Kandy - City of Sports

by Hafiz Marikar

Successful sportsmen and sportswomen from Kandy Sports Club, can be proud of their achievements. This was possible due to their keenness, the backing they got from parents, schools and coaches. Records reveal that Kandy has produced some of the best sportsmen and women in Rugger, Cricket, Hockey, Football, Athletics, Table Tennis, Iron Sports, Netball, Volleyball, Lawn Tennis, Boxing, Badminton, Cue Sports (Billiards and Snooker), Cycling, Swimming, too has caught up in recent times.

Today, most sports are organized at school level. Thanks to the school, old boys and parents who give a huge boost to these games. What Kandy requires now is the backing from the Sports Minister to uplift sports at Club level.

Only rugby is run in an orderly manner at Club level, that too thanks to that great benefactor Royalist Malik Samarawickrema and the Kandy Sports Club committee.

RUGGER - Has become the king of local sports, as the speed and intensity of the game increases and the number of phases of play multiplies. Players tend to become somewhat oblivious to their basic roles in retaining possession and maintaining continuity of the game. Kandy Sports Club has been dominating the rugby scene for nearly two and a half decades.

They have won the League, Clifford Cup and the Sevens tournaments for many years, which no other club has done so far. Kandy Sports Club have also fed the National Team with the most number of players.

In the schools, the following play the game at the highest level Trinity, Kingswood, St. Anthony's, Vidyartha, Dharmarajah, St. Sylvesters, Sri Rahula and Sri Sumangala. This year all these schools played well but failed to win a single trophy in the leagues.

CRICKET-The game of cricket takes pride of place at school level. The schools who are at the top are: Trinity, St. Anthony's, Dharmarajah, St. Sylvester's, Sri Sumangala, Kingswood, Sri Rahula who do well. Sad to say, the standard of club cricket has dropped due to poor organization. Hence, the best products from schools join clubs outside Kandy.

Kandy should be proud of cricket. They have produced the best spinner in the game Muttiah Muralitharan and also a world class bat in Kumar Sangakkara. At one time cricket was one of the most popular games, and took pride of place. Today it is not so at club level.

FOOTBALL - It was at one time the most popular sport, known as the common man's game. It has sadly taken a back seat in the recent past. This is because of the substandard organization. Today football in Kandy has lost its appeal. Thanks to the Education department, tournaments were held recently for schools.

HOCKEY - This game has become very popular among the schools. Girl schools dominate the game in Kandy, boys schools too are somewhat on the same level, but the girl schools are on top. Club hockey continues to be neglected.

BILLIARDS AND SNOOKER - The Cue game has taken a nosedive in Kandy. There are no tournaments as in the early days. In the past there were Inter-club matches, but now it has deteriorated. In the early days, Kings Cue Club, Catholic Club, Lawn Club, Public Service Club, Mahanuwara YMBA, Kandy YMMA, Kandy Garden Club, Kandy Club, Peradeniya Faculty Club took the game very seriously and the tournaments were a great recreation to many sportsmen in the evening.

SWIMMING - Kandy schools, specially Mahamaya and Hillwood dominate. Trinity College too are good in the sport, and they have produced several top champion teams, with individuals ranking at the top. Now Dharmaraja and Kingswood too are in the swim.

BOXING - This sport remains a popular sport among the schools. One time kings of the ring was St. Sylvester's and they continue the good work. Other schools who took a keen interest in the sport was Peradeniya MMV, Sarasavi Uyana. Now Vidyartha too are in the pool. Along with Kingswsood and Dharmaraja, they have taken to the sport and are doing well. The first school which donned gloves- Trinity in 1906 are not taking the sport that seriously.

NETBALL - Schools in Kandy are doing well in this sport and have taken part in most of the tournaments organised by the governing body. Girls High School. Hillwood, Mahamaya, St Anthony's Convent, Pushpadana, Swarnamali, Hemamali, and all the International schools take the game seriously.

Netball was first played in Sri Lanka in 1921. The first game was played by Ceylon Girl Guide Company at Kandy High School. The first inter-school match was played between Kandy High School and C.M.S. Ladies' College, Colombo in February 1925.

ATHLETICS - All schools in Kandy have athletics in the curriculum and are doing very well in this field. Every school, promotes it in the correct way and have their annual inter-house athletics meet on a grand scale.

At present St. Sylvester's College's Darshana Rajapakse is doing well in hurdles and recently won a Silver in the Asian Youth event.

TABLE TENNIS - In Kandy this game was very popular, but all of a sudden, it nosedived. There is some hope as there are many schools and clubs who are capable of bringing the game back to its former glory..

BADMINTON - There is somewhat a lack of interest in this sport. Something must be done to lift the game. There are not many coaches and should the schools take the cue, then the game can pick up.

VOLLEYBALL - It is the National Sport of Sri Lanka but Cricket has gone ahead and is the most popular sport. At a certain time Volleyball was a popular game, and today the much needed support is not there for the game. If the proper backing is there, this game too, could be make news. The first Volleyball League was formed in Kandy in 1941.

IRON SPORT- Bodybuilding and Weightlifting werer given the best of support by the YMCA. It is a top sport in Kandy, hence its domination. Several national title holders have been produced. Iron sport is one of the oldest in the world.

BASKETBALL - Kandy continues to produce talented players. Most of the schools who play basketball have done well and have won many tournaments. Same in the club sector.

CYCLING - This sport was popular in Kandy and there had been races on many an occasion. For it to be competitive, there has to be sponsorship and then the sport will spread.

CHESS - Although chess has been popular in schools for quite a long period, Trinity once became All-Island Champions. Dharmaraja, Kingswood, Vidyartha, Sri Sumangala, St. Sylvester's and St. Anthony's did their best among the boys. Mahamaya, Hillwood, Girls High School, Pushpadana, Swarnamali, Hemamali, Seetha Devi and some of the International schools, did well in the girls tournaments.

KARATE - This is a sport for youngsters. The youngsters have done well in tournaments held in Sri Lanka and abroad. SOFTBALL- CRICKET: It is very popular here in Kandy. Over here every Sunday tournaments for various trophies, are being played. CARROM: Is also a popular sport in Kandy, mostly played by the government departments. This is a re-creation sport. Kandy's Carrom Association gives a big hand to promote the sport.

LAWN TENNIS - At one time it was a popular sport in Kandy. It is the Kandy Lawn Cub, Kandy Garden Club, University of Peradeniya, who gave the best to the sport, and also Trinity and Hillwood are involved in big way. Former Municipal Commissioner and All Ceylon cricketer, the late D.S. de Silva gave his utmost support for the sport. Now the Lawn Club is no more while the Garden Club only conducts classes. During the time of DIG Bodi Liyanage, he introduced Tennis to the Police and came out with a super court at Asgiriya.