Schools handball c’ships today and tomorrow

Anuradha ABEYSEKERA

The inaugural All Island Inter-Schools Handball Championship will be held today and tomorrow at the D. S. Senanayaka College ground Colombo. Sri Lanka Schools’ Handball Association (SLSHA) with the assistance of Sri Lanka Handball Federation (SLHF) organizes the event. The sports was introduced to the local school fraternity just four months ago and this will be the first championship of this kind.

As a starter, there will be only two age category events in the inaugural championship, under-15 and 19 girls and boys. There will be 1080 players in action representing 72 teams.

Even though the standard format of a handball match is to have two halves of 30 minutes with a 10 minute break, the tournament will be conducted in two 10 minutes segments with a five minutes break for the under-19 category while an under-15 match will be played for two halves of seven minuets each with a two minute break. The teams will battle for the Col. Raja Gunasekara Challenge Trophy in each age category.

SLSHA Secretary I. W. Kapila Pradeep said at a press briefing held regarding the tournament that it is due to the untiring efforts of all teachers in charge involved in, handball became very poplar this soon.

SLSHA President and D.S. Senanayaka College Principal D. M. D. Disanayake said that they have succeed in the difficult task of bringing the sport to all parts of the country withing a very short period and achieved a significant milestone by including more than 1000 participants in the first ever schools’ tournament.

He also appreciated the main sponsors NEO Homes Pvt. Ltd for supporting the sport from the initial stage, keeping faith on the future of this game.