Volleyball star Jane Wacu's rise to African glory

As the dust to this year’s African volleyball club championship settles, The Kenya Prisons ladies volleyball team has once again sealed their superiority on the continent by emerging as the best of Africa in club volleyball winning a direct ticket to represent Kenya and Africa at the FIVB world championship in Doha Qatar later in the year. Prisons won all their matches in the championship dropping one set against former champions Al Ahly of Egypt in their 3-1 four sets semi finals thriller at the Nazarene University.

In the finals, Kenya Prisons for the second year in a row overcame fellow Kenyan club Kenya Pipeline 3-0 to emerge champions and retain their crown won in Mauritius last year.

This week, Michezoafrika pays tribute to the Golden girls the Kenya Prison’s by bringing you closer to the queens starting with Captain Setter Jane Wacu who was instrumental in guiding her team to glory.

After the win, Wacu attributed their success to hard work and determination. “We have worked hard for the championship and am happy we managed to retain our title. It is a wonderful feeling and I thank all my players for their consistency and determination to lift the trophy.” She said.

BIO DATA

FULL NAME: JANE WACU

NATIONALITY: KENYAN

DATE OF BIRTH: 24TH MARCH 1985

CAREER: PRISONS OFFICER

RELIGION: CHRISTIAN

SPORT: VOLLEYBALL


AMBITION:
Wacu’s greatest ambition is to help provide a prestigious lifestyle to her mother who has struggled tirelessly to bring them up.

BACKGROUND INFO
Jane Wacu a celebrated member of the Kenya national volleyball team was born in Blue valley in Nyeri and together with her family moved to Majengo a popular town in Nyeri.

She joined District Education Board (D.E.B) Muslim primary school Nyeri, Kenya where she spent her entire primary school period of 8 yrs and later enrolled to Muringatu primary school to resit her K.C.P.E exams.

All her high school years were spent in Tetu high school based in Nyeri. It is in her 2nd year in high school that she identified her talent in sports and started playing soccer before joining the school’s volleyball team back in 2002 but it was not until in form 3 that she took her talent seriously.

FAMILY
She is brought up by her single mother and is the last born in a family of 5 siblings. ( 2 brothers and 2 sisters.)

MARITAL STATUS
 Is currently not married but in a relationship.

CAREER HISTORY
Immediately after high school in 2005, she joined the Kenya volleyball junior team for a short period of time before engaging herself with a professional stint at the Kenya pipeline club in November 2005, a choice she took after KCB and Telcom clubs expressed their interest in signing her in.

It was in Kenya pipeline where she made her debut match in a foreign country after the team traveled to Mauritius in early 2006.

Immediately after her return she joined the Kenya national volleyball team in April 2006 and traveled to Japan for a championships tournament. She moved to the Kenya prisons volleyball club which also offered her another chance to travel back to
Japan later, in the year.

She was then called up to the national team in 2007 and participated in the all African games qualifiers in Ethiopia as well as the volleyball world cup held in Japan the same year. In 2008, she participated in the clubs championship held in Egypt representing the Kenya prisons volleyball club and also traveled to Algeria for the Olympics qualifiers in the same year.

Part of the 2008 and 2009 season, Wacu featured in the Asian cup held in Dubai on professional duty which involve great teams in the Asian continent and emerged the best setter in the tournament.

Year 2010 saw her participate in the African club championship held in Mauritius where she also emerged the best setter in Africa.

Toward the end of the year 2010 she traveled to Doha with the prisons club for the club world cup.2011 season started with the essential preparation of the zone 5 all African games which gives Jane a chance to train with the national team and also received the arm band to lead her Prisons team in capacity of captain.

LIFESTYLE
Currently resides in Ruiru Prison College an accommodation offered by the Kenya prison management as a reward for her excellent performance in the club. At her tender age, dreams to own a 4x 4 either a Lexus or a Prado in future.

ACHIEVEMENT
Emerging as the best setter in the Asian cup in 2009 as well as in Mauritius in 2010 has been the greatest achievement in Jane’s volleyball career.