The Golden Era of Basketball in Batticaloa
Basketball was unknown in Batticaloa till the arrival of the American Jesuits who replaced the French Jesuit during the year nineteen forties. In fact it was Rev. Father Hamilton, an early arrival to Batticaloa from the US, who installed the first basket in the quadrangle of St. Michael’s College.
The basket was fitted to one side of the Science Lab and he with some other Jesuits and interested students attempted to basket the ball. With the arrival of Father Ralph Riemen S.J. another American Jesuit in the fifties, basketball took off the ground. Having obtained some unserviceable railway tracks, Father Riemen constructed the first basketball court at St. Michael’s College.
The students picked up the game fast and by the sixties St. Michael’s emerged champions at several national championships. After Father Riemen’s departure to Kalkudah Estate, Fr. Joe Nee S.J, another American Jesuit, took over the task of coaching the college team, It was during this period that both Fr. Nee of St. Michael’s and Fr. Herbert of St.joseph’s Trincomalee that the traditional rivalry between St. Michael’s and St. Joseph’s reached peak rivalry since St. Joseph’s Trinco coached by Fr. Herbert emerged Public Schools Champions. There after Father Weber, the athletic coach and Rajan Nadarajah took over the task of coaching the school team. To the credit of Rajan Nadarajah the team he coached became the junior national champions in
The basket was fitted to one side of the Science Lab and he with some other Jesuits and interested students attempted to basket the ball
the late sixties.
In 1971 Rev. Fr. Eugene Herbert SJ was transferred to St. Michael’s from St. Joseph’s Trincomalee. With his arrival basketball was his priority. He would spend hours coaching the under l3, under 15, under 17 and under 19 teams of the college. It was during this period that St. Michael’s clinched the school national championships in several age groups.
The years 1971 to 1990 were the golden era of basketball under the guidance of Fr. Herbert. He would travel with the team, reside with them and even eat with them. At no stage would he allow the team to be alone. He was the architect of successes of both the College team and the District team when they won the Junior Nationals on six occasions and three consecutive years - 1986,87 and 88 which no other team had achieved so far. If he observed any discrimination by the referee where his team played he would fight tooth and nail to correct the injustice. His early tragic demise was a severe loss to basketball and St. Michael’s.
At this critical period the responsibility fell squarely on the shoulder of Rajan Nadarajah in the absence of any priests in the caliber of Fr. Hebert Rajan who accepted this great task with courage and determination and continued the good work by winning several school championships in the years 1992,93,94,95 and 96. By 1995, Mr. Viren Saravanamuttu was assigned the post of PTI at St. Michael’s. Being a national player, he took over the coaching assignment of the seniors whilst Rajan continued coaching the under 13 team and through his initiative Mr. Mounacurusamy, the then G.A released funds for the construction of this stadium. With Viren taking over the coaching there were victories for the college teams of all groups.
They won the school championships conducted by the Dept. of Education and championships conducted by the Sri Lanka School Basketball Association.
By this time Rev. Father Paul Satkunanayagam S.J. had assumed duties as President of the Batticaloa District Basketball Association and another Jesuit continued his contribution to basketball.
It is to his credit that several tournaments such as Weber Cup, Herbert Cup were worked out in Batticaloa with several teams from the province participating. He was responsible for obtaining the services of the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation to conduct coaching camps for both boys and girls from the age of 13 and above. Having served the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation as its President from 1994 to 1998 and Senior Vice President since then to date, I am proud to record the contribution the Jesuit teachers and students of St. Michael’s College have made towards the game.
The writer Ignatius Canagaretnam is also a former President of the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation.