Deepthi’s plan is to make Sri Lanka the best netball team in Asia
Deepthi Alwis
Representing the country as a player and as a coach is a rare honour to any player. Apart from cricket the only other sport discipline that takes part in the World Cup is netball and the newly appointed coach of the netball team Deepthi Alwis revealed to the Sunday Times the challenges that lay ahead as the coach in grooming the side to face stronger opposition at the competition.
As this is the second time she was appointed the national coach, Deepthi said in her first tenure as the coach she devoted her time to up-lift the game of netball in the island in grooming players and advising them to brush up their weaknesses which helped them to be Asia’s second best.
The main reason that she saw at last Asian finals was the difference between Sri Lanka and Singapore lasses were the team work, coordination at play. Deepthi said that the Singaporians stay in sports villages before every tournament for about three months and they train together, practice together and stay together which makes their strong combination and better understanding. They possess modern technology and the government spends a lot of money for the welfare of the team on getting foreign coaches from countries like Australia and New Zealand. They play international matches throughout the year where as our team gets a chance for international exposure only on tournaments overseas.
As members of the Sri Lankan team is scattered all over the island and they assemble at a coaching camp just before the start of a tournament. The nation should salute our players for their dedicated services to the nation even without the necessary requirements.
The coach’s main concern at this competition is to beat Asian sides. Her plan is to groom this team to be Asia’s best at the next Asian championships. She feels it is better to start from the bottom and then to concentrate in winning the World Cup.
Speaking on the progress of the team Deepthi said this young side will miss the opportunity of playing with the senior experienced lot as most of them were not available for selection for the World Cup. She said that wasn’t a big issue as every player senior or junior should realise that they are representing their country and she is sure that this bunch of youngsters will give their best at the World Cup.
As the World Cup is just two months away Deepthi will go flat out in grooming the players and in every aspect of the game, especially to bring them to the peak in fitness by paying special attention to their rhythm, timing, skills and strategies and team work. Deepthi makes the team to think and play as one family which builds a bond among the players.
The coach is very confident that this set of lasses will do well in this edition of the World Cup and with the experience they gain from will help Sri Lanka to be the best netball playing nation of Asia at the next Asian championship. Deepthi’s motto is to ‘Give the country back what you gained from the country’ and keeping this in mind she will see that what she gained as a national netball player is given back to the up and coming players for them to bring pride and glory to their motherland.
Deepthi hails from Anuradhapura Swarnapali Balika Maha Vidyalaya. She represented Sri Lanka in three world cups at netball in 1987 (Scotland), 1991 (Melbourne) and in 1995 Birmingham games. In 1995 under her leadership Sri Lanka beat Scotland and Republic of Ireland to finish 15th at world rankings. She also had taken part in three Asian championships in 1990, 1993 and in 1997 winning the championship in 1990 and 1997.
In 1997 she won the award for the Best Player and the Most Popular Player and received the Presidential award for the service she rendered for the country as a player. She was the Asst. Coach of the Development squad that won the championship at the Bahrain Gulf Championship in 2000. She had performed duties as Asst. Coach of the junior team in several occasions from 2004.