Daudi Okello wishes to build volleyball courts in home country

The Ugandan male national volleyball team played at the 2021 African Volleyball Championship held from Sept. 7 through Sept. 14 in Kigali, Rwanda. The Ugandan team had zero competition experience before this. Ugandan volleyball player Daudi Okello who currently plays in Suwon KEPCO Vixtorm in South Korea scored the most points during the championship, leading the team to No. 5.

Ugandan Education and Sports minister sent a letter of appreciation to Okello after the event. It was not only because Okello has performed outstandingly at the championship. Okello covered all expenses from transportation to accommodation needed for the national team to participate in the event. He is also the first professional volleyball player in the country.

Okello was planning to play in the Turkish league after the championship. However, he received news that he had been waiting long from South Korea. Suwon KEPCO Vixtorm made an offer to scout him as a replacement foreign player. The team had a plan to scout Bardia Saadat from Iran this season, however, the plan fell through due to his participation in international competitions, such as the Asian Men's Volleyball Championship. Then, the team decided to invite Okello instead who played in Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers for the two previous seasons.

Okello had a blueprint for indoor volleyball courts as he returned to South Korea. “There is no indoor volleyball court in Uganda. I carry this blueprint to remind myself. I want to build volleyball courts as nice as the ones in South Korea,” said Okello. “I already bought a plot of land to build volleyball courts with the money I earned in South Korea,” he smiled. To him, South Korea has been a land of opportunity.

It’s not just Okello. Leonardo Leyva from Cuba also returned to the South Korean V-League after seven seasons to play in Ansan OK Financial Group Okman. Even though his performance is not as powerful as when he played in Daejeon Samsung Fire Bluefangs from 2012 to 2015, he is still showing off his skills with a No. 3 record in scores and serves.


Kyu-In Hwang kini@donga.com