Astro turf facility at Nandimithra Ekanayake Stadium to be removed

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen– Kandy Sports Corr

HOCKEY: Steps will be taken in consultation with the Ministry of Sports to replace the Astro turf facility at the Nandimithra Ekanayake International Stadium to promote and develop the game of hockey in the outstation, said the chief Minister of the Central Province Sarath Ekanayake.

He made these observations when he addressed the hockey players and the members of the public at the opening ceremony of the Annual Central Province boys and girls under 19 nine-a-side hockey championship organised by the Ministry of Sports of the Central Province which got under way at the Nandimithra International Hockey Stadium in Matale last week. Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake said that having his roots in the Matale District, he had a love for hockey from his young days. It was during his visit to Toronto in Canada over a decade ago that he first saw for himself that the game of hockey being played on artificial turf, which is known as Astro turf. At that time hockey was played in Sri Lanka on grass courts.

He said that he felt that Sri Lanka, too, should start playing hockey on Astro-turf if they are to reach international standards as foreign teams would prefer to play at venues equipped with this facility. Astro turf has an even surface and there will be better ball control and players could move about fast.

The Astro turf facility was laid at the Nandimithra Ekanayake Hockey Stadium over ten years ago, though the life span of this facility is much less. This turf is still in use and needs replacement and the cost will be really high. Action will be taken to replace this Astro turf in consultation with the Ministry of sports.

He said that like cricket, hockey being a non-contact game, Sri Lanka could reach a very high level if the proper approach and guidance is given. In the past, Sri Lanka had produced top class hockey players with the hockey town of Matale leading the way. It is with the idea achieving these goals that the Matale Hockey Academy was started at his request a couple of years ago. This Academy which is the only one of its kind in the island, would train young hockey players to improve their skills, so that it could be a nursery for the national team one day.

Matale fielded two teams in the tournament for girls and boys. Also participating in the segment for girls were Seetha Devi Balika Vidyalaya, St. Anthony’s Girls College, Pushpadana Girls College, Hewaheta Central College and Hemamali Girls College. In the Championship for boys, in the fray were Kingswood College, Dharmaraja College, Vidyartha College, Menikdiwela Central College, Hewaheta Central College.