Isipathana celebrates hockey golden jubilee on March 10
Isipathana College celebrates 50 years of hockey this year. The game was introduced in the year 1968 by its first master-in-charge of the game, the late Kenneth Samuel Nayagam and has continued to this date producing many hockey players who have gone on to represent the country and its administration.
The Golden Jubilee will be celebrated with an inter-house hockey tournament on Saturday March 10, where students will represent the various Houses of the school - Iqbal, Milton, Rahula and Tagore.
The tournament will be conducted under the following age groups namely Under 9, 11, 14, 16 and 18 and will be held at the college grounds from 8am to 5pm and will end with an awards ceremony after an exhibition match between the old boys and the current college team. The annual inter-house hockey tournament commenced in 1986 was the brain child of veteran old boy Shriran Masaroon. Last year Tagore House emerged champions. The tournament provides the opportunity to identify young talent and groom them to represent the college.
Last year five students represented the Colombo Schools District team that emerged winners at the inter-provincial hockey tournament. This year old boy Thilina Dhananjaya who is with the Sri Lanka Hockey team is currently on an overseas tour, while four old Isipathanaians will be representing the Mercantile Hockey Association Team on their tour to Malaysia this week, with past player Asif Bari as an official.
The first Isipathanian to represent Sri Lanka Hockey was B.M.R. Preena (1972). He was selected to the national team while as a student. Recently old boy Mohamed Naushad was appointed an international umpire.
To assist the sport in college a Hockey Trust Fund in the name, Nayagam, the first Master-in-charge was established in 2012 by the Old Boys.
The profits go to support the development of the sport.
The Golden Jubilee of Isipathana Hockey will be celebrated on a grand scale to reflect on these great achievements and motivate students for the future. (BM)