Kalika honoured for his yeoman services to VB

DSI Super Sport Schools Volleyball from Oct. 16:

Bernard PERERA

VOLLEYBALL: The All island DSI Super Sport Inter-School Volleyball champion for the year 2006 is to be commenced on October 16.

The DSI the Principal sponsor for the last seven years have come forward to sponsor the same this year too. These details were disclosed at a press briefing held at the Gall Face Hotel last Monday.

A special ceremony too was held on this day to felicitate the Sri Lankan spikers who won the Silver medal at the recently concluded 10th South Asian Games. They were awarded with cash and special trophies.

Kalika Wasanthapriya the Sri Lankan captain who led the national team to win this medal was given a special award for his brilliant performance during the Games. He who has served the national team for nearly two decades is to retire from the game.

This opportunity was also made used as the farewell ceremony for the outgoing captain.

He came in for high praise when the President of the Volleyball Federation Dilan Perera. Perera said "Kalika has been a tower of strength for team. He has devoted half of his life for the sake of volleyball. Kalika is a player to be admired by all players.

"Under his captaincy Sri Lanka made history in the field of this sport by reaching the final at the SA Games. To reach this final stage it was Kalika who used all his experience to beat Pakistan in the semi final.

This achievement is the best Sri Lanka has ever done against Pakistan when they beat them for the first time in an international volleyball game. Kalika has decided to say bye to the game after giving his best to the country.

The President further added that "we were beaten by India in the final. Though India won the final it was seen by everyone that Sri Lanka did well in every department of the game but it was only the height that made the difference.

We have won the Silver, next Games our target is the gold, not only the target we will win the gold". He wished all the success to outgoing captain Kalika Wasanthapriya.

Describing the DSI Super Sport Inter Schools Volleyball Championship he said that DSI Group of Company's association as main sponsors for the last seven years has brought the best results for the game.

Today we got to be proud of the players who participated at the last Games. Maximum of the present players were the finds from this tournament. While the sponsors were reaping their mileage their expenditure the country and the game too have gained heavily.

The sports lovers of this country has to be proud of one of our leading local producers for its kind gesture. Its association with the national sport has not only developed the game but also has given an opportunity to rural sportsmen and women to be part and parcel of the game.

DSI Super Sport Volleyball Championship is the sport that has attracted the highest participation, said Perera. This Championship which commenced eight years ago with less than 200 teams has now reached great heights.

Last year's Tournament had the participation of over 1,800 teams from three age groups. This year the organizers expect the participation to exceed last year's record number.

The Championships this year too will be staged for Boys and Girls at District Level, Provincial Level and National Level in three age groups under 14, 16 and 19.

The District level matches are to commence on October 16 and will be completed by Oct. 20. The leading four teams qualify to play in the Provincial level which is to be played on Oct. 26, 27 and 28.

The National level matches are scheduled for November 13, 14 and 15, while the final are scheduled to be played on Dec. 1 and 2 at the Sugathadasa Stadium. The finals are to be televised live over Rupavahini on both days.

Nandadasa Rajapakse Chairman of DSI group of Companies addressing the gathering said that his Company is completely a local organization and it is with the people of the country the company has grown from strength to strength. If not for their patronage, company would never have achieved this greatness.

It is the duty of his company to give the public its due from us. That was the reason the company decided to promote a sport of this nature.

This is a sport that caters to all parts of the country. Our involvement has brought us the value for our expenses, while the sport too has got its maximum.

That is something that has made us to be with the game. In the future too we will be involved with the game of Volleyball to see the good results while the country gain recognition through this great game.

He thanked the Volleyball Federation and the Education Department for organizing the past tournaments on a grand scale which has encouraged them immensely during the last seven years.