The Kandy Schools Past Pupils Association (KSPPA) will get together for their annual ‘Kandy Bash” at Havelock Park today where past students of all ages together with their families will meet. The first event will be the Avurudu Games followed by a Musical Show and Carnival. A Kiddies Play area with bouncers will also be available. The electronic media sponsor is Hiru TV and Hiru FM. The main aim of organizing this event is to strengthen the unity and co-operation among the schools, to extend friendship and to raise funds for the association which would be utilized for the development of leadership skills of students from the member schools.
R. Maheswaran was elected president of the Kandy District Hockey Association for the 12 consecutive year. Maheswaran, who formerly held the Secretary General’s post for 15 years, is a product of St. Sylvester’s College where he excelled in the game and later was a top class coach, and gave his knowledge to schools and clubs. He is also a knowledgeable administrator and promoter of the game. Another top player and well known coach A.H.M. Ashraff was elected secretary unopposed. The rest of the committee comprises Vice Presidents - H. Marikar, P. Kumara, D. Herath, S. Dissanayake, G. G. Dharmaratna, Treasurer - A. B. Godigamuwa, Asst. Secretary - N. Paraneetharan and Asst. Treasurer - R. T. R. Raheem.
The school’s first round rugby tournament has come to an end, and now it’s time for the second round. From Kandy in Division I A, Kingswood are placed 5th with 2 wins and three losses in five games. In the same division “B” Trinity are number three with three wins and two losses in five games, St. Anthony’s are fifth with one win and four losses in five games. In Division I B Vidyartha College are number one and Dharmaraja College are number two, both are with four wins and one loss each from five games. In the same group St. Sylvester’s College are fourth with two wins and three losses in five games. In the same group II B, Sri Sumangala is second with four wins and a loss in five games. In Division I C 2 Sri Rahula College out of the four games have won three and lost one. The top four sides of each group are grouped in the Cup Championship and will play the other 4 teams. Trinity College who are in the Cup competition from Kandy will open their 2nd round on 27 April against St. Peter’s at Bambalapitiya, May 3 vs Wesley at Longden Place, May 11 vs Royal at Pallekelle, and May 17 vs S. Thomas’ at Mt. Lavinia. The Singer inter-schools first round started on 28 February and was concluded on 31 March. Most of the other Kandy schools are in the Plate competition, the fixtures for the second round have yet to be finalized.
The 2019 Kandy Girls High School Walk to celebrate their 140 years will take place on 26 May from the school premises at 7.45 a.m. Hosted by the OGA - Parent Branch - Girls’ High School Kandy present and the past pupils it will be part of the grand sporting walk. This is the oldest school for girls in Kandy in 1879.
Schools in Kandy are badly in need of good Masters in Sports Management to help students think strategically in their interest in sports. Today some of the sports masters don’t know their part and often mess things up. Some schools appoint MIC’s and POG’s who are principals’ catchers, who know nothing about sports.
This year will be the 75th encounter between Trinity and Royal for the Bradby Shield. The first leg will be played at Pallekele rugby grounds on May 11, which will be played under the distinguished patronage of 1982 Trinity captain Byron Fernando. The second leg is scheduled for May 25 at Royal Sports Complex and it will be played under the distinguished patronage of Ted Hiran Muttiah who captained Royal the same year. In that year Byron Fernando’s team beat Hiran Muthiah’s team 9-6 in the first leg at Longden Place and in the second leg at Nittawela Trinity won 6-4.
Wattegama Youth Paranite SC will hold a 7-a-side tennis ball cricket tournament today and tomorrow at the Wattegama Urban Council Playgrounds. The entry fee is Rs. 1500. The champion team will be presented with a trophy and Rs. 15,000, the runner-up Rs. 10.000 and a trophy. There will be awards for best batsman, bowler, the man of the match and man of the series. It is going to be two days of good tennis ball cricket.
Imesh Udaya Ranasinghe of Vidyartha College has made Kandy proud by winning the Table Tennis Milo colours award. He is a TT player with a good record. He has won medals in the South Asian Junior Championship in 2016, South Asian Games senior silver and bronze medals, South Asian senior mixed doubles medalist, Sri Lanka National singles and doubles champion 2016 and 2017, Sri Lanka singles and double champion 2016, Sri Lanka junior national champion 2016, Sri Lanka national champion 2017 and was ranked number one in the year 2016 and 2017. He led the Sri Lanka team in 2016 and 2017.
For the first time, six out of eight cricket playing schools in Kandy - Trinity, Dharmaraja, St Sylvester’s, Kingswood, Vidyartha and St. Anthony’s will play in the Kandy Schools Provincial level – Kandy City Center trophy 2019 T/20 cricket carnival on Saturday and Sunday at Asgiriya International Cricket Stadium. It is organized by the Department of Education of Central Province. Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation – Kandurata FM with Infortec International Asia Campus and Kandy City Center are the main sponsors. This is the first time a T20 inter-school tournament of this nature is being held at the end of the inter-school cricket season. The people who are behind the organizing part are E.T.P.K. Ekanayake Provincial Director of Education, Athula Jayawardene Provincial Director of Sports Education Department, Saman Jayaratna, Director of Kandurata FM (SLBC), Ajith de Alwis Director of Infortec International, Madawa Jayasinghe the Manager KCC (main sponsor) and Dulanjali Amarakoon - event co-ordinator.