to see the gem in the players who were cast out by their respective clubs when he was forming Trail Blazers in November last year.
The 25-member squad comprises players that were released by Equity and some from the Kenya Forest Service team.
"We adopted players who were let go by Equity. The way and the manner it was done was unjust. They are good players so we decided to build the team around them. We want to show people with statistics that this team will go places," Sylvain, who doubles up as the assistant coach, explains.
Blazers have a physiotherapist, team doctor, mobility coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, statistician, media and social media team as well as a team manager.
This is contrary to other teams where the coach performs all these functions.
"We are the only team with a full structure as required by FIVB. We track the players' performance and we do scientific training. We use the catapult system for training. We also analyse their movement patterns and performance after matches," he illustrates.
The Caribbean-born continues: "With the catapult system, we do video analysis and show the players through images how it should be done. My key objective is to professionalize the sport here in Kenya starting with Blazers. One way to do that is to have a different but better salary package for each player but for now, I use my personal investment to sustain the team."
Blazers' train at Absa Sports Centre, Ruaraka, where players have a strict training regime that must be followed as discipline and punctuality are non-negotiable.
On weekdays, sessions run from 1:30 pm to 5 pm while on Saturday the five-hour regime occurs between 11 am to 4 pm.
Training involves plyometric workouts, isometric exercise, speed development, and speed agility.
Strength and conditioning with injury prevention in mind are adhered to while the technical workout and fitness have been well received by the players.
"The coaching philosophy is the difference. I am personally from the Caribbean and I played professionally before. The idea is to create a team that follows the professional regiment. Analyse their work with them and develop better ways to enhance their movement. We also ensure they have fewer injuries," Sylvain explains.
He also spent 10 days with the national women's volleyball team, Malkia Strikers, to work on speed, agility, and explosion before heading to Rwanda for the African Nations Championship, in September 2021.
Food for thought
Even though the club cannot regulate players' diet for now, they are always provided with crucial nutritional tips to ensure they remain at peak fitness.
"We have sessions on nutrition and I have reiterated the need to avoid starch because it is endemic in our diet. The club provides food supplements so they have to use more greens and vegetables. Players need to go with lean and white meat. Protein can be found in beans. Before matches, our players eat less," Sylvain explains.
North African nations have dominated African competitions and Sylvain believes it is because they have warmed up to the idea of strength and conditioning, a model largely utilised in Europe.
Strength and conditioning is 70 per cent of the game while the basics — technical and tactical acumen contribute to the rest.
Players' mental health is also a top priority. They undergo weekly group counselling sessions with two counselors presiding over the exercise.
"We are getting our players to play volleyball like they are running marathon with Kipchoge. It doesn't make sense. The players are slow and when you make them run, the muscle elongates," he laments.
With this new approach to team management, Geoffrey admits he could soon face a selection dilemma as more of his players continue to grow from one level to another.
However, he has been able to use his man-management skills to ensure harmony within the squad, the competitiveness notwithstanding.
"There's no hiding from the fact that we have a proper squad but with rotation, playing time is guaranteed to all the players. Individual players might have their shortcomings but are minimal and we will eradicate them. We have to put emphasis on the fundamental basics and advanced tactics available in volleyball by observing what other good teams are doing," he explains.
Geoffrey adds: "By doing so, the hunger in the players becomes evident and the will to succeed should even be unmatched. I also feel my athletes have to work on anxiety. They took too long to relax and settle in the energy-sapping battle against Equity but I was happy for the win."
Dreaming big
Sylvain believes his efforts will not go to waste, challenging the troops to fight for the African Club Championship slot by finishing among the top three in the national league men's cadre for the first time.
He opines that they intend to cut short North Africa's dominance.
"We want to win the league. We have tested ourselves among the three best teams in the league and now we know what we need to do to be dominant. We aim to close the gap with the North African clubs. We are coming guns blazing as we set sight on winning the African Club championship," he says.
Sylvain adds: "The plan is to strengthen what we already have. We need to purchase more equipment. We need to find away to sustain the salary of the players. It will be nice to have people that are willing to sponsor us in order to be part of this massive project. To the fans, keep faith in us. We are here to show the difference. The players have the skill and capacity to challenge for honours"
For Omondi, this is no longer about playing on the volleyball court but using it as a launchpad to impact the society.
Indeed, he has a message to those who don't believe in second chances — or even third, fourth or countless chances.
"I have believed that sports can change lives and I will work smart to ensure I rise above the challenges. No human is limited," he says.