Yesteryear's 'Sportswoman of the Year' Thajudeen here

RICHARD Dwight

Here on holiday from her adopted home, Canada, is Pamela Thajudeen.

A name that does ring a bell to revive memories, as being virtually synonymous with netball.

For the reason that as an extraordinary shoot, she held centre stage during a period ranging from the fifties to the seventies, when in those glorious years netball reigned supreme.

Mild mannered

Age has not withered her, nor custom waned, for she is still the sauve mild mannered friendly person, given to sober disciplined ways, with a cheerful disposition and a sprightly gait.

Pamela who will be returning to Canada shortly spent most of her time here renewing old acquaintances and revisiting those old haunts of scenic beauty, which our country is famous for.

Overcome by a measure of nostalgia, Pamela, in reminiscent mood went back in time to recall the progress she made as a netball player, that led to her becoming the country's foremost shoot of that time.

It all began in the early fifties, when her talent and skill for the game she had come to love, was allowed to blossom out at the Presbyterian Girls High School, Dehiwela.

She represented the school for 4 years in the tournament for the Westrop Challenge Shield and, apart from captaining the team, had the added distinction of being the 'head girl' of the school, a commendable achievement indeed.

Fleet footed as she was, Pamela was nippy and alert to be fast moving on the court with the rare ability of being an outstanding goal shooter no matter the angle or distance. All this did stand in her favour to be selected for the first national team (Ceylon) against Australia in 1956 - this was followed by her playing against the Crusaders as well.

Many followers

In that era ranging from the fifties to the seventies, the Mercantile as well as the State sector, was actively involved in supporting netball - that led to there being many followers at matches.

This being so, and in order to make up teams, players did have the liberty of playing for institutions of their choice at different times. Pamela did avail of this opportunity to play at varied periods for Times of Ceylon, Walkers, Air Ceylon and Browns.

She was certainly the cynosure, to easily catch the eye with her bustling court craft and accurate goal shooting - that led to Times of Ceylon and Walkers emerging Mercantile champions on different occasions.

She did go further ahead when playing for Air Ceylon from 1959 to 1961, the team did extremely well to win the league as well as the knock out tournaments, to be awarded the Xavier Roche Memorial Challenge and the Lalvani Shield for two consecutive years. She continued to be the star performer for Browns too, in the years 1963 to 1965, where she helped Browns to win the league and knockout tournaments for two years running.

Prowess

Pamela's prowess as an excellent goal shoot for Browns was seen when as captain she shot 32 out of the 42 goals against Freudenberg and 41 out of 54 goals against Whittall Boustead which was considered a new high for Mercantile League Netball.

In later years she represented Sugar Corporation along with her daughter, Nelufah and helped the team to the 'C' division champions in 1978. Running almost alongside Mercantile netball, was her contribution as a versatile goal shoot to the clubs Shamrocks and Stadium SC.

Showman

Actively supported by Malcolm Andree, the son of showman the late Donavan Andree, she excelled for Stadium Sports Club enabling them to win the Donovan Andree trophy in 1962 and the all island championship WPNA inter club knockout and league championship in 1963.

In the fitness of time and in keeping abreast with her achievements, she was runner-up as 'Miss Netball' for the years 1963, 64 and 65 and had the immense satisfaction of being adjudged the best goal shooter for the identical corresponding years.

Pamela's pride and joy was, when in recognition and appreciation of her contributions to netball, she was crowned sportswoman of the year in 1965 and in July 1996 she was one of the recipients for national netball awards.

Her contemporaries were Cynthia Rasquinho, Nobel Kiel, Christine Blake, Mignone Fernando, Marlene de Silva, Rajes Nagaratnam, Lorraine Rutnam, June de Kretser, Lorraine St. John Gillian Ranasinghe, Anne Edirisinghe, Masskumbai Azeen, Kamal Kusum and Nihal.

Since the demise of her husband, Pamela has done well by her two sons and a daughter, to be a great grandmother.

Her daughter Nelufa Rameez captained the BRC ladies cricket, hockey and netball teams - in Canada she played cricket for the ladies national side, whilst her son-in-law Rameez who represented Saracens at cricket, does play for Centurian SC in Canada.

Pamela's lament was that netball is certainly not what it was, in the days of yore when much enthusiasm, excitement and keenness prevailed.

Committed coaches

There were, she explained committed coaches, who were dedicated like Nora Pate, her sisters Hilda Perera, Constance and brother Gerry with Trixie Jayasuriya the famed coach. A much retired Pamela, lives a sequestered life looking after her grandchildren and memories of her great days of netball on the Sri Lankan courts to soothen her.