Sports
Practical ideas for young high jumpers, athletes, parents, teachers and coaches
An Olympian writes
by Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam
In villages and urban areas in Sri Lanka children play softball cricket, soccer, running and jumping after school, weekends and during end-of-term holidays. This article is based on my experience from 1943. Children can use space available in areas near their houses or in space available around their house. Children are creative, to plan, execute and resolve their problems and learn from their errors.
It is important for children to actively take part in sports with whatever facilities available. If none are available to make them, they can play indigenous games that uses legs, hands, running, jumping, balls, seeds, marbles to create strategies, problem solving and decision making, and learn social and sportsmanship skills. In all games the participants will learn to abide by the rules and decision made by the Referee or Umpire.
In athletics, we dug high jump and pole vault pits. We loosened the soil with a spade. The high jump and pole vault posts were two thick straight branches from the Poovarasu tree planted permanently with nails driven two inches apart. The bar was a one-inch thick branch of the same tree. The pole was a straight branch thicker than the cross bar.
At school, the high jump, long jump, triple jump and pole vault pits were filled with sand. The pole vault standards were made of wood with a base. It had a movable part inside the main post that can be raised to 12 or 13 ft. For high jump the same posts or posts 6’ 6″ with a base is used. All wooden posts were made by carpenters in Jaffna adopting design in sports books or modeled after the posts in schools in Colombo. The poles were bamboo of different length and thickness. They were cured in fire made from dry leaves to strengthen them.
The loosened soil or sand in the jumping pit dictated we land in one or both feet in the high jump or pole vault. The bar clearance was sideways or chest facing the bar. In the high jump most used the scissors style and land in one or both feet. Older jumpers used Eastern Cut Off. In that style they ran from the front of the bar, made a curve going outside one of the posts and took off with one foot.
In 1948 we read in the papers the results of the athletic events. We saw the pictures of events. We saw Harrison Dillard won the 100m. Australian John Winter won the high jump using the Eastern Cut-Off style. In 1949 my school Principal, Rev. C.A. Smith took the whole school to see the London Olympics at the Regal Theatre near the Fort. We saw the 400m hurdles and Duncan White winning Silver Medal. It is then I wanted to compete in an Olympic Games someday. Did not tell anyone. I did not think at that time that I will take part in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki.
I am sure a 14-year-old or older watching the 2020 (2021) Olympics on television will be inspired to train to take part in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games or Los Angeles Games in 2028.
If you are a beginning high jumper dreaming of competing in future Olympic Games, start with jumping using the scissors style. But with a run-up with a 4-stride curve at the end before you take-off. A sand pit, or a pit with loosened soil is sufficient. The posts and bar can be from branches like described above. This advice is for high jumpers, coaches and parents. Such beginning will help to learn the fundamentals of high jumping and requirements for a technically correct run-up and take-off. It will help to clear the bar using the flop style. When you can jump 1.55m or 1.60m with scissors you can then learn to jump using the flop from an experienced coach who has coached high jumpers who had jumped at least two metres or higher.
Many people, parents and teachers often assume that, jumping, running, hurdling and throwing does not teach children about what is required by the curricula and National Examinations. This is far from the truth. Athletics, cricket, football and other games teach principles of science, especially physics. We learn principles of social science, mathematics and about the working of the muscles, exhaustion, recovery and abiding by the rules of the games and decisions of referees and umpires. A sportsperson is consumed by sports and desire to excel they spend much of their study time daydreaming or figuring out how best to practice and perform better.
The best way the education system can help the sportspersons to do well in sports and studies is to require students to earn credit passes in the subjects at the end of a term to represent the school and take part in sports. The sportspersons will earn the Credit pass grade to represent the school and take part in sports. Such a system is practiced in the school and university system in the United States. Those who represent the United States in the Olympic Games or win medals are all either students in universities or graduates of universities. Sri Lanka athletes and sportspersons have the same capacity to be great in studies and sports if opportunities to learn and compete.
The choice is ours to motivate and give the opportunities to our sportspersons to excel in sports, studies and profession.
91st Battle of the Saints
St. Joseph’s hold the edge when they meet arch rivals St. Peter’s in the 91st Battle of the Saints’ big match starting today. After having beaten Petes by nine wickets in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ quarter-final at Polonnaruwa the Joes arive at the SSC ground to prove that the victory registered two months ago was not a fluke.
St. Joseph’s captained by wicketkeeper batsman Kenath Liyanage are concluding a successful season after having remained unbeaten until they were eliminated in the semi-final by St. Sebastian’s .
A strong batting lineup and a dynamic spin department are making them a formidable outfit.
Experienced campaigner Yenula Dewthusa and Demion de Silva with their left-arm spin and Aveesha Samash and Nushan Perera with off spin provide the Joes variety in the spin department. Dewthusa, Demion de Silva and Nushan Perera are their leading wicket takers. Spinners doing well at schools matches have not been effective at the SSC during the last few big matches. It will be interesting to watch as to how the spinners in these two teams would fare during the three days.
For pace the Joes will look to Maanasa Madubashana and Dunick Perera who are expected to share the new ball.
Abishek Jayaweera and Aveesha Samash will open batting, while Senuja Wakunugoda, skipper Liyanage, Dewthusa and Rishma Amarasinghe form the rest of the top order batting lineup.
St. Joseph’s registered three outright victories this season (beat St. Servatius’, St. Benedict’s and St. Peter’s) and remained unbeaten.
St. Peter’s under Oween Salgado’s captaincy did well to reach the business end of the Tier ‘A’ tournament. But the Petes were uncertain of Salgado’s participation in the big match as they were yet to assess his fitness yesterday morning. He was wounded during a match and the stitched wound had not fully healed according to team sources.
Petes beat Gurukula, St. Aloysius’ and Holy Cross this season. Their only defeat was at the hands of their arch rivals. They will look forward to avenge the defeat at the big match.
The Petes will rely on the likes of Dilana Damsara, Thareen Sanketh, Nathan David and Jason Fernando to take a greater share of batting responsibilities. The middle order batsman Sanketh is their leading batsman and has maintained an average of over 50 runs.
Speedsters Ethan Ransilige and Joshua Sebastian will share new ball duties for the Petes.
Lashmika Perera and Sanketh will share most of the slow ball duties.
St Peter’s are in the possession of the coveted Rev. Fr. Maurice J. Le Goc Trophy having last won the big match under the captaincy of Vinu Mohotty in 2016.
St. Joseph’s lead the series tally 12-10. They last won under Ruwantha Fernandopulle’s captaincy in 2008.
St. Peter’s College Team
(Seated from left) Harsha Prabath Perera (Asst. Physio/Trainer & Massuer), Thushara Maduhanka (1st XI Asst. Coach),
Nalin Wijesinghe (Head Coach), Priyadarshana Cooray (MIC – Senior & Junior), Oween Salgado (Captain), Rev. Fr.
Rohitha Rodrigo (Rector), Rev. Fr. Praveen Wijesekara (Priest in Charge – Cricket), Lashmika Perera
(Vice Captain), Dilana Damsara, Rohan Fernando (MIC – 2nd XI), Dinuka D. Godakanda (2nd XI Coach).
(Standing 1st row from left) Dinsara Rathnaweera, Dineth de Silva, Tharin Senvidu, Nathan David, Hiruka Silva, Thareen
Sanketh, Virul Amarapala, Yatheendra Jayaweera, Salith Gallage, Raphael Hettige. (Standing 2nd row from left) Jason Fernando,
Joshua Sebastian, Savi Fernnado, Ethan Ransilige, Asadisa De Silva, Sadeesha Kariyawasam, Enosh Peterson
by Reemus Fernando
120th Lovers’ Quarrel
The stakeholders of the Lovers’ Quarrel Big Match were still pursuing to make the historic 120th edition a reality on the eve of the match after Richmond authorities threatened to pull out citing that Mahinda had violated an accepted norm by included a newly recruited player in the big match team.
The historic edition was scheduled to commence as a three day encounter at the Galle International Stadium today. But the match remained doubtful at the time this edition went to press. The officials of both teams were unavailable for comments on the eve of the match. According to sources close to the two teams the joint big match committee was scheduled to meet in the evening yesterday to take a final decision regarding the match.
Richmond threatened to pull out after Mahinda included Charya Paranavithana in their big match team. Paranavithana captained St. Aloysius’ this season. He is not eligible to play matches that come under the purview of Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association as he is yet to be registered as a Mahinda player. Big Matches are not played according to SLSCA rules but Richmond authorities had raised concerns over the player registration citing that the two schools had honoured the norm even at the big match.
According to sources Richmond were threatening to pull out if Paranavithana’s name was included in the playing XI on the match day morning.
Mahinda concluded a highly successful season as the team captained by Kaveen Rukshan earned the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ promotion this year. They were also the joint champions of the Tier ‘B’ tournament with Thurstan. In contrast former Division I champions Richmond had to fight relegation scares. The team captained by Thamindu Pradeeptha later successfully retained their Tier A position by recording an outright victory.
Mahinda College Team
Seated left to right: T.D. Ajantha Kumara (Head Coach), Y. Nishantha Kumara (Master in Charge – Senior), L. P. Weeraman (Deputy Principal –
Sports), Kaveen Rukshan (Captain), Mr. Janaka Peduruheva (Principal), Arosha Udayanga (Vice Captain), Mr. M.W. Ajith (Prefect of Games), Mr.
Jagath Samarakoon (Master in charge – Junior), Mr. Sachith Lakmal (Asst. Coach)
Standing (Middle row) – left to right – Dineth Pahasara, Thiyon Helika, Vinupa Nethmira, Sahanjith Irugalbandara, Dulisth Darshana, Senuka
Dangamuwa, Sadew Nethmina, Manitha Rajapaksha, Vishmitha Sathsara, Charya Paranavithana, Randula Mabarana
Standing (Back row) – left to right – Sajeew Punsara, Sehas Ashinsa, Kaveesha Githmal, Thevindu Rashmika
by Reemus Fernando
CR & FC huffed and puffed before beating Havelocks Sports Club 25-24 in a keenly contested Clifford Cup semi final game worked off in Colombo yesterday before booking their berth in Sunday’s rugby final, scheduled to take place in Kandy.
In Sunday’s final, CR will meet Kandy SC, the winner of the first semi final.
CR dominated the first half, but Havies came from behind in the second half to be in contention of pulling the game off till the last minute. Havelocks’ chances were boosted with two powerful tries coming from Chathura Dilshan late in the second half. But unpardonable mistakes by the men in the pink and chocolate jerseys helped CR to slip away with the game. Havelocks gave away two yellow cards during extra time in the second half.
The winners collected their points through three tries, two conversions and two penalties while Havelocks responded with three converted tries and a penalty. The winners led 15-10 at half time. Referee Raveen Alexander controlled the game.
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