Mokua hopes to rub 2011 charm on young Prisons lads in Tunisia

When the African Clubs Championships go down in Kelibia, Tunisia from May 5 to 19, one Dennis Mokua will be looking to open a new chapter in his coaching career. Having excelled at this level as a player, guiding Kenya Prisons to the final of the 2011 edition held in Egypt, Mokua will be returning to the continental competition for the second time as a coach.

The former national team star will be the assistant to head coach David “Demosh” Lung’aho in Tunisia as Prisons make a return to the competition after finishing second in the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) National League last season to qualify. Prisons will be Kenya’s representatives alongside Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Equity Bank in this year’s edition.  

After retiring in 2016, Mokua was immediately thrusted into the world of coaching, first acting as assistant to Paul Muthinja before Lung’aho crossed over to take charge of the men’s team. This has seen him coach his former teammates Ibrahim Oduor, Hudson Wanyama, Ezekiel Yebei and Peter Kibata who were part of Prisons’ golden generation that delivered six national league titles. (2009-10, 2012-13-14, 2016). 

“I think I retired at the right time because I was 36 at that time and we had young players who were between 20-22 years joining the team. Time had come for me to step aside and give the young generation a chance,” says Mokua who could play as an opposite attacker and outside hitter. 

“I have been lucky to find Lung’aho here as head coach since he was my instructor when I did my first coaching course. I learn a lot from him daily in training and I can say it is a big privilege working under him,” he added. 

Mokua stands out as one of the few players who have played at the top level for two decades. His career took him to Kericho Telkom, Chemelil Sugar, Ulinzi, Kenya Prisons before he played professional volleyball in Japan at Oita Miyoshi. He attributes his longevity to discipline and passion for the game, two ingredients he insists the current crop of players need to embrace. 

“During our time, players had passion for volleyball. We took time to train hard and build our profile unlike the current generation who want quick fixes. You have to build your career step-by-step before you dream of going to Europe or playing professional volleyball. 

“As a player you have to know what you want and focus on what you need to do to achieve it. You have to sacrifice, train hard and stay away from distractions such as drugs. These are some of the reasons why I played for long,” says the 41-year-old. 

Best receiver in Africa

As they prepare for the Africa Club Championships that serves on Saturday in Kelibia, Mokua has fresh memories of their impressive run that saw them claim silver in 2011 after losing 3-0 to Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the final.

The warders finished top of Pool ‘B’ to set up a quarter-final clash with Algerian side ES Setif. A 3-0 win over the Algerians saw Prisons proceed to the semis where they edged out National University of Rwanda 3-2. However, Al Ahly stopped them 3-0 in the final to end their dream of winning the African title. 

“We sacrificed a lot to prepare well for the competition under Coach Lung’aho and (Gideon) Chenje. I remember we used to wake up so early so that we could beat traffic and be at Africa Nazarene University by 4am for training,” recalled Mokua, who was named best receiver in that tournament. 

“Everyone had the right attitude and when we started the competition we vowed that any team from Sub-Sahara Africa would not beat us. We were in a very tough pool but we finished first to book a team from Algeria in the quarters. After winning the quarter-final, that is when we realised we could actually go all the way to the final,” he reminisces. 

Slow transition

Since he retired in 2016, Prisons have struggled locally with General Service Unit (GSU) dominating the league having won four consecutive titles. Mokua believes transition has slowed down Prisons but backed the current group to come good with time. 

“In our team we were almost the same age group and perhaps that played a big role in our good run. Transition has affected us because the team lost many key players at once. It has taken us some time but I believe we are now on the right track,” noted Mokua. 

In his first outing at the Club Championships as a coach in 2017, Prisons finished sixth in the competition won by Al Ahly in Tunis. Having tasted the tournament as player and coach, Mokua -who was also part of the team that finished fourth in the 2013 edition held in Libya - is modest in his expectations as Prisons’ rebuilding phase braces for a litmus test in Kelibia. 

“We now have a good blend of youth and experience. Everything is possible provided every player gives his best on court. If you play well as individuals then no doubt the team will perform well. The most important thing is to focus as a team,” advised Mokua. “I think the second round is a realistic target for us then we build from there.” 

His ultimate dream, however, remains taking Prisons a step higher as a coach -- to the top of Africa. 

“My dream is to see this team reach the level that we were in 2011. If we get there, no team will match us.”