Elaborate plans to improve standard of schools football

By Leslie Fernando

FOOTBALL: Sri Lanka Schools Football Association has drawn up the football programme for 2007 in association with the Football Federation of Sri Lanka. The SLSFA will hold the normal tournaments in four age categories under-13, under-15, under-17 and under-19.

The Sri Lanka Schools soccerites will have the opportunity of playing in several Asian Schools Soccer Championship matches with the assistance from the Football Federation of Sri Lanka.

According to Upali Silva, Secretary SLSFA, the first tournament will be under-19 players. The preliminary round matches will commence in the first week of February and the final round matches in the last week in April.

The under-15 tournament first round matches will be commenced in the first week of May and the final round games in the first week of July. The under-13 tournament first round matches will be in the second week of July and the final round matches in September.

In senior tournament, the under-19 will be in three divisions one, two and three will be played from August to November.

Silva added that the players will only be eligible to play in one age group tournament. The players should produce the identity card issued by the Sri Lanka Schools Football Association to prove their age. The SLSFA also has decided to hold trials to select players to the under-15 and under-19 pool.

The under-15 trials will be held on January 30 for players from Colombo, Kalutara and Gampaha at 9 a.m. at St. Benedict's college grounds., Kotahena. The trials for outstation players will be held on January 31 at Cooray Playground, Wellawatte, commencing from 9. a.m. The trials for under-19 on February 7 for players of Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha from 8.30 a.m. at St. Benedict's College grounds.

The trials for outstation players in the under-19 will be on February 8 at Cooray Playground, Wellawatte from 9 a.m.

It is hoped to hold a soccer tournament for girls between the ages 15 to 19 years.

The Sri Lanka Schools Football Association has requested permission from the Ministry of Education to organise this tournament. If the SLSFA request is 'okayed' by the Education Ministry, the schools should be ready to play in the tournament.

The schools under-13 soccerites will participate at the under-13 football festival to be held in Bangladesh in April. The Asian Schools Football Association has given the blessings to Bangladesh Schools FA to organise and host the tourney. Sri Lanka's footballers will play in the under-15 Asian Schools Soccer Championships to be held in June in Brunei. Sri Lanka Schools Players will also play at the Under-18 Asian Schools Soccer Championships to be held in Bangkok, Thailand in August.

The SLSFA players are also expected to play in international matches conducted by the Asian Football Confederation. The Football Federation of Sri Lanka will be responsible for selecting players for these tournaments.