Large scale turn out for DSI Super Sports Schools Volleyball

Over 5,400 teams and a record number of over 65,000 participants from almost every nook and corner of the Island , in three age groups will display their volleyball skills at the ever popular DSI Super Sport Schools Volleyball Championships which is now in progress in various locations in the country.

D.Samson Industries manufacturers of DSI footwear is sponsoring the event for the 15th occasion since the inception in 1999.

Handing over the sponsorship cheque... Chairman DSI Group of Companies Nandadasa Rajapaksa hands over the specimen sponsorship cheque to the President of the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation Minister Dilan Perera at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute Auditorium in connection to the DSI Super Sport Schools Volleyball Championship. Also in the picture are (from left) Rohan Somawansa (General Manager Sales and Marketing DSI), Susil Ranasinghe (General Secrtary SLVF), H.G. Jayasekera (Deputy Director Sports Education Ministry, President SLSVF) and Kanchana Jayaratne (Tournament Committee Chairman, Vice President SLVF and PC Member Sabaragamuwa Kanchana Jayaratne).

The concept of the tournament was initiated with the collaboration and the blessings of the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation, Ministry of Education and has created tremendous interest in the schools volleyball fraternity, judging by the snowballing number of entries each year. In 1999, the tournament was first held with the participation of 198 schools teams.

Since then, the number of entries have been increasing and this year's tournament should see over 5000 teams and 65,000 boys and girls competing in three age groups, namely under 18 ,16 and under 14.

The tournament will be conducted at District, Provincial and National level in both boys and girls categories. The District Matches will be conducted from July 4th to 21st while the Provincial Level matches are scheduled to take place from August 3rd to 11th and the National Level matches will take place from October 4th to 6th.

The finals will be worked out on 25th and 26th of October 2013. The venue will be notified later.

At a press briefing held in connection with the event at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute Auditorium, the President of The Volleyball Federation Dilan Perera who is also the Foreign Employment Promotion Minister, said that DSI who has being sponsoring schools volleyball for the 15th consecutive year has no doubt uplifted the standard of volleyball which is the national sport of the country.

He further said that it is easy to find sponsors when a sport is doing well. But DSI came to the assistance of volleyball at a time when the sport needed the support to forge ahead, which is a great gesture. He added saying that this tournament has helped to produce the bulk of the present national players and the schoolboys and girls look forward to the tournament.

The Chairman of DSI Nandadasa Rajapakse who was also present at the occasion, said that he was happy to sponsor the national game which has roots mostly in the rural areas as DSI too is a company that has strong links with the people in the country side.

But it has gathered momentum rapidly as we saw 5000 teams in 2011 , taking part and expecting a little more in this year's tournament". Rajapaksa said.

He finally said that they took the sponsorship when volleyball was at a low ebb and was happy to see the game progressing well.