From athletics to rocking volleyball courts: the story of Malkia Strikers’ youngster Terry Tata
By Vincent Voiyoh, August 27, 2025Five years ago, in the sleepy village of Ang’aro, Teso North Constituency, Busia County, Terry Tata was not aware that she could rise to stardom in the full glare of the international press through volleyball.
Tata, 19, ditched athletics – one of Kenya’s trademark sports – for volleyball, a decision that she termed as best for her sporting career.
Nicknamed ‘Terry Matata’ by her peers due to her toughness on the court while spiking, Tata is on the rise and arguably one of the most sought-after volleyball talents in the country, but she just joined the sport in 2021 after enrolling for form one at Kwanthanze Secondary School in Machakos county.
“I did not foresee that I could be at this level by this time because I was born and grew up in the village. It was only in 2021 that I left the village to join Kwanthanze Secondary School, where I started playing volleyball. My sister was the main reason for me joining the sport because she was already playing. She was in form four at the time I was enrolling for form one,” Tata said laughingly.
Transition
She further reveals how challenging it was moving from athletics to volleyball, adapting to the new rules of a new sport introduced to her by coach Justine Kiguari, who has brought to light many volleyball talents.
“It was difficult for me at the beginning because I did not know anything about volleyball. I was given the position of a right attacker, and I was calm to learn more from my coach, Justine Kiguari. It was so tough even to follow the steps. Imagine it was my first encounter with a volleyball. Coach Kiguari and my sister played big roles in my growth.
“My first love was athletics; I used to run in 100m when I was in primary school. It was just my decision to join athletics because I loved it. At this moment, I don’t regret dumping athletics for volleyball since my journey here has been seamless. Sometimes, I usually feel that maybe I could have struggled a bit in athletics. Now I am enjoying every moment in volleyball.”
Sister’s impact
Her sister, Pauline Itoo, who features in Kenya Prisons, also had an indelible impact that influenced her volleyball path.
“She used to feel bad when she shared with me about the countries she had visited through volleyball. I used to feel so jealous, and I also wanted to tour the world. So, she inspired me a lot.”
Last month, Tata, a second-born in a family of five kids, helped Kenya to clinch a maiden African 20 Volleyball trophy when the Malkia Juniors made an easy meal of Cameroon in Yaounde – winning 3-1 in the final. That success awarded the Jackline Barasa-coached side a slot at the next year’s World U21 Volleyball Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
A few weeks later, ‘Tata Matata’, who has expressed her love for ‘Ugali Matumbo’, is with the Malkia Strikers, rubbing shoulders with some of the global volleyball queens at the 2025 Volleyball Women’s World Championship in Phuket, Thailand, that she just used to watch on television or social media.
“I used to watch some big players like Melissa Vegas (Turkey) and always wanted to see them and play with them. Now I am here at the World Championships and so happy to meet them. It was always my dream to play volleyball at a global stage for people to watch me and inspire others,” she added.
The hard-hitting KCB attacker could be on her way out of Kenya for paid ranks abroad having impressed scouts during the World Championships and the African U20 tournament, where she was named as the Most Valuable Player.
Terry Tata’s journey mirrors that of Malkia Strikers’ attackers Sharon ‘Chumba’ Chepchumba who switched from football to volleyball after joining Kwanthanze . Chumba had a brief stint with football giants TarTar Girls, where she played as a goalkeeper.