Fantastic upgrade of OSC Basketball Court
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The Overseas School of Colombo (OSC) recently inaugurated its new and improved basketball court which has been resurfaced and redesigned, adding vibrancy and enthusiasm to the entire campus. The open basketball court – centrally nestled amidst the primary school, middle school and secondary school classrooms – is quite literally the heart of OSC.The decision to upgrade the facility resulted in a complete makeover of the surrounding area as well, which now offers a larger seating capacity, sheltered from the sun, for the OSC community to comfortably enjoy watching the games.
“Planning the new upgrade has been an exciting project. We were looking for something unique and different, and after scrutinising several samples that varied in type, quality and thickness, we finally found our ideal match. Apart from being ultra-convenient and easy to install and remove, the multipurpose surface is exceptionally durable, portable, easily cleanable, and highly versatile in the sense that lines on the court can be scraped off and drawn on accordingly. The surface also offers excellent traction for multi-sport activities – both indoors and outdoors. It has most definitely made the area more attractive to the students, and many more are using the space at break and lunchtimes to showcase their skills. We are looking forward to hosting competitive games against other schools on the new surface in the near future,” stated Steve Turner, the Athletics Director and Head of the Physical and Health Education Department at OSC.
The uniform and durable surface which has been designed and developed for various indoor and outdoor sports has a myriad of advantages. The material allows for consistent ball bounce, thereby offering unmatched playability; it is fast-draining, slip-resistant and suitable for all weather conditions; it requires minimal maintenance and is comparatively economical for its high-quality standards; it is sound-absorbing and is 100 percent recyclable and eco-friendly.
Additionally, the upgraded court has been approved by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), which is a testament to its unmatched calibre. The new playing surface at OSC was designed and installed by Lanka I Tec, which is a homegrown company that specialises in providing innovative court solutions under their ‘Player’ brand for a wide variety of sports in Sri Lanka.
Commenting on the project, Tharindu Fernando, the founder and CEO of ‘Player’ stated: “We are a company that merges sports science and sports technology to provide the best sports experience on par with global standards and in alignment with our motto – ‘Technology for Champions’. Our goal is to develop sports infrastructure in Sri Lanka and elevate it to a level where we, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, will be able to host more international competitions and tournaments here.”
The Overseas School of Colombo celebrates 64 years of excellence in education, having nurtured and empowered its community of learners to achieve global success through the years. As a school that primarily caters to children of the expatriate community in Sri Lanka – serving a transitionary student population, OSC currently has a strength of 400 students representing over 45 different nationalities.
“We are a culturally diverse institution and have always ensured that our facilities are of international standard. OSC is constantly on the lookout for innovative and premium systems, technology and equipment for sports and academics alike, with the aim of offering top-notch facilities for the OSC community. The safety of our students is our utmost priority. And as a professional engineer heading the department of facilities and maintenance, it was imperative that we took additional care in selecting a stellar playing surface that guaranteed safety,” Crishan Fernando, the Head of Facilities and Maintenance at OSC stated.
Founded in 1957, The Overseas School of Colombo is the oldest and most prestigious international school in Sri Lanka, and the only one to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme from Preschool to Grade 12. OSC is driven by the mission to guide its global community towards international and intercultural understanding. It remains highly committed to developing the whole person as a responsible learner, striving for personal excellence within a culturally diverse environment.
“Our new basketball court is incredibly vibrant, and its aesthetic appeal has completely transformed the look of the school. Our students, faculty and staff are extremely thrilled and delighted with the upgrade, and I firmly believe that the ‘Player’ brand has delivered above and beyond our expectations,” Fernando further added.