Sumith Prasanna – Top Athlete cum Cricket Coach

By M. Shamil Amit

Sumith Prasanna is a well respected cricket coach who has produced champion teams in his stint which he began two decades ago. His most successful period was when he took over Royal College, Panadura in the early 90’s where he produced champion teams and was the pioneer in the school being promoted to the top division in the Under-19 category.  

Apart from school coaching he also was in charge of the Kalutara TC that participated at the domestic tournaments conducted by Sri Lanka where he had the honour of turning the side into a champion outfit.  

Looking back at the schooling days of Sumith, he was a product of Moratu MV at the latter stages of his school cricket career having his baptism at Roman Catholic School, Moratuwa where he was involved in athletics and was the champion athlete.  

Sumith went on to show his prowess at athletics after he joined Moratu MV and his cricket career began after whilst playing softball cricket with his friends which caught the eye of senior cricketer Lucky Rogers Fernando, another top cricketer produced by Moratu MV, who asked him to attend cricket practices.  

There was no stopping this enthusiastic sportsman from there on who, since being included in the Under-15 team, went on to represent the school in the Under-17 and 19 age groups. He was a member of the Sharona Trophy winning outfit in 1989 which was led by Fernando and it was the year that Moratu MV was promoted to the Division One category.  

But his love for the first sport, athletics, did not diminish as he continued with immense success to emerge champion athlete from age groups of Under-12 to 19 and later under the guidance of prominent Sri Lanka athlete Lakshman de Alwis, went on to represent the school at Division Zonal, Western and Public Schools meets which culminated in him being awarded athletic colours.  

In appreciation of his services to Royal, the Old Boys Cricket Association honoured him with an appreciation award along with a cash award recently.  

Presently he is the head coach of St. John’s College, Nugegoda and he says he has a big task in hand to guide them to a winning side as he has to start from scratch and concluded by saying that he will leave no stone unturned to achieve his targets.