Godfrey Okumu

Godfrey Owese Okumu[1] is a Kenyan volleyball coach. He is also a former player who has played for the Kenyan national volleyball team. Okumu is a native of Nyanza.[2]

Godfrey Okumu
Personal information
Full nameGodfrey Owese Okumu
NationalityKenyan
HometownKisumu
Coaching information
Previous teams coached
YearsTeams
2013–2017
2017–2022
2019		Adler Hataka Girls High School
UP Lady Fighting Maroons
Motolite Power Builders
National team
1990–2003Kenya

Playing career

As a player, Okumu played for various clubs as well as the Kenyan men's national volleyball team[3] from 1990 to 2003.[1] After his retirement, he moved to Japan.[3]He worked as an English teacher in the Kumamoto Prefecture in 2002[4] before coaching.

Coaching career

Godfrey Okumu is a holder of a FIVB Level 3 coaching certificate and is a member of the Japanese Society of Volleyball Research.[5]

In Japan

After his playing career, Okumu moved to Japan sometime in the 2000s.[3] Okumu served as part of the coaching staff of the Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler men's professional volleyball club from 2006 to 2012.[1] He also served as coach of the Hataka Girls High School volleyball team as well.[6]

Kenyan women's national team

The Kenyan women's national team had Okumu as part of their coaching staff at the 2006 and 2010 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championships, as well as in the 2011 and 2015 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cups.[7]

In the Philippines

Okumu served as head Coach of UP Lady Fighting Maroons, the women's volleyball collegiate team of the University of the Philippines.[7] In September 2017, Okumu was announced as the new head coach of the team. Okumu's first stint with the team was at UAAP Season 80 which took place 2018.[7] Okumu has said that he will introduce the "Japanese style" of play to the collegiate team which he learned in his Japan stint.[8] In July 2022, Okumu announced his departure from the team.[9]

Okumu would also coach in the Premier Volleyball League. He was head coach of the Motolite Power Builders in 2019. He would return to the PVL as an assistant coach for debutants Galeries Tower Highrisers.[10]

Personal life

Okumu has a daughter named Hawi Okumu Oba, who plays professionally in Japan. As of 2017, Hawi plays for Hitachi Rivale[5] and she would also become part of the Japanese national team.[11][12]

References
  1. "2016バレーボールミーティング開催要項(プログラムPDFファイル掲載!　6/28)" [2016 Volleyball Meeting Program Guideline (Program PDF File Published! 6/28)]. Japan Volleyball Association (in Japanese). 6 August 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  2. Pilipili, Oscar (12 June 2013). "Sony Sugar teams rule Nyanza volleyball". The Standard (Kenya). Standard Media Group. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  3. "Kenyan volleyball coach excites local fans with CNN Interview". Nairobi News. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  4. "言葉っておもしろい！" [Words are interesting!] (PDF). Kumamoto Newsletter (in Japanese). Kumamoto International Foundation. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  5. Kwalimwa, David (6 October 2017). "Godfrey Okumu talks up Kenya's title chances in Cameroon". Daily Nation. Nation Media Group. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  6. Agcaoili, Lance (27 November 2017). "Kenyan coach for State U volleybelles". BusinessMirror. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  7. "Lady Maroons introduce new coach". Volleyverse. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  8. Satumbaga, Kristel (28 November 2017). "UP's Kenyan mentor lines up program". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  9. Li, Matthew (31 July 2022). "Okumu steps down as UP Women's Volleyball Team head coach". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  10. Dannug, Jonash (14 October 2023). "Galeries Towers out to give PVL teams a run for their money in debut". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  11. Valencia, Justin (22 August 2022). "Hawi Okumu Oba grateful to dad Godfrey for continuous guidance". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  12. Agcaoili, Lance (22 August 2022). "Godfrey Okumu proud to see daughter Hawi, former UP players suit up for national teams". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 7 October 2023.


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