The third Annual TPT Hockey Carnival, organised by the Old Boys of S. Thomas’, St. Peter’s and Trinity College will be worked off at Asgiriya grounds, Kandy commencing from 8.30 am today (16). This year’s hosts will be Trinity College, Kandy.
The past stickers of Trinity, St.Peter’s and S.Thomas’ Colleges have put their shoulders together to organize a Seven-a-Side hockey tournament. All three schools have played the game for decades and have produced many who have donned the Sri Lanka jersey.
The TPT hockey carnival is organized for the well being of hockey as a sport and to maintain and strengthen ties between the three schools. Plans are afoot to have this as an annual event as hosted by one of the organizing schools. Trinity college, Kandy will be hosting the carnival this year. The inaugural tournament was hosted by S.Thomas’ college in September 2015. The event will be a reunion of past hockey players and also an get-together, the old boys will go down memory lane. As a Corporate Social Responsibility project, the organizers are planning to sponsor a player from each school in order to purchase hockey equipment. Food, beverage
and recreational stalls for families and children of the old boys have been organized to make it a fun filled family event.
The tournament will be conducted in five age categorizes, namely – under.15, 1st XI teams, 20 to 30, 30 to 40, 40 and over age categories. This will be a very rare occasion where stickers of the three schools who are over forty will be turning the hands of the clock at this carnival.
Challenge shields be presented to the winners of each age category. Mario Joseph & Godwin Solomons from St.Peter’s college have donated the 20 to 30 shield, the 30 to 40 challenge shield by the Old Trinitians Sports Club (OTSC) and the over 40’s challenge shield by Dr.Sarath de Alwis-Seneviratne in memory of father. The special TPT trophy has been donated by the past
hockey player’s of all three schools and will be presented to the under.15 and 1st XI winning team along with certificates.
The opening ceremony will be graced by Vice Principal of Trinity College, John Shaw Wilson, along with officials and the Old Boys Association President or Secretary from each of the three schools.
The closing ceremony has been scheduled for 5.30 pm this evening with former Vice Principal of Trinity College Paul Jayaraj as the Chief Guest. He has served Trinity for 30 years as its hockey coach and Vice Principal.