Milo Trophy Netball from May 16
The Schools Netball Championship for the Milo Trophy 2014 will begin on May 16 and continue until June 29 at 15 centres across Sri Lanka. This was disclosed at the official launching ceremony held in Colombo with officials from Sri Lanka Schools Netball Association (SLSNA) and Nestle Lanka gracing the occasion.
Holy Family Convent (in red) are the hot favourites
The tournament conducted in four age categories, Under-12, 14, 16 and 18 will be played in two divisions. The 15 centres designated across Sri Lanka will host the regional tournaments before it reaches the All-Island stage, where four teams each will qualify from each centre.
The first of the regional competitions will set off at Ampara on May 16 and 17 followed by the Kandy leg on May 24 and 25. Matale will hold its competitions on May 27. Centres at Kurunegala and Anuradhapura will host their competitions on May 28 and 29. The Jaffna leg will be held on May 29 while on May 30 the centre at Kalutara will come active.The busiest centre of all according to SLSNA officials is Homagama and it will hold the competitions on May 31 and June 1. Ratnapura will hold competitions on June 1 while Puttalam and Galle legs are slotted for June 2. Matara competitions are scheduled for June 3 while Badulla will hold competitions on June 2 and 3. The Gampaha leg will be held on June 7 and 8 and the regional competitions will culminate with the Colombo leg which is scheduled for June 28 and 29.
According to SLSNA officials closer to 1200 teams have already registered from over 700 schools and numbers may increase. The competition was initiated by netball stalwart Olivia Gamage under the guidance of Sunil Jayaweera, the Deputy Director General of Sports and Physical Education in 1991. The competition has ever since is being sponsored by Milo and this is the 23rd consecutive year the benefactor has come forward to sponsor the event.
Last year the All-Island Championship was held at the Piliyandala Central College ground. The main title, the Under-18 age category, was won by Kalutara Balika Vidyalaya who beat Musaeus College in the final. The Division ‘B’ of the same age category was won by Ketapath Vehera Vidyalaya who beat Bandarapola Maha Vidyalaya.
Holy Family Convent Kurunegala won the Under-16 and Under-14 age category titles while finishing off third in the Under-18 age group. Gothami Balika Vidyalaya and Sri Siddhartha Vidyalaya Eppawala emerged runners-up respectively in the Under-16 and Under-14 age groups. Mahaketiya MV Wariyapola beat Yatihena Kanishta Vidyalata to win the Under-16 Division ‘B’ title while Sangaraja Vidyalaya Keragala won the Under-14 Division ‘B; championship beating Bauddha Maha Vidyalaya Gampola.