President’s Challenge Cup Volleyball

by Reemus Fernando

Lucky Six SC, Pothupitiya beat many an odd to record a rare championship victory at the President’s Challenge Cup Volleyball tournament recently. High attacker Anjana Sandeepana who played a vital role in the team’s historic achievement believes that the outfit playing without proper facilities richly deserve a break now.

“What we achieved at the President’s Challenge Cup is remarkable in many ways. It is the first time in my lifetime that this club accomplished such a feat. The team we met in the final were from a volleyball stronghold. Beating them in a final was a dream come true,” said the 24-year old Sandeepana in an interview with the Sunday Island. Sandeepana was adjudged the Best Player of the final.

Sandeepana who stands at six foot two inches said that it was his first victory at national level as he had not won a championship even as as a schools spiker. The furthest his school team had gone was to win at provincial level.

While the champion teams of each district played in the President’s Gold Cup tournament this year, the runners up teams of each district were drawn in the President’s Challenge Cup. After edging out formidable teams to reach the final, Lucky Six stunned Nattandiya United consisting of former and present national players to clinch the title which was their first top level trophy in 36 years. Lucky Six last won a national title in 1984 when they won the ‘D’ Division championship.

“We don’t have a ground of our own. We use the court at Puthupitiya MV for training. The team needs support if we are to make it to the next level,” said Sandeepana.

The corporation between Puthupitiya MV and Lucky Six has helped both institutions. While the club has been able to use the school’s court, the up and coming spikers of the school have benefited from the volleyball culture the Lucky Six brings to the venue, according to former official of Lucky Six, Kanthasiri Meegamuwage, who is also an In Service Adviser- Sports of the Panadura Education Division.

“When the school does not have balls they use the balls of the Club and vice versa,” said Meegamuwage.

According to Sandeepana the Covid 19 pandemic had affected all teams and no team had an advantage with regard to training. He said the team had trained as one unit only for a few days and had no resources to acquire the service of a professional coach. However, Lasantha Abeyratne a former player, who volunteered to train the team proved to be the ideal pick as some of his decisions helped them at crucial junctures to outsmart the team from volleyball stronghold Nattandiya which had the support of a professional coach.

Nattandiya United were trying to make a comeback in the fourth set after trailing 2-1. They were about to secure the fourth set when Abeyratne brought Isuru Dilshan to serve. It proved a master stroke as the youngster won four consecutive points for them with his serve to secure the set 27-25 and seal the game.

Sandeepana in his interview thanked all his team members and officials who helped them and urged individuals and institutions who support the national sport to provide patronage to sustain as a formidable team.

Team:

Nuwan Kumara (Captain), Ashan Malaka, Sumudu Lahiru, Tharaka Ravindra, Buddhi Nishan, Harshaka Silva, Chalitha Amarawansa, Pasindu Theekshana, Isuru Dilshan, Ashen Malshan, Ashan Malintha, Sadeepa Lakshan, Sampath Ruberu.