Hillwood Girls College to give sports a filip

Hafiz Marikar

Hillwood Girls College, Kandy is one of the prestigious girls school in the Central Hills of Sri Lanka steeped in rich history and traditions. The school has stood the test of time to complete 120 years.

The Principal Sudarshani Hettige a keen follower of sports, is all out to do her best to promote all sports with the enthusiasm coming from the School Manager Col. Ananda de Alwis, Vice Principal Nelum de Alwis and the rest of the academic staff and old girls.

And also the Bishop of Kurunagala Shantha Francis who is the Chairman. She has already planned to start off with sports in the coming year. They encourage students to take part in sport in an attempt to nurture a child who will be able to accept victory as well as defeat in good spirit.

The students have displayed their abilities in different sports bringing honor to the school. This school has organized games such as Netball, Tennis, Table-Tennis, Badminton, Chess, Hockey, Basketball, Swimming, and Athletics at school, provincial and National level.

Tennis was perhaps the first game introduced to Hillwood. They have one of the best tennis courts. Netball was first introduced in 1921 and was the second school in the country to play netball. It is interesting to note that these games, were played for a number of years with the players in Kandyan Saree. In 1947 the Saree-clad Hillwood netball team became the Central Province champions.

The 2012 netball tournament for Central Province schools was held at Matale Bernard Aluwihare Stadium in end of May this year. After winning their way through from district and zonal to the National Schools Provincial Tournaments, Hillwood Netball teams dominated the event at Matale.

Under - 15 team came to the semi-finals while the Under - 17 and Under - 19 teams went through to the finals. Hillwood Under - 17 team played against Kandy Girls' High School and emerged the champions. Under 19 team played the finals with Kandy Girls' High School and placed Runner-up.Lawn Tennis has always been Hillwood's keenest and most popular game. Hillwood is one of the girl's school which continues to play tennis in Kandy. Stool-ball was yet another of the games played by the Hillwoodians, and was a favorite game. It is no longer played, but they are keen to bring back the sport. The founders of the school and all succeeding principals realized the importance of sports and gave due weightage to the physical development of the child. Today Hillwood College is able to boast of a student population of around 2000 with an ever growing demand for admission.

The school has a blend of well qualified and experienced professional academic staff that impart knowledge as well as inculcates discipline and values to the future generations.

Apart from these the school has established foreign links with wider opportunities to grow, gain experience and exposure to the global village is done in the form of groups with links in UK and Germany. The Principal had to say this "This is the Lord doings. Its marvelous in our sight"