Netball boss keen to build headquarters and permanent court
View(s):By Bandula Molligoda
The newly elected President of the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka Lakshmi Victoria believes that the sport could be further improved with the backing of all former and present officials.
The Manager of the Peoples Bank and former schoolgirl of Maliyadeva Girls School Kurunegala collected a total of 25 votes to beat her main rival Trixie Nanayakkara who managed to obtain only eight votes at the AGM held on Thursday at the Sports Development Department in Torrington Avenue.
Lakshmi Victoria
Victoria speaking to the Sunday Times soon after her success urged all former and present stalwarts of the game to rally around her to convert the game into the highest level. She stated that high priority will be given towards winning the World Youth Netball Championships in Brunei this year and the next Asian Championships in Singapore next year.
She also said that a short term plan will be launched to reach the top 12 in the World Rankings which will then enable the country to participate in the Commonwealth Netball Championships.
The new President also added that she has three main targets and few more plans in mind to develop netball in the country in an attempt to lift the sport to the highest level.She stated that at the moment there is no permanent office for the federation and an official court for the national team for practices and they need to move into several places for their regular practice and training sessions.
She said that she intend putting up a netball headquarters by requesting a suitable land from Colombo from the Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and through the sponsorship of other companies.
Victoria who was the first schoolgirl to represent the national pool believed that discipline in the administration and transactions and proper handling of the financial sector are the key areas for the success of the federation.
The new President also believed that there is plenty of talent in the outstations and the rural areas which should be identified and nurtured for the betterment of the game in the country.
She stated that her main idea in contesting the post of president was to guide the Sri Lankan team in the correct path at this crucial period after having lost the Asian Championship final to Singapore.
Victoria is the first of six women’s cadet officers to join Sri Lanka Army and later went on to captain the Sri Lanka Army Sports Club and was also promoted to the rank of Captain.
Victoria left the force and joined People’s Bank and later functioned as the financial coordinating officer between the Sports Ministry and the Sri Lanka Netball Federation.
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