Deepthi Alwis ready to face Netball Challenge
Taking part in the World Cup Netball Tournament is a big challenge and it is just two months away. We will be facing the worlds best and that too in Sydney, Australia. Nevertheless it is a challenge and we must not take a back step. I am ready to face the challenge, said Deepthi Alwis, the new national netball coach in an interview with the Daily Mirror.
Deepthi was selected by an interview board consisting of five chaired by the President of the Netball Federation Yasa Ramachandra. The others in the panel were: Yasmin Dharmaratne, Olivia Gamage, Malini Edirisooriya and Trixie Nanayakkara. Two qualified coaches faced the interview board they were Deepthi Alwis and I.R. Tissera. From these two the interview board recommended Deepthi Alwis to be the coach of the Sri Lankan team for the Australian campaign,
Trixie Nanayakkara stated that both candidates had scored less than 50 marks and she was not in favour of either of them and declined to support any of the two. According to Trixi both of them are not qualified and had not provided the necessary documents.
Netball President Yasa Ramachandra however said both Deepthi Alwis and I.R. Tissera are experienced coaches. Deepthi functioned as national coach last year as well and five out of the panel which selected Deepthi was of the opinion that she was most suited and recommended her to the Sports Ministry.
Deepthi pointed out that to be the second best in Asia is not an easy task. But now that they are in the World Cup, they will not relax and will go all out to do their best at the world event. “It is not suited to quit from the contest just because there is not enough time. As I said before, this is a challenge and I am ready to give off my best and I am sure the team too will be with me to do the same”, pointed out Deepthi.
Continuing Deepthi said, “Sri Lanka had been the top team in Asia on several occasions and that has eluded the local for some time. The World Cup is the chance to show off our capabilities. Our main aim will be to topple Singapore as they beat us convincingly in the Asian Championships in Singapore in September 2014. According to the latest world rankings, Sri Lanka is lying in 24th position. Singapore has advanced to 17th position. In the World Cup contest held in 2011, Sri Lanka won 14th place and Singapore were in 15th position. This is another reason why we should get the better of Singapore at the world event”, elaborated Deepthi. Speaking on the netball pool, Deepthi said that players in the pool are very young. “I plan to develop their skills and strategy, team work should be improved and players should develop the ability to play in any position. It is sad to note that the team does not have any experienced players but we should not lose heart about it. We should not be sad that the world’s best shooter Tharjani Shivaligam is no longer with us as she has decided to retire. We should train another to take her place; we should concentrate on playing and playing well. That should be our aim”, pointed out Deepthi.
Also she said that the task of the players and the coach should be to play the game and not to interfere in the administration of the game.
Deepthi Alwis hails from Swarnapali Balika Anuradhapura. She represented Sri Lanka for
Deepthi was selected by an interview board consisting of five chaired by the President of the Netball Federation Yasa Ramachandra.The others in the panel were:Yasmin Dharmaratne, Olivia Gamage, Malini Edirisooriya and Trixie Nanayakkara.Two qualified coaches faced the interview board they were Deepthi Alwis and I.R.Tissera. From these two the interview board recommended Deepthi Alwis to be the coach of the Sri Lankan team for the Australian campaign,
the first time as a player in 1986 and she was the youngest player and was named as the ‘Baby’ of the team then. She was a member of the 1990 Sri Lanka team which won the Asian Netball Championship. In 1995-1996 she captained the Sri Lanka team. She participated in three World Cups – 1986 (Scotland), 1991 (Melbourne) and 195 (Birmingham), She has taken part in three Asian Championships - 1990, 1993 and 1997. In two of these events Sri Lanka emerged champions,
In 1997, she won the award for the Best Player and the award for the Most Popular Player. In 1997 she started a club named Gampaha Deepthi Sports Club and several netball players were produced by this club. Semini Alwis, who has earned a name for herself as an outstanding player is Deepthi’s daughter she even represented Sri Lanka at the Asian Championships in Singapore last year.
Deepthi was also the head of the team which won the Bahrain Championship in 2000. She was also assistant coach of the Sri Lanka team which won the Asian Junior Championship in 2004 and 2006. She was assistant coach of the Sri Lanka team in 2008. She was appointed as the national coach in 2014 for the Singapore Asian Championships but could not make the tour.
She has been functioning as the coach of the Ports Authority team for several years and holds an executive level job at Ports Authority.