Chief selector raises questions over training of Sri Lanka Youth Netball squad

By Susil Premalal

Netball Selection Committee (NSC) Chairperson Damayanthi Jayathilaka says that although the15 best Under 21 players have been named for the 12th Asian Youth Netball Championship 2023 (12 players and 3 stand-byes), the question remains whether they received appropriate training before facing an international tournament.

This tournament, conducted by the Asian Netball Association, is scheduled to be held in South Korea from June 10 - 17 with the participation of 12 Asian countries.
NSC Chairperson Jayathilaka told ‘Daily Mirror’ that she is not satisfied with training (33 member national pool and 15 member youth squad) ahead of an international tournament and has informed the authorities concerned including the National Sports Selection Committee, National Sports Council and Ministry of Sports.

She further points out that it is difficult to achieve international success by training two or three days a week from January 2023 for an Asian level netball tournament.
Amalka Gunathilake, a well-known schools netball coach in Kurunegala area, is the coach of the Asian youth netball squad.

Due to insufficient training for the Sri Lanka youth netball pool and squad, the Ministry of Sports had to assign the Head Coach of Sri Lanka for the Netball World Cup Tilaka Jinadasa to the Sri Lanka pool youth squad for a few days a week to supervise it.

Meanwhile, the NSC Chairperson said that before the Asian youth netball squad final selection trial, pressure was put on the Netball Selection Committee and Sri Lanka Netball Federation to include more schoolgirls from the Kurunegala area.

After the Asian youth netball pool was reduced to 18, the Sri Lanka Netball Federation had taken steps to recall the initial 33 member pool for the final selection on the request of the coaches.

The presence of National Sports Selection Committee Chairman General Shavendra Silva at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium to oversee the Sri Lanka Youth Netball Final Selection was also a highlight.

In the history of Asian youth netball championship, Sri Lanka has won the championship three times in 1998, 2002 and 2015.
At the last 2019 Asian Netball Championship held in Japan, Malaysia won the championship, Singapore were runners-up and Sri Lanka clinched third place.