If you grew up in the Sri Lankan school circuit, you know the type: the guy who seems to be everywhere at once. Whether he was leading the hockey team, scoring last-minute winners in rugby, or winning Best Actor at the Shakespeare’s, Taariq Jurangpathy did it all.
In this chat, Taariq takes a break from the daily grind to look back at 14 years of a pretty incredible boyhood. He opens up about the influence of his brothers, the ride or die friendships built in the drama cast, and why he thinks kids today should jump into every activity they possibly can. It’s a nostalgic, honest look at what happens when you truly make the most of your school days.
During his schooling days, Taariq Jurangpathy was a Hockey Captain, rugby player, Prefect, Choir leader, Drama Society leader, won best actor in the All-Island Shakespeare drama competition and the list goes on.
Today we had a chat with him about what he recollects and reminisces about a wonderful 14 years of boyhood days.
Following are excerpts of the interview
If I were to ask you about engaging in sports during school and after leaving school, how'd you describe it?
I believe depending on how long after school you actually take part in sports, your experience is going to differ. In cases where you take a long break and you return to sport, you'll realise it's not the same as how it used to be when you were schooling, but it's always a really good feeling to actually get back and especially if you have the privilege of wearing your school colours and getting back into sport, that really helps to boost your morale and also connect with the school as well.
How did your love affair with sports begin? Let's walk down memory lane
My love affair with sports began from the day I walked into school. I was fortunate enough to have three sporty brothers, who were all older than me.
They led the way for me and they were the ones who introduced me to both sports that I play today.
And, if you notice, anyone who knows the way I play, it's a combination of all three of their playing styles and that's just something that I have developed along the way.
When did you immerse yourself into drama and theatre?
My real entry into drama and theatre was in 2009 when I first took part in the Shakespeare drama competition. I was the youngest cast member for the Wesley College drama cast and it was a very simple role, but of course at that age you take anything seriously and of course given the opportunity to play a little fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream was definitely something that was very interesting. From there on the way it progressed, I would have never thought that I'd go as far as I did, but I think it was a nice way to go forward and end my school career in the way that it did.
How was your experience of being a multi sportsman in multi team sports?
Being a part of multiple team sports within the school environment was actually quite interesting because while it was the same school, the culture in both sports was very different and diverse experiences.
When it came to hockey, I feel like it was a lot more personal because you would see the exact same players playing from the day you walk in all the way up until the day that you leave.
And even to date, when you pick up a hockey stick at Wesley College, it's the same faces that you see. So that has really grown to become family, and especially in a game like hockey, it's never really about age; it's always about skill.
On the other hand, rugby has always been a lot about skill and camaraderie. You're a lot closer to players within your age group and as a result, you really grow to develop and strengthen that bond, especially through the rigorous training that we are put through.
What I liked about both sports was that I got to carry the pros and the cons of each culture basically from hockey to rugby, and whatever knowledge I gain from rugby back to hockey and help the team learn from it.
Tell us about your most memorable moment in hockey?
One of the most memorable moments in hockey was in 2017. I was playing for Colombo Reds in the inter-district nationals and we were playing Matale in the finals and the game tied up and we got a penalty corner. Our key player, was Bodhika Dias, a Nalandian. He was our guy who would usually take the shot at goal. But there were a lot of nerves that came through. I remember pulling him by the collar and giving him that pep talk. I gave him the motivation and I gave him the confidence that he needed to take that shot directly.
And the moment he made that goal that took us to win the championship, that was surely one of the biggest moments in hockey for me, especially in my last year.
You’re most memorable moment / few moments in rugby?
My mind goes back to when we used to play rugby without any shoes—when we were in the Under-12s, Under-14s. We were playing a final game against St. Peter's College and basically I had chipped the ball and I had given an early tackle to one of my opponents. And I was sent out for a yellow card. The young and energetic boy that I was, I came back on the field once I was allowed back in, obviously, and I gave that very same player a 'dead eye'—I gave him a dead stare—and I saw the fear in his eyes. But then what went on to happen at the end was what sort of made it more memorable, because during that very same game we went on to extra time and it was a 'golden try' that’d win the game.
And in a packed stadium in one of those All-Island tournaments, I had just scored the final try that won us that game. It may not be a First XV game that I'm thinking of, but for me, the happiness that I felt as a younger boy was something that I really carried out towards the latter part of my rugby career in school as well.
Another moment that comes to mind is during my final year of school in 2017. We were playing the Sir Oliver Goonetilleke Trophy—this is a traditional game that is played between S. Thomas' College Mt. Lavinia and Wesley College. We were down on the scoreboard; it's the last few moments of the game and the Coach pulls me in and he says, 'Go in, make an impact, and make it work'.
So we're running the phases as it goes and I see an opening on the blind side. I've got my supporting player there as well and that quick change of sides proved to be one of the most important decisions that I had made throughout the entire game where I changed sides, striking a little 'dummy' on one of the key players at S. Thomas'. And hand on an offload to a player that went on to actually represent the College at a very high level - Avantha Lee, and then he goes on to offload it to today's famous Sri Lanka National fly-half/full back, Mursheed Zubair Doray.
And we ended up scoring the winning try of that game. So it was a win at the death of that match and that was another wonderful memory that I have as well.
Walk us through some of the people who inspired and moulded you in your sporting journey?
In terms of people that have moulded me throughout my sporting journey, it’s always been a no-brainer, it’s always been family, and my father’s been a sportsman all throughout his life. I believe that has set the stage for all of us as his children to take on sports and excel in them in the way that we did. Dad was our role model for hockey—and then, of course, in a more modern context, it was my brothers.
My oldest brother was the one who introduced me to rugby of course, he also introduced me to hockey as well, but that was a sport that all four of us took part in. But the person who made me passionate about rugby was my oldest brother.
Who were some of the life changing people you met in drama and theatre and what were your most unforgettable moments?
Drama and theatre is a very special part of my life as well. In terms of life-changing people, to start off, the entire cast of 2016 and 2017, they were people that have really stuck by my side and ended up being my friends to date. They're always my ride or die who I would call in any situation. But apart from the cast, people that really influenced and changed my life in drama were the people that supported us all throughout, from old boys to the directors that we worked with.
The support that we got, especially when we were in school, and of course after I left school, the people mentored me, they've all had a major impact in my life.
In terms of if I was to name one specific director, it would be Kevin Cruze. He was our director for the Wesley College cast in 2016 and 2017.
It was under his guidance that we reached the finals in both consecutive years. And I was fortunate enough, even though it was never something that I was aiming for, I was fortunate enough to win a coveted title of Best Actor in 2016.
And though that was not something that I was really aiming for, the fact that it came through, it wasn't just the happiness that came into my life, but seeing the happiness in the entire cast after we bagged that award and went on to become the second runner-up of the competition.
I think those were some of the key memories and unforgettable moments that I've had in terms of drama and theatre.
As someone who tasted a fruit salad of everything from sports to theatre to academia, what's your advice to the youngsters?
My advice to youngsters is to take the maximum out of their school lives, especially because, look, you’re not going to get another opportunity in life to have the kind of freedom that you do when you are in school, to experience everything that your heart desires.
Whether it be rugby, hockey, athletics, chess, interaction, choir, it can be anything that you can think of—drama—you can have it all.
And this is your one opportunity to make all of that come true, because once you leave school; you have to select your passions.
You can still make it work, but you may not have the same freedom that you did in school and the encouragement.
So, live your life as much as possible; don’t take your time in school for granted. I know we all can’t wait to get out of school, start making that money, and, you know, be able to buy that one thing that we always wanted to buy in school.
But in pursuit of that, never forget to enjoy school life and just have something to be able to talk about when you meet up with your mates—someday when you’ll meet up.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the interviewee, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication