Iwent through a series of articles, contributed by researchers in the game of rugby and was captivated by their findings on the characteristics of outstanding rugby coaches.
Later, I came to know about Anush Kolonne, a rugby coach with decades of experience. I also have a recollection about a statement on Rugby, made by John Singleton, the director of “Boyz n the Hood”, who was also once nominated for the Academy Award for the ‘Best Director’ where he said that anyone who did not watch rugby league is not a real person.
I personally belong to Singleton’s classification about watching rugby league, I managed to speak to Kolonne, who hails from Kandy. Though Kolonne’s initial passion for rugby was slightly impetuous in nature, he was incredibly convinced about its truest characteristics and thereby thrived in his selected field of sports during his days at his alma mater, Vidyartha College, Kandy.
Kolonne has a vehement and fiery endearment towards rugby. Kolonne’s career as a rugby coach blossomed at Vidyartha College which spans into a decade during which the past two years were the most significant where his contribution to Vidyartha College as its first fifteen back coach is tremendous.
He notes that he enjoys coaching backs. “Backs in particular have got a relatively less “set piece” to cover than that of the forwards, they are predominantly required to possess ample skills in decision-making. You should be prepared to apply your skills exactly at the apt and pertinent level,” he said.
As an able coach with a distinguished track record, he is well known for his outstanding knack of moulding junior players.
“As you work with young players, you should not forget that their scope of learning is vast, and you should carefully treat this massive capacity for learning. You should also remember that on the grounds, they would swiftly grasp what you teach them and similarly forget them easily.
That is where you need to maintain a good sense of tolerance and help them to recall what they learned. As a coach, notably the coaching of junior players, your sense of humour, endurance and tolerance become equally important as much as your skills, talent, abilities, and knowledge that you have invested in yourself,” Kolonne notes.
Defence Services Colours
Kolonne recalled the days during which he was often seen on the field, playing for club and provincial matches; he browsed his memory on the exciting matches, played whilst being a member of the Dimbulla Athletic, Cricket and Rugby club. Playing for the Sri Lanka Navy, he reminisces, was a milestone in his selected field of sport.
In retrospect, he described the most electrifying matches played from 2000-2005 during which he was decorated with the Defence Services Colours. “You may have heard that playing professional club rugby can be a stringent and challenging experience on which any rugby player would leave a fascinating and significant comment,” Kolonne said.
Representing the island in two major championships; the national seven-a-side rugby tournament in Hong-Kong and Asia Games in 2001 and 2002 respectively made his position in the field of rugby stable and durable. Kolonne also had the opportunity of playing for the Moorabbin Rugby Union Football Club, Australia from 2006-2008.
Kolonne’s positive, focused, and observant traits make him an exception in his chosen field of coaching. His flair for inspiring young players who train under him in taking their actual potentiality and prospects out of the carpet is an mind-boggling phenomenon that is discernibly devoid of baloney and hyperbole.
Commenting on his style of coaching, Kolonne said that coaching is a crucial and critical element that needs a tremendous degree of patience and flexibility, apart from knowledge and skills.
“You should understand as to how and when you got to fashion and design a close-knit and cohesive team spirit whilst simultaneously been able to create a contagious motivation within your team that comprises young players,” he said.
Research indicates that a thoroughly skilled coach is able to use expert knowledge in order to change strategies to make an influence on the game.
Kolonne is a reasonable metaphor for the above research finding. He resolutely and staunchly believes that a coach must refrain from undermining players; such circumstances may even lead to cause a fit of pique and indignation which can be detrimental on the sincere efforts taken to have a positive impact on motivation.
“A skilled coach with a good sense of humour is a synonym that justifies that they are also able to have an impact on the lives of their players that goes far beyond the principality of sport,” Kolonne said. Kolonne’s way of coaching is a joy to watch.
