Netball has arrived in Seenigama thanks to the Laureus funded Seenigama Sport for Life project, run by the Foundation of Goodness at its beautiful sports complex in the heart of the tsunami-hit southern coast of Sri Lanka.

The Foundation of Goodness is able to introduce netball coaching to the rural communities in and around Seenigama, as part of its work to break down barriers to participation in sport. Netball has long been popular with girls in the villages, with club teams meeting regularly to play.

Now, with the introduction of Netball Coach, Nadika, to the Seenigama Sports Academy team in June 2009, new standards of training and management have come about. Based at the Outdoor Sports Centre in Seenigama Sports Academy, the Seenigama Netball Team trains twice a week, while Nadika also provides training at three Laureus project schools in the region-  Saralankara school in Gonapinuwala, Sri Sumangala College in Hikkaduwa and Prajapathi Girls School in Ambalangoda (which includes the Seenigama Club team).  This training gives 65 girls access to their favourite sport, while they also benefit from the life-skills and community work programmes organised to improve the physical, mental and social health of rural communities as part of the long-term sustainable development of villages in the region.

To celebrate the introduction of the netball programme, the Seenigama Sports Academy hosted its first ‘inter-school netball competition’ on Saturday 23rd January 2010. 8 schools participated, with 13 teams competing in the u15 and u17 age group categories, while fun games were held for the school staff and coaches. In total 168 people participated in this day of sports.

The day was beautifully organised by the Foundation of Goodness sports staff, with courts set up on the Seenigama Sri Wimala Buddhi MV Oval and parents filling the ground to watch their daughters participate.
Awards were presented to the runners up and winners in each age group, with best shooter (also called ‘Best Shouter’ by FoG announcer Manaram, causing much hilarity from the children who are also learning English as part of the Foundation of Goodness’ holistic community development model), best defender and best all-rounder.

In the U -15 category, the champions were Southland Girls School form Galle, and the Runners-up were Dharmashoka College from Ambalangoda. In the u17 category the Seenigama Club Team (whose players come from Prajapathi Girls School, Ambalangoda) were champions, while the Runners up were Dharmashoka College, also from Ambalangoda.
Kushil notes that “sport is a great force for good in our community. Nothing teaches equality and opportunity, leadership and teamwork like sport does. It has been a vital tool for us to overcome the trauma and community fragmentation left in the wake of the tsunami. Today- five years on- sport continues to be central to our efforts to build sustainable communities and to bridge the gap between urban and rural sectors.”

2010.01.25