Sumith Edirisinghe brought back hockey to past glory

HOCKEY: There is the famous English saying: "If there is a will, there is a way." How well that sentence will echo and re-echo in the minds of all hockey fans who were fortunate enough to witness the hockey matches during the SAARC Games hockey tournament held in Sri Lanka, Matale Stadium to be precise, will tell.

Senior Superintendent of Police Sumith Edirisinghe had a challenge thrown at him as Chairman of the Sri Lanka Hockey Association. When the Sports Minister decided to include hockey as a sport at the SAARC Games, a venue had to be got for the prestigious event and the only suitable ground available to stage the event was over 100 km away from the main venue of Colombo.

It was a challenge and Sumith Edirisinghe the man with a will to do well, accepted the challenge and laid out an excellent ground, much to the satisfaction of all the teams.

The limelight period of Sri Lanka hockey dated back to the period between 1960 and 1970 where the players were well recognised in sporting circles and sponsorship and patronage both from the government and private sector establishments. There were also encouraging crowds that also turned up for the matches.

However, after 1970 the game of hockey lost interest in this country and besides losing sponsorship packages officials to run the sport was difficult to be found.

In the somewhat unpleasant surroundings when the SAARC Games came around in Sri Lanka, something had to be done to resurrect the game and the somewhat gloomy atmosphere when the game was swirling around like a beat without a rudder, out came Sumith Edirisinghe, who's fate is hockey since his school days, put forward his plans to the authorities and though there were the dissidents who made unpleasant comments about the tournament being held in Matale, yet Sumith Edirisinghe got them to rally round him and he was able to not only get the tournament started, but also made a fine tournament and a complete success it was.

The completion of the Matale Stadium is a tribute to Sumith Edirisinghe. It is now suitable ground where international matches in the Asian region can be played. The tremendous team spirit that went into the making of the ground opens up a chapter and verse of Sri Lanka hockey history.

Sri Lanka hockey is in a position right now. Sumith's altruism and bonhomie brought him a host of friends and those interested in the game under one umbrella. The cohesiveness, unity, team work and synergic effort of the present hockey association promises great things in the years to come.

Sumith is an ace of none, but jack of all trades who is proudly to be appreciated as an officer and a gentleman who is sparing his few hours of rest for the development of hockey.

- Sarath Dhanapala, former Kandy and Sri Lanka player