By M.H.Yakeem
Indrawansa Herath to umpire at the Masters World Cup Hockey tournament.
Indrawansa Herath left the Island on the 09th August to umpire at the Masters World Cup Hockey tournament to be held in Nottingham, England from 12 – 21 August.
A product of St. Thomas College Matale , he started his career being selected to represent the Sri-Lanka Schools Hockey team in 1984-1985. Matale team and the Central Province team from 1986- 1998. In 1987 ,he was selected to to represent the Sri-Lanka youth Hockey side in matches against UAE, Russia and Germany.
The Sri-Lanka Hockey Federation officials looking at his talents and performances, selected him to the Sri-Lanka national side for the six nation international Hockey tournament held in Singapore in 1990 , where they earned a silver medal. In 1992, he represented the Sri-Lanka side for the fifth F.I.H men’s international qualifying tournament held in Singapore.
Indrawansa Herath was chosen as the Captain of the Sri-Lanka Hockey team in 1996 for an International Hockey tournament held in Bangkok, Thailand and had the distinction to represent the Sri-Lanka Masters Hockey team for its first World Cup Masters tournament held in Barcelona, Spain in 2019.
Taking up as a Coach, he made a point to give the best to his College younger generation and coached them from 1984- 1996 and shifted to coach Sangamitta BMV from 2000 – 2014. Zahira College, Matale from 1999 – 2004 and 2014 – 2017. Dharmaraja College, Kandy from 2017 onwards, where they emerged Champions of the All Island Royal sevens in 2019. Matale district Schools Boys and Girls teams, Matale district Senior and Junior teams, where many of his students have represented our motherland and presently playing for our Country.
In 1995, he was appointed as the Sri-Lanka Schools Junior and Senior coach until 1997 and was re- appointed to take over from 2000 onwards. During his coaching stint, the under 16 stickers had a chance to participate at the Asia Cup Hockey tournament held in Bangladesh in 2003.
His love to the game of Hockey, he took up umpiring too and became a national umpire approved by the Sri-Lankan Hockey Federation and first umpired in the Junior Nationals in 1992 and their after at the Senior Nationals in 1999. Was appointed as a Technical Officer in 2013 by the Asian Hockey Federation and also serves as an International umpire.
He has umpired in International tournaments at the Asian Schools Hockey tournament in Macaw in 1998, Under 16 Asia Cup Hockey tournament in Singapore in 2000 and at the Under 18 Asia Cup in Hongkong in 2000. Junior Asian Hockey Federation Cup in Singapore in 2003, Junior Asian Hockey Federation Cup in Oman in 2008. Asian Club Championship tournament, which was held in Sri-Lanka in 2010. He also had an opportunity to be as a judge at the Men’s 7’s Junior Asia Cup Hockey tournament in Melaka, Malaysia in 2013, Men’s Junior Asia Cup Hockey tournament in Muscat, Oman in 2019.
