The Sports Academy in 2017 2017 was a busy year for the Sports Academy with exciting new partnerships, activities and lots of achievements for our athletes. Outstanding sportsmen and women Cricket
A big congratulations also goes to FoG Ladies Cricketer Kaveesha Dilhari who established a Sri Lanka Schools and World Women’s Cricket record, scoring 353 runs, not out, during an U19 cricket tournament. This is the only recorded triple century by a ladies cricketer.
Kaveesha also had the opportunity represent Sri Lanka as part of the National U23 Ladies Cricket Team on their tour to Thailand from 12th – 19th November along with fellow cricketers Kavindi Parami, Sathya Sandeepani, Iresha Chathurani and Umesha Thimeshani from the FoG Sports Academy. Netball
We are delighted to share the news that former FoG netball player Mandira Charuni toured South Korea as a member of the National Junior Netball Squad participating in the Asian Junior Netball Championship – 2017. Mandira Charuni was a netball player who displayed great talent during her time training and playing with the Foundation of Goodness Sports Academy. In 2014 she was chosen to be a member of the National U19 Netball Team, to play at the 'Waverly International Netball Competition' in Melbourne, Australia where she was selected as the 'Best Defense Player'. In May 2017, Mandira, who is now working at Seylan Bank was selected for the National Junior Netball Team on their tour to South Korea for the Asian Junior Championship. Her impressive playing caught everyone's eye and was named the National Junior Netball Squad Captain for the Junior Netball World Cup to be held in Botswana in July 2017. Swimming
It was a good year for our swimmers at the All Island Novices Swimming Championship - 2017, especially for Sayuri Kawya who came 2nd in the Under-17, 50m Butterfly event. FoG is also proud of the excellent performance by the Sports Academy swimmers at the Southern Province School Games, with the most outstanding performers being Yasindu Kavishani (1st place in 3 U20 categories), Rashan Vihanga (1st place in 2 U18 categories), Dulhara Dinith (1st place in 2 U16 categories), Sayuri Kawya (1st place in 3 U18 categories) and Pranami Apeksha (1st place in 2 U16 categories).
Yasindu Kavishani also placed 2nd at the Sri Lanka National Age group Swimming Competition U19 Breast Stroke event and established a record in the 50m Freestyle event at the Southern Province Swimming Meet XLIII- National Sports Festival 2017 where all 7 participants from FoG gave an outstanding performance, with swimmers Pranami, Sayuri and Kaveesha taking 1st, 2nd and 3rd place at the 100m freestyle event. She also who won 7 gold medals at the R. M. P. De Silva Memorial Inter School Swimming Championship held in Ambalangoda for the following events: 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke. Kavisha Nimsarani from the FoG Sports Academy became the first swimmer from Sri Wimala Buddhi School to advance to an all-island swimming meet, after securing 2nd place at the U16 Butterfly event at the Southern Province Inter-School Swimming Meet. Kavisha Nimalaratne is one of the Senior Squad swimmers at the Sports Academy who began training at the Bryan Adams Foundation Swimming Pool Complex in 2014. It is such a great victory because the school does not have a swimming pool facility, and the only way Kavisha learnt to swim was by attending the Foundation of Goodness swimming classes.
FoG Table Tennis player Sanduni Prabuddhika was a member of the Silver Medal winning Sri Lankan Team to participate in the South Asian Cadet & Junior Table Tennis Championship of 2017. She also became the U12 Singles Champion at the Junior National All Island Table Tennis Championship held at the St. Thomas' College indoor stadium while her teammate Diwya Dharani became the U10 Singles Runner-Up at the same event. Chess
Talented FOG chess player Sasith Nipun Piyumantha won the Bronze Medal at the Sri Lanka Open National Chess Competition and was selected for the National Squad at the age of 16. Sasith is the youngest Sri Lankan Fide Master and was the Vice-Captain of the National U14 Chess Team. He also placed Equal 4th (Open Event) at the 7th Dhamso International Chess Festival where fellow Academy chess player Thisal Manujith became the U12 Champion. Special events:
IRONKIDS Sri Lanka (affiliated with IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo, which will take place in 2018) took place for the first time ever in South Asia facilitated by the Foundation of Goodness with the kind sponsorship of Shangri – LA Hotel on the 30th of September, in an initiative spearheaded by Rajan Thananayagam from Australia with 135 kids from the Southern Province participating in the events which included track and swimming.
Spirit of Soccer in partnership with the Foundation of Goodness introduced 'Mine Risk Education' programmes to northern regions of Sri Lanka to spread awareness about mine safety through sport, to children and youth in the aftermath of the Sri Lankan civil conflict, to ensure their safety and wellbeing. This programme trains a minimum of 500 students every month on mine safety, in an effort to avert the dangers posed by unexploded land mines.
The Murali Goodness Cup Cricket Tournament took place during November with six teams (Foundation of Goodness Academy, Dharmapala Vidyalaya – Kottawa, Asoka Vidyalaya - Colombo, CWW Kannangara Maha Vidyalaya, AustAsia Academy and MDH Jayawardena Maha Vidyalaya) facing off and the Finals taking place in December when the Foundation of Goodness Academy Team took home the trophy. The Foundation of Goodness Academy Cricket Team also participated in the Red Bull Campus Cricket Tournament and made it as far as the Quarter Finals before they were eliminated.
Peace Day Programmes in accordance with the Coaches Across Continents 'One Day One Goal' initiative were organized in both Seenigama and Kilinochchi this year. 30 kids participated in each event which were focused on teaching leadership skills and the value of peace through sports. The MCC Cricket Scholarships for young up-and-coming players were handed over to 10 Under 19 cricketers for the 9th consecutive year by none other than national cricketer Rangana Herath at the Foundation of Goodness head office in Colombo. All the players are from the National U19 Squad or members of the National Development Squad.
With the kind sponsorship of Tokyo Cement, 2 indoor cricket nets and 3 turf wickets at the Hikkaduwa Sri Sumangala MCC Lords Grounds and 2 indoor cricket nets at the Seenigama Surrey Oval were renovated, in an effort to promote and develop rural cricket. Their efforts towards rural cricket development also extends to monthly coaching clinics in the North and South with National Ladies’ Coach Mr. Hemantha Devapriya. This year Foundation of Goodness extended the use of the Bryan Adams Foundation Pool Complex to disabled beneficiaries to aid in their recuperation process, as well as a special Table Tennis programme for them to have fun while learning balance, mobility and regaining their equilibrium after the loss of limbs.
Additionally, Barbara Dietrich from Germany also organised some swimming and cricket training sessions for kids with special needs who participate in weekly dancing classes, at the Foundation of Goodness. The annual Shelton Gunasekera Memorial Swimming Competition took place at FoG's Bryan Adams Foundation Swimming Pool Complex where all of our young swimmers had the chance to show off their talents before Chief Guest Mr. Chirantha De Zoysa, G.M. of Dialog TV & one of the late Mr. Shelton Gunasekera's grandsons. The overall winners were as follows: FoG triathlete Lakruwan Wijesiri has started imparting his knowledge to other young sportsmen through coaching. He has undertaken the training of two young students from Richmond College, Galle and was delighted to share the news that both of his students performed exceptionally well at their school swimming meet, with one of them setting a school record at his event.
Over 40 overseas cricket and netball teams visited us this year for friendly matches including The Northcote United Cricket Club led by Mr. David Talalla who visited the North during their tour of Sri Lanka where they spent time at the FoG Mathagal Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre & the Valvagam Home for the Visually Challenged and even managed to enjoy some cricket with the Jaffna Combined Cricket Team and play netball with the Jaffna St. Patrick's College ladies. The group also donated funds and a variety of items including sports equipment, groceries and books to uplift rural communities. Fundraisers
Oundle School – UK organised a fundraiser ahead of their cricket tour to Sri Lanka and raised GBP 9,000/- towards sustaining English Language Classes at the Foundation of Goodness for the period of one year. The cheque was presented by the team along with their coach, former England test cricketer John Crawley and accepted on behalf of the Foundation of Goodness by our trustee and legendary cricketer Kumar Sangakkara. The team also played a friendly game with the FoG Sports Academy and conducted a coaching clinic towards the end on their Sri Lankan tour, in April.
Barker College - Australia also organised a special cricket match to raise funds for the Foundation of Goodness' humanitarian activities ahead of their tour to Sri Lanka. Special training
Renowned Sri Lankan athlete and Asian Games Gold Medalist Mr. S. L. B. Rosa visited the Foundation of Goodness’ MCC Centre of Excellence and Sports Academy earlier this year, taking the opportunity to share his story with our beneficiaries in order to encourage and motivate rural athletes to succeed.
Swimmer Julian Bolling who represented Sri Lanka thrice at the Olympic Games and has won 15 Gold Medals at the South Asian Games conducted a 2 day coaching clinic for the Sports Academy swimmers, imparting valuable knowledge and training techniques crucial for their development.
National coach Mr. Channa Jayasekera along with Ms. Botheju conducted a volleyball coaching programme for 72 players from the Sri Wimala Buddhi School and a netball coaching camp for 30 players was held at the FoG Sports Academy by National Coach Ms. Hyacinth Wijesinghe and Sensei Yoshihiko Inoue from Japan held a martial arts workshop for the karate students
Mr. Ravi Weerasooriya from Australia conducted a cricket coaching camp for 26 boys at the Seenigama Sports Academy.
Former England Table Tennis player Anusha Seneviratne who delighted our young TT players by donating a Table Tennis Practice Robot also visited Seenigama to engage in a TT training session for our young players to help them develop their skills.
Mark Bawa from Ghana visited the Foundation of Goodness Sports Academy for further training & development to establish standards in setting up their cricket & sports management academy funded by Peter Yobo. During this time he also conducted a special coaching clinic for the FoG players.
Two 2 day coaching programmes for the Sports academy swimmers was conducted by Dhammika Withanachchi and his two daughters from over the course of two months, earlier this year and Soccer and fitness training was conducted for our athletes by Spirit of Soccer Founder Scotty Lee from USA.
Last but certainly not least the amazing Coaches Across Continents team conducted special training programmes over the course of 4 days for the FoG Sports Academy coaches and athletes to enhance and elevate their talents and standards.
29th December 2017 |
