Among the popular schools in the Kandy region, Nugawela Central College is making a gradual impact as an institution that has the potential in creating precious citizens for the country. Established in 1944 as a result of the visionary CWW Kannangara, the educationalist who spearheaded a programme in creating 54 new schools around the country, Nugawela Central cradles around picturesque mountains and cool climes.

KM Semaratne - Vice Principal	Indrani Samaraweera - POG

Nearly 1500 students of both genders educate themselves at Nugawela Central which has a proud yet prolific history. The school has earned a good reputation for producing well respected personalities in the fields of politics, arts and literature. But lately Nugawela Central has begun to spread its dominance in the sports field too.

“Nugawela Central is a mixed upper school which has classes from the sixth grade and above. We have a very enthusiastic and keen set of students and a committed staff that considers the school as their own. It’s what makes Nugawela Central a leading school in the area,” said the Vice Principal KM Semaratne.

Nugawela Central is located approximately five kilometers from Katugastota towards Kurunegala near two other namesake primary schools of boys’ and girls’. It has nearly 20 active sports and more than 20 different societies or clubs that see the participation of almost every student.

With a good turnout for extra curricular activities the officials of Nugawela Central has made plans to introduce new sports such as chess and handball to its existing list which is lead by athletics. The school also is excelling at a great pace in cricket, rugby, volleyball, netball, boxing, elle and karate.
“Though cricket is a crowd-puller rugby has taken great strides among the students. There is a good participation for rugby and we have boys as well as girls doing the sport with great interest. Unlike at other mixed schools the girls are forward at sports and extra curricular activities.

Their participation makes the boys look petty at some sports,” explained the Prefect of Games, Indrani Samaraweera. The Nugawela Central girls enjoy the privilege of having every sport that is been done by the boys in addition to netball. The school’s cricket team is also making good progress in the local competitions. Though cricket was introduced just about ten years ago it has come to the level of producing the very first national prospect. But according to SWT Buddhika, the master-in-charge of cricket other leading schools grab their talents sighting facilities as a big hurdle which Nugawela Central lascks in many ways.

“We had leg-spinner Saranga Rajaguru who went on to represent Sri Lanka in the ICC Youth Cricket World Cup 2010 in New Zealand. But unfortunately he joined St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota for better prospects and we were not in a position to prevent him from leaving. We do have a ground but it’s just not even enough to hold a junior cricket match. In addition we use matting wickets.”

“When potential players like Rajaguru reach the national level we as a school cannot give him the opportunity of playing on turf wickets. Though these setbacks are hindering our progress as a school we have to think the prospect of our player who can reach the top level. So we sadly had to give him the freedom to walk out and seek his fortunes. We lost another bowler, Dileepa Lakshan to St. Sylvester’s College and he is their leading wicket-taker,” said Buddhika.

Talented cricketers are not the only breed targeted by other leading schools of the area. Nugawela Central has been a very good feeder of rugby players to other schools in and around Kandy. But the officials have managed to prevent and handle the situation wisely at athletics and other sports.

“The ground at our school is one of the best venues for zonal and district competitions in the area. Other than this there is a ground at Galagedara Central which is almost the same in size. It’s another venue even we sometimes make use of. The lack of a proper ground sometimes is taken as an excuse by top schools to grab our athletes. But we are a big family at Nugawela Central and certain transitions are understood to be for the betterment of the individual. But we don’t encourage it to become a regular practice,” Samaraweera who is also a former student and probably the only teacher to have worked for over two decades at the school added.

Vice Principal Semaratne who hails from the remote area of Panama near Pottuvil understands the value of Nugawela Central which he compared to a University. His comparison was fitting as Nugawela Central resembles and surrounds with the similarity of the renowned Peradeniya Campus. The rate of students who enter the school after the grade five scholarship and from the neighboring primary schools, the flying results obtained at the GCE O/L and the number of students who enter the Universities prove Semaratne’s statement to be accurate.

“We have masters-in-charge and teachers-in-charge for each sport. All of them are doing a voluntary job but they are well committed to their assignments. The students are also equally keen in engaging at extra curricular activities. The parents of students who are doing sports are really supportive. But potential talents at many occasions are shunned from taking up sports by many parents who compel the students to attend tuition classes which are actually not necessary. If you take into account, students who are actively doing sports and those in the hostel are ones who get good results at exams. If that barrier could be broken Nugawela Central would do great in all fields,” went on to say Samaraweera.
Semaratne who attributed the fact that every student must engage in extra curricular activities disapproved the parents’ choice of holding back true potential. He compared the student who does not do sport to a girl without good features.

“Parents don’t understand the importance of sports. We as students could not do the sport we liked due to the mere fact of not having the facilities. But nowadays when everything is around you it’s a crime to prevent these youngsters in doing something extra other than studies. We have proved that every aspect of a student’s life can be balanced if they commit to be active in life. Despite a few setbacks such as the lack of a proper ground, funding and facilities Nugawela Central is doing just fine in all areas thanks to the commitment of the students, teachers, the members of the OBA and the parents. Our prime objective is to give the country a well balanced and dynamic citizen. Sports and extra activities are as gems and jewels if life was a necklace; it adds glamour and makes life well balanced,” Semaratne explained.