SLASU to dive deep for future of all four aquatics sports
Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) intends to request the Ministry of Sports to obtain services of Chinese coaches for the national coaching set up on a long term plan. Through this SLASU intends to seriously focus on four categories of aquatic sports, as the coaches would be drafted under the China-Sri Lanka cultural programme.
Chinese aquatic sports has seen a tremendous rate of success internationally, being among the top five in the world rankings and Olympics in all four categories — swimming, diving, waterpolo and the artistic swimming.
“China is one of the best in aquatic sports in the world, hence SLASU is looking for Chinese coaches for the national set up through the China-Sri Lanka governments to develop all four categories,” stated SLASU President Nethru Nanayakkara.
The SLASU President is optimistic that through the bilateral mutual programmes between the two countries, Sri Lanka can by far obtain the services of Chinese coaches, possibly without charges.
“I have no doubt that it will add another dimension to our development programme, which will bring positive long term benefits to our athletes,” Nanayakkara added.
In addition SLASU will divide the country’s planning areas into four aquatic sports zones when conducting future programmes and events. SLASU expects to conduct tournaments to harness the extraordinary talent from the outstation, as the most of the top class swimmers in the country are produced only from Colombo in general.
Through this system, each zone will consist of two or three provinces and there will be separate regional associations under the country’s aquatic sports controlling body, SLASU.
Through this zonal associations, the aquatic sports controlling body will conduct Inter-Zonal Meets apart from the Internal Zone Tournaments in the near future to change the whole shape of aquatic sports across the island.
“They will have their own meets as the same meets we have in Colombo. Actually, there’s a provision in the constitution for that. So it’s all done,” SLASU President stressed.
Meanwhile, SLASU has decided to conduct a FINA recognised course for the aquatic sports coaches to offer a Level I coaching certificate for the all the aquatic sports coaches islandwide.
Two leading swimming coaches, Manoj Abeysinghe and Julian Bolling have been conducting academies successfully with their vast knowledge and experience and the SLASU wishes to bring the up-and-coming young coaches in the country into a more professional level.
“Currently, there are three or four coaching associations. In order to bring everybody under one qualification we want to hold a Level I course. What we want to do is to make the coaches more professional,” explained Nanayakkara. “It is not compulsory but every coach who needs a FINA recognised coaching certificate, can follow the SLASU course,” Nanayakkara pointed out.