Netball pool to undergo foreign training
View(s):Players in the Sri Lanka national pool will undertake a foreign training tour to Australia, New Zealand or England. This has been decided upon by the Sri Lanka Netball Federation.
This will be in preparation for the 10th Asian Senior Netball Championships to be held in Thailand from July 30 to August 7. Currently an 89 member pool is in training for the event. The pool will be reduced to 21 in the near future and all 21 players we will try our real best to send all 21 players on this tour. This was stated by Yasa Ramachandra, President of the Sri Lanka Netball Federation.
Yasa Ramachandra went on to say that the Sports Ministry has agreed to provide air tickets and the Sri Lanka Netball Federation (SLNF) is in contact with Sri Lankans residing abroad to supply them with meals and accommodation to these players during the training stint abroad, which will be to a period of two weeks only. According to Yasa Ramachandra the SLNF officials are now working around the clock to make this tour a reality.
Yasa, however, pointed out that finding a coach on this proposed tour could be a problem. She also said that traveling to venues abroad will also cause additional expenses. All this is aimed at the 10th Asian Senior Netball Championships where an 89 member pool is currently in training. This pool will be reduced to 30 after trials at the Sports Ministry which ends today.
Sri Lanka last won a senior Asian Championship in 2009 in the competition held in Sri Lanka. After that Sri Lanka succumbed to defeats at the hands of Sri Lanka 2012 and 2014. Sri Lanka winning team in 2009 was ably led by Damayanthi Jayatilleke.
In the history of the tournament Sri Lanka has triumphed on four occasions. They were in 1989, 1997, 2001 and 2009. In 2012 Sri Lanka lost by a single goal to Singapore – 47:48. In the last edition held in Singapore (2014) Sri Lanka lost by 18 goals. The final tally being 41-59 in favour of Singapore.
In the last World Cup in Sydney last year Sri Lanka occupied 16th place out 16 countries. Singapore was in 15th position. According to the latest World Rankings Singapore is in 15th position and Sri Lanka has fallen down to 24th position.
Sri Lanka has not appointed a coach for the Asian Championships as yet but have called for applications where leading five coaches including three national skippers and players have applied. They are: Somitha De Alwis, P.D. Prasadi and former national coach Deepthi Alwis. All three have captained and taken part in Asian Championships and World Cup.
Yasa Ramachandra says that the coach and an assistant coach to the team will be appointed after the South Asian Games after interviews are conducted. The final 12 for the Senior Asian Championships will be named only after the training stint abroad.
- SP