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| Sunday, 28 November 2004 |
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Cooray has served cricket well by Upananda Jayasundera, Kandy Sports Special Corr. Mention the name - T. M. A. Cooray and it certainly strikes a bell in the minds of sports fans in and around Kandy as he has played football, cricket and participated in track and field events both here in Sri Lanka and in Chennai (Madras) India. First as a schoolboy of Sri Rahula College, Katugastota he showed signs of blossoming out as a football player and was a junior and senior athlete and after joining St. Anthony's Katugastota in 1944 he played cricket and football for them at first eleven level. He left school in 1944 and became a cricket umpire and officiated at inter-school and inter-club matches and commanded much respect from the players. He went across to the YMCA College of Physical Education in Madras in 1953 where he continued his interest in cricket, football and athletics. On his return to Sri Lanka, he took to coaching at cricket and did so at Sri Rahula, Vidyartha and Dharmaraja and came back to St. Anthony's Katugastota in 1969 and was in charge of the first eleven cricket team. During his period as coach of St. Anthony's, he produced cricketers of distinction and had five cricketers winning the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year award, namely W. Premaratne, Charlie Joseph (twice), Franklyn Burke and Bernard Perera. He later on coached at Kingswood College and right now is attached to Leeds International School, Panadura as the Sports Co-ordinator. All cricketers who had the privilege of being coached by Cooray will no doubt wish him a long and happy life. |
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