VOLLEYBALL may not be the richest sport but it remains one of the most popular and best performing sporting disciplines in Rwanda.
Over the years, the sport has not only produced volleyball stars but also some of the country’s most respected legends for the country – including high profile political figures.
In this issue, Saturday Sport profiles veteran Pierre Marshal Kwizera, one of the most famous names in local volleyball in the last decade or so years.
The 30-year old recently embarked on a coaching career, and is currently head coach of Rwanda Energy Group (REG), this year’s national volleyball league’s first runners-up.
Who is Kwizera?
Born on August 21, 1987 to Jacque Ruganzu and Cartas Nyirarukundo in South Kivu, DR Congo, Kwizera is the first born in the eight child five boys and three girls.
Kwizera attended Ecole Primaire Kibungo in Ngoma District before going to Ecole Secondaire Mutenderi for his senior one, after which he switched to Group Scolaire Gahini from where he finished his O’level studies and one year (senior 4) of his A’level studies, majoring in languages.
After senior four, Kwizera moved to Saint Joseph Kabgayi in Muhanga for senior five before returning to GS Gahini for his final second school year.
He enrolled to Kigali Independent University but dropped out after one year to try University of Rwanda - College of Education (UR- CoE), but also suspended his studies – in 2016 – to focus on his volleyball career.
The veteran blocker says he grew up looking up to former national team left-attacker Jean Luc Ndayikengurukiye and national team coach Paul Bitok for inspiration.
Despite the passion for volleyball, Kwizera is also an avid football fan. He supports Kiyovu SC in Azam Rwanda Premier League and Arsenal in English Premier League.
Early days
At his young age, volleyball was never among his favourite sports. In fact, he grew up aspiring to become a handball or basketball player. But all that changed, largely because of peer pressure since most of his friends played volleyball.
"I was more into handball and basketball until Grade 5, that’s when I started – hesitantly - trying out volleyball. Almost all my close friends played volleyball, so they influenced me and made my switching to the game easy. Ever since, I never looked back,” Kwizera says.
He featured for all his former schools’ volleyball teams in inter-schools championships, and won several titles with different schools, including the 2007 national inter-schools crown with Saint Joseph Kagbayi in Nyanza district.
He made his league debut with Umubano Blue Tigers in 2005 before crossing to Kigali Volleyball Club (KVC) the following season.
Club career
After one year at KVC, the then 19-year old Kwizera joined APR on a four-year deal – from 2007 to 2010 – where he helped the military side to win three consecutive league titles in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and helped them to the second place in 2010, behind University of Rwanda
In 2011, he switched to Lycee de Nyanza and helped the then newly created side to finish second runners-up in their debut league season.
Later that year, Kwizera signed for Algerian side OLK Ali Milia on a one-year contract and helped the side to finish in sixth position on the twelve-team league table.
Following his one-season stint with OLK Ali Milia, he returned home where he was immediately signed by UNIK (formerly INATEK) early 2013, helping the Ngoma District-based side to finish third in the league and inspiring them to the 2013 Genocide Memorial Tournament and KAVC Memorial Tournament titles.
In 2014, he joined then debutants Rayon Sports, a side he helped to the second place in the national volleyball league, and the Genocide Memorial Tournament crown after edging APR in the final.
After two years with Rayon Sports, Kwizera ditched the Nyanza-based side to join Kirehe Volleyball Club on a two-year deal – in a double player-coach role – but only served there one year before terminating his contract to head South, where he was hijacked by then newly formed Gisagara Volleyball Club. He led the club to winning the league title on their first attempt.
After one glorious season with Gisagara, the inspirational blocker crossed to Rwanda Energy Group (REG) late last year, where he served both as a player and assistant coach to Jean Paul who stepped down last month. As a result, Kwizera was instantly appointed as new head coach.
In a less than one week into the club’s hot seat as head coach, the former Rwanda international guided REG to winning this year’s Rutsindura Memorial Tournament after beating archrivals APR in four sets (3-1) in the final in Huye district.
He also helped the energy group-affiliated side to finishing second in Carre d’As tournament last weekend at Amahoro Stadium, after losing to Gisagara in the final.
The soft-spoken Kwizera is coaching level one license holder.
National team
Regarded as one of the best players the country has ever produced, Kwizera played for the national volleyball team for twelve years – from 2005 when he received his maiden call-up till last year when he officially announced his retirement from international volleyball.
"I represented Rwanda for over twelve years, nothing has ever made me feel so proud in my life like serving my country,” he told Saturday Sport in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
He was part of the national team that won CAVB Africa Zone V titles in 2011, 2013, 2015 before finishing second to Kenya in 2017 – all editions staged in Kigali.
He also represented the country in several other international competitions including; Africa Nations Cup, World Cup qualifiers and All Africa Games to name a few.
Playing volleyball, especially with the national team, has enabled Kwizera to travel to several countries such as Qatar, South Africa, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Cameroun, Algeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi among others.
His last appearance in the national team came in July 2017, after Rwanda’s defeat to Kenya in Zone V final at Amahoro Stadium.
Advice to young players
"I would advise young players to come into volleyball not for the money but simply to focus on learning and improving every day, be disciplined and work hard. The rest will follow.”
Note of appreciation
Other than family for moral support, Kwizera says his former coaches Jean Luc Ndayikengurukiye and Paul Bitok are the two most influential people in his career.
"Jean Luc and Bitok have shaped me into the player (I was) and coach that I am today.”
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