Football to get a facelift
The Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage warned the Sri Lanka Football Federation to join hands with the Sri Lanka Schools Football Association in an attempt to uplift the standard of the game throughout the country.
The Minister pointed out that the main reason for the present crisis in the sport is due to the lack of coordination between the main body and the schools association. The Minister who met the two representatives of the two associations at the Sports Ministry auditorium in Torrington Avenue last week stressed the importance of forming a joint national project as an initial step towards improving the game.
He noted that this project should be completed within a period of one month and further action will be initiated depending on the outcome of this event.
Another area that the Minister pointed out was to increase the number of football playing schools to 1500 from 409 and also to increase the total number of schools tournaments for the year.
The Minster also stressed the importance of providing football coaching to the Physical Trainer Instructors of the Education Ministry and to grant them the D Coaching License following a training session to be held in Colombo.
In addition a further one hundred Training Instructors are to be installed by the Football Federation of Sri Lanka among the football playing schools in the rural areas.
The Minister stated that the Football Federation and the Schools Association should take steps to organize a mega football tournament within the next two months involving all provincial schools (Estimated 4000 teams with 20 from each electorate). This meeting was conducted with the participation of Sports Ministry officials, Deputy CEO of the Football Federation Anura de Silva, President of the Schools Football Association U.D. Ariyaratne and other officials.
spoke to some of the high ranking officials of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka and with the Sri Lanka Schools Football Association to get their views on allegations of not working cordially for the promotion of the game.
The new President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka Ranjith Rodrigo who will assume duties on March 9 said that he agreed with the present situation where there is a lack of coordination with the two bodies.
He promised to look into this crisis as soon as he takes up his duties and stressed the importance of working together with the Education Ministry for the betterment of the sport.
Rodrigo said that the Schools Association should be able to work in a more dynamic way towards improving the sport as they are currently showing no interest at all in sending players to youth development programs which are organized by the FFSL throughout the country.
He stated that this is a very sad situation because they are finding it difficult to get players from the outstation and rural areas due to the lacklustre work by the schools body.
Rodrigo further noted that more players could be introduced to play football from the war affected areas in the North and East and said that his association is ready to provide all technical assistance, equipments and other facilities.
The new President believed that there have been some misunderstandings between the two associations in the past few years but said that with the Sports Minister and the Education Ministry intervening to a good cause there is a bright future for the game n the country.
Meanwhile the President of the Schools Football Association U.D.D.G. Ariyaratne and Principal of Hewawitharana MV Rajagiriya said that their main concern is about the security of the children during the participation of tournaments.
He also stated that there are occasions where the authorities are unable to release the schoolboys due to examinations and other important school activities.
Ariyaratne also noted that these players are granted permission to participate in international and local tournaments by getting the necessary approval of the Education Ministry.
He also stressed the fact that a teacher in charge or an official should accommodate while a schools team is participating in an overseas tournament.
Ariyaratne also stated that the Football Federation should take steps to organize all-youth coaching programs and to provide the necessary guidance to the school coaches.
He also pointed out that schools football coaches should also be given an opportunity to participate in over- seas training programs conducted by the international body.
The President of the Schools Football Association commended the effort by the Sports Minister and vowed to provide his maximum support to make this project a reality.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka Assistant Coach and former Maldives and Division One coach and present director youth development R.M.U. Mahindapala said that the biggest setback is the non availability of coaches among the schools.
He noted that the Football Federation and the Schools Association should get together and work as one unit because most of the schools in the rural areas are struggling without qualified coaches.
Mahindapala believed that the sport could be further upgraded by providing the proper coaching method to the school teaches during the ongoing five day coaching programs conducted by the Football Federation throughout the country.
He stressed the importance of including this coaching program in the schools football calendar and to obtain the C or D coaching license for these teaches for a nominal fee.