KCCA eye double glory at National Volleyball Club Championship

Kampala Capital City Authority Volleyball Club will be out to defend both the men's and women's National Club Championship titles when the competition starts on Friday at the Uganda Christian University Sports Complex in Mukono.

KCCA won both titles last year. The women beat Sport-S Volleyball Club 3-0 in Gulu, while the men saw off Nemostars Volleyball Club 3-0 in a replay at Old Kampala Arena after the first final was abandoned because of poor lighting.

KCCA coach Edward Bwengye says the women's team is ready to defend its title.

Bwengye took over from Shilla Omuriwe and led the team to the 2025 National Club Championship title before guiding them to the 2026 National Volleyball League title, where they beat Vision Volleyball Camp 3-0 in the finals.

He said the team has worked on areas that needed improvement after the Kampala Amateur Volleyball Club International Tournament.

"The team has been able to work on a few things that did not go well during the Kampala Amateur Volleyball Club Memorial Tournament, especially making the right decisions by the setters and improving service reception," Bwengye said.

He added that the team has also focused on building chemistry after bringing in new players Otin Hadijah and Diana Usher.

"I see the team is in the right composition and able to compete well. The biggest challenge is when the team fails to perform as expected and planned during training sessions," he said.

"The team has worked on getting stronger blocks, service and teamwork."

KCCA women are also the reigning National Volleyball League champions and were silver medallists at the 2026 NSSF KAVC International Volleyball Tournament, where they lost to Kenya Prisons in the final.

Bwengye said the National Club Championship matters because it gives clubs a route to the African Club Championship.

"The National Club Championship is mainly a qualification ticket for the African Club Championship. It gives teams good competition and a chance to test themselves at continental level once they are champions," he said.

On the men's side, KCCA player Owen Amoding said the team has stepped up preparations as it tries to retain the title.

"We have doubled everything that we have done before. The strength, conditioning and ball play have all been doubled," Amoding said.

"We are always strong and we are stronger every day. That comes with teamwork, no matter which players are in the team."

Amoding said the National Club Championship gives players an important platform to compete for opportunities beyond Uganda.

"It is a great opportunity for every player in the country, both those who have been there and the new talents. It is a ticket to regional and continental competitions," he said.

"You have to prove yourself at home before you prove yourself to the outsiders."

The championship is compulsory for all Serie A and Serie B clubs and will also give lower-division teams a chance to face experienced opposition.

It will also help coaches assess their squads, give emerging players more playing time and prepare teams for the 2026/27 National Volleyball League season.

Host Uganda Christian University Doves, Sport-S Volleyball Club, Nemostars Volleyball Club and Kampala Amateur Volleyball Club are among the men's teams expected to challenge for the title in Mukono.