Kabadi, a popular sport

Winner:

Kabadi is a very popular game played in South Asia as well as South East Asia. It is the national game of Bangladesh. It is played in our country too.

Kabadi is played in fields or courts as an outdoor or indoor game. There are two teams comprising seven players each.

The players are selected taking into consideration their age and weight.

A kabadi match is played for a duration of 45 minutes. There are two twenty minute segments and an interval of five minutes between the first half and second half.

Generally seven officials supervise a game. They are the referee, two umpires, two linesmen, a time keeper and a scorer. The main goal of the game is to tag or wrestle to capture the members from the opposing team.

Capturing the members from the opposing team is known as 'taking home.' Whenever a player is out, the opposing team earns a point. When the whole team is declared out, the opposing team scores two bonus points.

When playing kabadi, the most important rule is that the 'raiders' or the players must not take a breath during the raid. So, they must keep chanting to prove that they are not `breathing.' The chant varies from country to country. The chant words of our country is guddu.

Kabadi can be considered as a sport that improves one's health. So, many people of Sri Lanka, especially teenagers, play this game with great pleasure. Maybe some of you have also played kabadi or gudu as it's popularly known in our country.

Piumi Jayalath,

Grade 10B,

Rathnawali Balika

Vidyalaya,Gampaha.

A nation gathered under one flag

Winner:

May 19, 2009 was a Red Letter Day for the whole nation. It was the day peace finally dawned for people from all walks of life, religions and ethnic communities.

I thank the President of our country, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the leaders of the Armed forces and Police and everyone responsible for this victory, from the bottom of my heart. They protected our Motherland from ruthless terrorists.It was with great pleasure that we received the news about the victory achieved by our heroes. I think they are like the Motherland's most precious gems. We must respect and honour them forever. All Sri Lankans are brimming with happiness now that the war is over.We are living in freedom in Sri Lanka now. So, we should take steps to improve peace and harmony in society. Then, we can make our Motherland fruitful and prosperous.

'Reap what you sow,' is a valuable old saying. So, we must sow seeds of compassion and universal love.President Rajapaksa made a statement in Parliament saying that we shouldn't be separated by caste, creed or race. He said "We should unite as one nation." We must share our views and care for the displaced people.

We must respect all nationalities. Then we can build a calm and peaceful Motherland.I am looking forward to see the Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Burghers and others all gather around the national flag in unity, with a sense of commitment, to establish a prosperous Motherland. I believe the whole world can gain victory in the near future, if they are united.

C. N. Dilini Chathubashini,

Sangamitta College,Galle.

Importance of sports

Winner:

'A healthy body carries a healthy mind' is an old saying. It is true. If you are physically fit it leads to good mental health. A healthy person has a lot of advantages over an unhealthy or physically unfit person. How could you become physically fit?

You could become physically healthy and fit by eating nutritious food and doing exercises. Games and sports are a good form of physical exercises.

Football, volleyball, cricket, running and swimming are a few such games and sports you could take part in. Apart from physical fitness you could gain from such games and sports, you could also become a disciplined person.

They teach you to obey the leader and the rules. Sports and games also teach you to act in a team spirit, be alert and act promptly. Games and sports teach another important lesson; to accept both victory and defeat in the right spirit.

Now you may realise what a lot of good, games and sports do for you, both physically and mentally.

Anuththara Kalpani Senarathna,

Hewavitharana Maha Vidyalaya, Rajagiriya

The daffodils

Winner:

The Daffodils is a poem by William Wordsworth, a great man.

I am one of his great fans.

But this poem is written by me and so it's mine, not his.

Now listen to this....

I walked down the lane whistling,

On either side of me, golden daffodils were swishing,

Their petals were a fiery golden yellow,

The wind made them move to and fro,

I glanced at them for a moment,

My troubles were forgotten, my worries gone,

Only a heart full of happiness and joy was left.

I felt like a free little boy,

The dew on daffodils quenched the thirst of insects,

And it made a beautiful picture in my mind.

I felt in my heart the daffodils were being kind,

I believe daffodils have magical powers,

I simply love those flowers!

M. Nishad Naleer,

Grade 8B,Lexicon International.

Value of trees

Winner:

Everyone knows that trees and all other plants are valuable to human existence. They beautify our surroundings, purify the air by manufacturing oxygen, act as sound barriers and also help us to save energy through their cooling shade in the hot season and by wind reduction in the cold season.Many don't realise that plants have a value of their own which cannot be measured by even competent plant appraisers.

We like to see trees around us because they are soothing to the eyes and make life pleasant. We feel serene, peaceful, relaxed and tranquil in a grove of trees.

Trees have many uses. They provide nest sites for birds. The leafy branches make good hiding places for various animals. People get firewood for cooking.Trees give valuable timber for construction of houses and manufacture of furniture.

Trees absorb carbondioxide and release oxygen to keep the air fresh.

Trees somehow seem to have a magical effect on people, making them happy and connected to nature.

Trees also help us recover from an illness faster and restore our spirits.So, people, need trees. Those who destroy trees don't know the important role trees play in our lives. We should teach them the benefit of trees. We must stop the destruction of trees and protect them always.

Durka Jothibalan,

Grade 9,

Kingston College International.