Wariyapola Sri Sumangala College Kandy has produced some of the best sportsmen. This school was formerly known as St. Paul’s College, and has a long history of 141 years. It originated under the name of St. Paul’s College as a junior school of Trinity College Kandy. . In the year 1991 on 2nd of March the name was changed to Wariyapola Sri Sumangala, College.
They were one of the first schools in Kandy to play cricket in1894 and after a few years gave up the game. Then after 87 years in 1981 they restarted cricket due to the efforts of former Sri Lanka cricketer and Kandy Municipal Commissioner late D.H. de Silva who coached them. Sajith Fernando was one of DH’s products from St. Paul’s at junior level, who later crossed over to St. Anthony’s College. He later played for Kandy CC, Colts CC, Sri Lanka A and also led the Sri Lanka Colts team. One of the finest cricketers to come out of this school is Prasanga Tennakoon who became the first cricketer to score1000 runs in cricket.
It was D. D. T. Alwis who groomed him as a top batsman.Later they had coaches like Tudor Gunaratne, Ranjith Colombage and H.M. Rikas
In 1988, Wariyapola Sri Sumangala College was the only team from Central Province to play in the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association Tournament and entered the quarter finals of the Portello Trophy, before losing to Sri Sumangala College, Panadura, who went on to become champions. Their Big match is against Sri Rahula College Katugastota.
One of their boxers Yazmin Mohamed Usaith Hussien created history at the ASBC Asian Junior Boxing Championships in Fujairah, UAE, when he defeated Malaysia’s Pavithran Kanth in his opening bout before losing to a Kazakhstan fighter in the second round. His success was Sri Lanka’s first ever triumph in the history of the ASBC Asian Junior Boxing Championships.
Now they are doing well in the game of rugby too, They started rugby in 1970’s and later gave up and have come back again.They also emerged as the Shield champions in the all-Island under 20 Division II inter-school rugby Sevens.
They had a rugby coaching camp for 1st XV and U-16 on 04th of March2020 at the school premises with the presence of the school principal . The present Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa contributed providing the team with jerseys, shorts, travelling Kit, Warm up kit and Boots.
Football was the most popular sport of this school in the early days when they were housed behind St.Paul’S church, and had their practices at the Maligawa grounds. . At onetime, Young Stars SC, Sunrise F & AC and Young Wanderers SC were packed with players from this school.
This school should be proud of their athletes, In the early days they had some good runners, especially in cross country events.
This school is sure to be on top in the sporting field, what they lack is a play ground. Sports is so popular in this school that today there is a necessity for grounds, especially for sports like cricket, rugger, football and hockey. . Their principal D.M.S. D Dissanayake and POG Srinath de Silva with the support of the old boys give a big hand for sports.
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