NorthEast sports coaches training programme concludes

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 2003, 12:49 GMT]
A Three day residential training camp for the newly recruited sports coaches and sports officers for the northeast province concluded Sunday evening at the Trincomalee Mc Heyzer Stadium auditorium with the awarding of certificates to the participants. Provincial Education, Cultural Affairs and Sports Ministry Secretary Mr.R.Thiagalingam was the Chief Guest at the event.

Provincial Ministry of Education, Cultural and Sports Ministry Secretary Mr.Thilagalingam distributes certificates to one of the participants while Provincial Assistant Director of Sports Mr.K.W.Wimalarajah looks on

New recruits including ten sports coaches and sports officers are to assume duties from January 1st 2004 in the districts of Jaffna, Trincomalee and Amparai to ease existing shortage of coaches and sports officers in the northeast, sources said.

Mr.Thiagalingam appealed to sports coaches and officers to identify talented players and athletes in their respective areas and facilitate participation at national level competition after necessary training. To achieve this aim sports coaches and officers should prepare an action plan at the divisional secretariat level. Provincial ministry of sports is prepared to assist those coaches and officers in this regard, Mr.Thiagalingam added.

He said, of the 24 districts in the country, eight are in the northeast province. “This means at the national level competitions northeast should bag at least one third of the first places. But this was not so because of lack of proper and modern training and guidance by coaches and sports officers to our sportsmen and women,” said Mr.Thiagalingam.



Sports coaches and officers underwent three day residential training are seen with guests seated ( L-R ) National athletic coach Mr.Sajith Jayalal, NE Assistant Director of Sports Mr.Wimalarajah, Provincial Education , Cultural and Sports Secretary Mr.Thiagalingam, provincial sports department accountant Ms V.Kulendran and Sports Ministry Project Officer for Football Mr.M.K.Abeyasinghe



“Sport activities have been playing a vital role in developing healthy understanding between communities. Sports could be the foundation to developing leadership qualities. Peace and reconciliation between communities could be established in the country through cultural and sports activities," Mr.Thiagalingam told the participants of the programme.

Provincial Assistant Director of Education Mr. K.W.Wimalarajah presided

Sports Ministry Project Officer for soccer Mr.M.K.Abeyasinghe appealed to the provincial ministry of sports to allocate enough funds for the development of sports in the northeast to identify and train talented youths in sports activities to compete at national level competitions. The National Coach for Athlete Mr. Sajith Jayalal also spoke.