Nigeria men’s senior volleyball player, Geoffrey Isaac said the nation’s volleyball league has improved drastically in the last two years.
The Middle blocker said the 2019 Nigeria Volleyball Premier League had many upsets as some average teams defeated some already established teams.
He told www.aclsports.com that lifting the 2019 NVPL title back to back comes with excitement.
Isaac said, “Winning comes with its excitement, I feel proud of my team and myself for lifting the Nigeria Volleyball Premier League Cup back to back.
“This opened another chapter in my volleyball history; the Nigeria Volleyball Premier League is improving. Average teams beat teams with complete squad (full of experience) and that made the league look competitive, you only predict who will win the league but you are not sure.
“The year 2019 was my year and I pray 2020 will also favour me more to win more glory for Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Volleyball team when this Covid-19 is over”.
He said the COVID-19 will be remembered for the havoc it caused in his life and other athletes.
The former Rivers Spikers player said, “The joy of every sportsperson has been taken away by this pandemic but life has to go on. No sportsman or woman is happy with this ugly situation we are in today, the fitness and personal training has to continue to keep the mind and body in good conditions to avoid over weight. Seriously, Covid19 will be remembered for the havoc it caused in my life and others.
“Not playing volleyball for over 3 month is not easy but one has to abide by the set rules by the authorities, staying alive gives you more opportunity to play more tomorrow. Football is now coming back gradually I believe Volleyball will soon be back too”.
Isaac revealed to www.aclsports.com his top 10 Nigeria players he played and watched.
He said, “Permit me to choose my top 10 best Nigeria players from the ones I played with and I watched playing. They are; Thomas Aroko, Udogu Christian (Nigeria Police machine/Rivers Spikers), Kayode Ajilore (Nigeria Immigration Service), Sani Mohammed (Nigeria Police Machine), Courage Sule (Nigeria Customs Service), Jonah Adamu (Nigeria Customs Service), Mathew Ejeh (Nigeria Customs Service), John Salami (NSCDC), Sunday Yunana (Nigeria Customs Service) and Morris Dikkiya (Nigeria Customs Service)”.
“My style of playing since I signed for Nigeria Customs improving because I played under different coaches with different philosophy and pattern of playing. As a player you have to put in your best in training and adhere to the rules in other to achieve the set goal. Customs team has all it takes as a professional team”, he told www.aclsports.com
Isaac explained how he focused on blocking skills adding that Udogu Christian encouraged him to develop his strength.
He said, “When I started playing Volleyball I never took it serious because I played other sports. Unknown to me, volleyball will bring food to my table and give me job opportunities. As a son of a soldier (barrack boy) we were into every sports activity that took place in the Barracks. During evening games, the instructors did teach us how to play Volleyball and we watched how some of the officers played.
“I joined the state team which was Rivers Spikers Volleyball Team of Rivers state where I met men with high integrity, skills and above all love. One faithful day, one of the senior player called me said to me “what do you want everybody to recognize you with? Is it your Spike, Setting, Block, Defense, Reception or Service”? I should choose one and specialize on while other skills will follow naturally while training and playing regularly.
“However, I choose blocking as one of the skills I want to specialize on; with my height I have advantage to reach my opponent court. Then, I came across my role model whom I am well pleased with; his house became my house due to distance. He taught me how to block volleyball; I called him Master Udogu Christian. This is the man behind my success as a volleyball player today, personal honours I won because I listened to his advice then”.
Geoffrey Isaac was adjudged the best blocker men at the 2019 Nigeria Volleyball Premier League in Abuja.
