FFSL identifies three players from St. Henry’s Ilavalai as future stars
A well deserved win for the less blessed, yet spirited boys from Jaffna - Pic by Amila Gamage
St. Henry’s College Ilavalai, Jaffna a leading school in the Northern Province has shot into the limelight as a revolutionary team in schools football. This school came into the limelight at the Kotmale under 19 schools football tournament when they toppled frontrunners Zahira, Maradana to win a national level trophy. St. Henry’s a Roman Catholic Mission school of the Diocese of Jaffna was established as a boys’ school in Ilavali in 1877. It was named as a Roman Catholic Tamils Boys’ school. Rev. Fr. L. Rodrigo, the Parish Priest of Ilavalai, founded the English school in 1907.
It was named St. Henry’s School after the name of former Bishop of Jaffna, Rt. Revd Dr. Henry Julian. Due the war which prevailed in the last six years sports suffered at S. Henry’s but prior to that they were top level school in football having won the Singer Shield and the ANCL Trophy about 37 years ago. After the war St. Henry’s won the third place at the islandwide soccer championship which was won by Zahira Maradana with Maris Stella Negombo taking second place. St. Henry’s were able to win the third place in the competition held last year.
Other than that St. Henry’s Ilavali won the Sam Wijesinghe Trophy at the competition conducted by Ananda College Colombo. They were also able to win the Physical Training Trophy during the past few years. They have also been winning championships in kabaddi, athletics and football in the Northern Province. The under 19 football coach of St. Henry’s is M.D. Vijayakumara. Master-In-Charge is Rev. Fr. P. Rexori.
At the Kotmale Trophy football tournament three players have been spotted by the Sri Lanka Football Federation as future stars. They are: Ukantheeswaran Amalraj, Alfred Benedict Anojan and Sebamalainayagam Jude Suban.
According to Secretary of the Sri Lanka Football Federation these players are ear-marked to represent Sri Lanka in football.
The present Principal of St. Henry’s is Rev. Fr. Joseph Anthonypillai Jesudasan. He works round the clock to see that the school does well in studies as well as sports. He witnessed the football final and said that if there was opportunities that the school will be able to produce several football stars. Around 600 students are currently studying from Grade One to the Advanced Level. Even though St. Henry’s is a boys’ school girls are also studying in the Advanced Level Class.
The old boys also give a lot of support to sports. This was evident at the turn out to witness the Kotmale Trophy football final held in Colombo. The president of the Old Boys Union of St. Henry’s Ilavali Colombo Branch is Rtd DIG, now a lawyer Noel Francis. Speaking to the Sunday Times Noel Francis said that the school has been producing top level sportsmen but they have been hassled with the war which prevailed in the country. “With the help of the old boys we are planning to give all possible help to sportsmen,” he said.
The St. Henry’s College under 19 football team: Sivakumaran Krishanth, Alfred Thanesh, Alfred Benedict Anojan, Gnaneswaran Antonyraj, Benedict Xavier Kanistan, Renard Johnson John Patrick, Nesarasa Antony Ramesh, Rexus Amalathas Mathusan, Sivakumaran Rubanraj, Sebamalainayagam Jude Suban, Ukantheeswaran Amalraj, Premkumar Sinthujan, Muthulingam Kilaxshan, Ratheeswaran Thanuraj, Johnson Dinald, Vensislas Edveen James, Karunaharan Kajendran, Thankarasa Ajith, Pararasasingam Krishanth, Thomas Jo Angelo, Ananthakumar Kajeevan, Emmanuel Kabistan Kavon, Johnson Anne Henry, Francis Selvarasa Siyansan.