The Rwanda Volleyball Federation (FRVB) has announced its search for a new head coach for the men and women’s national teams.
The announcement comes amidst the struggle by FRVB to appoint a permanent coach since Paul Bitok left in 2019.
After an illustrious ten-year stint as Rwanda’s national volleyball team Coach, Paul Bitok bid farewell to his position as his contract came to a close in 2019.
During his tenure, Bitok achieved remarkable feats, most notably leading both the men’s and women’s teams to secure a spot in the World Volleyball Championships.
While expected to extend his contract by one more year, he opted out citing personal reasons, without providing further details.
Bitok’s departure marked the end of an era, and his contributions to Rwandan Volleyball rendered him irreplaceable.
The FRVB had hoped to extend Brazilian coach Paulo De Tarso’s contract, but a lack of resources prevented the federation from doing so.
The deal with De Tarso fell through due to the FRVB being penalized by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) for fielding ineligible players during the 2021 African Women’s Volleyball Championship.
Rwanda was eliminated from the competition and ordered to pay a fine of over Rwf 120 million.
The federation has been relying on assistant coaches, like Dominique Ntawangundi, since Tarso’s departure.
The FRVB is now seeking a new head coach to take charge of the national teams.
The successful candidate will be tasked with leading both the men’s and women’s teams to success in international competitions.
The FRVB has stated that it is looking for a coach with experience and a proven track record in coaching at the highest level.
In a document signed by FRVB President Raphael Ngarambe, the new coach will have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree, at least FIVB level II coaching course, 10 years of experience as a coach of clubs in recognized volleyball leagues, experience as a coach of national teams, and a proven knowledge of athlete long-term development.
The position is for a duration of three years with the possibility of extension, and the coach will be responsible for preparing the teams physically, technically, and mentally, as well as transferring knowledge through technical seminars for national coaches.
The Federation believes that this is a crucial step towards positioning Rwanda as a dominant force in African volleyball.
The national teams are set to compete in a number of international competitions in the coming months which include the Zone Five games, and the FRVB is keen to have a new coach in place as soon as possible.
