Menaka from the backwoods to soccer stardom
View(s):Menaka Dissanayake rewrote the history books of Sri Lanka football when she became the first Sri Lankan woman coach to successfully qualify for the International License Course conducted by the England Football Association.
Menaka, the coach of Sri Lanka Under-16 Girls’ team completed her historic assignment at St. Georges Park in Staffordshire, England from September 13 to 28, where a total of 22 participants underwent the training programme. Out of the 22 participants from countries like Spain, Brazil, England, South Africa, Korea, China, Japan and Germany, Menaka became one of the six coaches who got through with Intermediate Level. This has made her eligible to be assigned to a Youth Academy in London in near future for further training.
Menaka is the first ever women’s football coach selected and nominated by Asian Football Confederation (AFC) from Sri Lanka for this highly recognised course. She already processes an AFC ‘C’ license coaching certificate and has undergone the FIFA Goalkeeping Course earlier on in her career.
Presently she is the head coach of Sri Lanka Under-16 Girls’ team and prior to this appointment she was the assistant coach of the Sri Lanka Women’s team that participated in South Asian Football Federation Championship. Menaka is a product of Sri Rahula Maha Vidyalaya Badulla and is now a Physical Education Teacher at Meegahakiula Maha Vidyalaya under Ministry of Education in Uva Province.