Sri Lanka Schools Under-18 Hockey Championship 2023 concluded recently at the Sir. Albert F. Peiris Stadium in Wennappuwa. In the top division, 24 boys and 21 girls teams took part along with another 10 teams in the boys “B” Division segment.
It was a day of rejoicement for the hometown powerhouse teams of Wennappuwa – St. Joseph Vaz College and Holy Family Convent as they ran away with major honours. In the boys category St. Thomas' College Matale – hailing from the hockey crazy town and St. Joseph Vaz College were declared Joint Champions. Holy Family Convent Wennappuwa were crowned undisputed queens of under-18 hockey after their domination in the tournament to win the championship.
D.S. Senanayake College Colombo clinched the boys “B” Division Championship.
The tournament was organised by Sri Lanka Schools Hockey Association, St. Joseph Vaz College Wennapuwa, Holy Family Convent Wennappuwa, and the Wennappuwa Hockey Association.
The tournament also served as a selection trial for the national under-18 pool. Round 1 of the tourney in the “A” Division was played on a league basis with teams divided into four groups.
Results:
Girls champions – Holy Family Convent Wennappuwa
Boys joint-champions – St. Thomas' College Matale and St. Joseph Vaz College Wennapuwa
3rd place – Zahira College Matale
Plate joint-champions: Vidyartha College Kandy and Maristella College Negembo
Meanwhile, veteran Sports Journalist Narendra Kulatunga, speaking to the Daily Morning Sports noted the lack of an astro turf at the Albert Peiris Stadium in Wennappuwa, like that of the facilities in Colombo and Matale, even though they are in dire straits. Hockey enthusiasts heard some good news of the revamping of the Matale and Colombo turfs recently.
Kulatunga further reiterated: “We must be ashamed. The stakeholders of this sport have not done justice! Sri Lanka as a nation to develop her sporting culture needs astro turfs built in Kandy, Galle, Wennappuwa, and in other parts of the island as well. Also, more astro turfs should be built in Colombo and Matale. If not, our hockey standards will never improve.”