Col. Anthonisz takes over as Squash Federation president

FORMER Thomian Sportsman Colonel Rohan Anthonisz was elected as the President of the Sri Lanka Squash Federation at the Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Squash Federation held on 28th March 2005, at the Austasia Sports Private Ltd, Thalawathugoda, where he won a keenly contested election comfortably.

Colonel Rohan Anthonisz represented the College First XI Cricket team during the period from 1977 to 1980. He was awarded 'Cricket colours' in the years 1978, 1979 and 1980 and was a member of the Royal Thomian Centenary Cricket match, where he opened batting for his college in 1980.

Although, Squash was not a Sport played during his school days, subsequent to joining the Sri Lanka Army he entered into the Sport with a new found vigour.

He also represented St Thomas College at Tennis and Table Tennis and whilst representing the college at cricket he also played cricket for the Sinhalese Sports Club. After joining the Army, he represented the Sri Lanka Army in Squash.

In 1980, Colonel Anthonisz joined the Sri Lanka Army as an Officer Cadet and on completion of his basic training at the Sri Lanka Military Academy at Diyatalawa he was commissioned as an officer into the Regiment of Artillery. He also represented the Sri Lanka Army at Cricket in the First Division and later had the distinction of captaining the side.

Colonel Rohan Anthonisz has been a keen Squash player and has represented the Sri Lanka Army at the Defence Services Squash tournaments and played in tournaments organised by the Federation.

Due to exigencies of service, Colonel Anthonisz had to curtail his cricket as well as his squash involvements but continued to play the game only when on leave from his official duties in the operational areas.

He has also performed duties as the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Army Squash Committee and was a Committee member of the Sri Lanka Squash Federation, during which period the Sri Lanka Army was able to produce two National Champions in the Ladies events.

Even though he was employed out of Colombo, he has kept in close touch with Squash and although out of the official committee of the Sri Lanka Squash Federation, he found sponsorship for the Junior National in 2003, when sponsorship was lacking.

Unfortunately, the development of the game of Squash has been somewhat retarded by the absence of a "HOME" of their own for the Sri Lanka Squash Federation, although it has been in existence for the past twenty five years.

Hence, the 'Vision' of the newly elected President is to take Squash to the outstation with the prime intention of developing the game and his main aim is to construct a 'National Squash Complex', which would help to encourage a new generation of Squash players and further popularize the Sport in Sri Lanka.