Udani Edirisinghe making her mark in a male-dominated sport
CH&FC's rugby manager Udani Edirisinghe (second left) in an animated discussion with Tanesh Dias (centre) and coach Rohitha Rajapaksa while captain Sudarshana Muthutantri looks on. Pic by Amila Gamage
When 32-year-old Udani Edirisinghe gets into action as Sri Lanka’s first-ever female manager of a major domestic rugby team, her only concern will be barging into the dressing room of the boys of CH&FC. But, a seasoned campaigner in this business, Udani will fall in line with all the responsibilities as manager, while foregoing her only obstacle.
“I have an assistant manager, Thusitha, a former player from Thurstan College, who will perform that duty on my behalf. Other than that, I have gone through all the toils a rugby manager would go through since 2016 after joining CH&FC,” the former Musaeus College athlete, who played netball, wushu and tennis, told the Sunday Times.
Udani’s feat comes only second to Ishika de Silva, another trend-setter from Musaeus College, who created history last year becoming the first-ever female to be appointed as Captain of the 156-year-old Colombo Rowing Club. Ishika, now 27, was born and bred to become a champion oarswoman, but in Udani’s case, she has never played rugby. But both share things in common – commitment and passion.
“I have been with the club for almost five years now, and I look at players as part of the club, same as I am. Most of them (players) I’m familiar with and even the youngsters know me and respect me. I always maintain my status as a manager with high esteem and camaraderie and in return it has made my task very easy,” she added.
At present Udani is involved with CH&FC in new player recruitment and other affairs such as coordinating with the club’s programme in enrolling its young players to the ICBT Campus. Her head of department, the incumbent head coach of CH&FC, Rohitha Rajapaksa, who will act as a player when needed in the upcoming season, reasoned out Udani’s appointment, which comes with great credential, unknown to many.
“She is a mother-like-figure to many players at CH. Though unknown to many outsiders, she has done yeoman service to the club during the past five years, providing protection, housing, food and care to many of these youngsters at CH with her equally supportive husband. She has been the guiding light to many of our players, and thus we all thought Udani should be given the deserving return for all what she has done for the club,” Rohitha Rajapaksa stated.
In addition she has a cordial and healthy relationship with the club management as well as the team management, which shows great promise and motivation to other females to go ahead in fields dominated by men.
“This is my full time job and I love it,” said Udani, who is married to an Air Force pilot.
“My husband motivates me and he’s totally fine in me doing this, so-called odd job,” she explained, adding that even her schoolmates from Musaeus are returning with positive feedback.
Udani joined CH&FC in 2016 as the assistant manager of the rugby team, which was managed by Dhammika Medagedara until this season. She continued in her role as the assistant manager, equipping herself to take up a bigger task at any given time.
She also had a firsthand experience as team manager of Colvetel, who emerged Bowl runners-up in the Mercantile Rugby 7s in 2017. Udani is anxiously looking forward to play her new role on-field as the new manager of the Maitland Crescent club in the upcoming club season, performing at her full capacity from day one.
“It’s nothing new for me actually. I have done most of on-field activities during the five years with CH and it will be just my responsibility to see all runs smooth for my team during the whole season. After all I’m part of it,” Udani said proudly.
At present CH&FC is keen on creating an environment where players could easily come out from schools as rugby players and pursue a career in addition to their abilities, while many senior players are assured with employment opportunities. Udani, as the manager also plays a prominent role in CH&FC’s current mission, according to coach Rajapaksa.
“We all know Kandy SC has this cemented structure and culture where players are guaranteed with a career and afterlife from rugby. CH, as a pioneer rugby club, wants to create that similar guarantee, culture and surrounding in Colombo, where life has become a chaotic struggle, not only for rugby players. We want to see players leave school, join CH, and pursue higher education through the club and then seek employment, and in return restore that much needed loyalty to a club. We will recreate that and Udani is playing a huge role in that mission,” Rajapaksa explained.
If all goes well for Udani, she could proudly claim in the future of being part of a team that was in the forefront to change the culture of rugby in the country’s capital, Colombo back to its former glory. But in case of playing a woman’s role in a world dominated by men, mainly in rugby, Udani is certainly not an amateur and she would definitely be a role model for others to follow.