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Quentin Israel

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Quentin Israel
Quentin Israel (1974)
Born1934
Sri Lanka
Died2007
NationalitySri Lankan
Occupation(s)Rugby Coach and School Teacher

Quentin Shelton Nagalingam Israel was a Rugby Coach and school teacher[1]

Education

'Quenta' or 'Q', as he was very popularly known, was educated at Trinity College, Kandy. He played rugby as a centre three-quarter in 1953 and 1954 under Dharmasiri Madugalle and Lucky Vitharana. He captained the hockey team in 1954 and was an accomplished hurdler and wrangerler.[2]

Club Rugby

He represented Havelock Sports Club from 1958 to 1965 and was a member of the 1961 Clifford Cup winning team. Although he did not represent the country he was a member of the All Ceylon pool and squad.[3] He went on to coach them[who?] to success on many occasions, was honorary secretary, entertainment secretary and later elected president of the club.

Coach

He is best known as 1st XV coach at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia,[4] who registered 43 wins in-a-row.[5][6][7] His protégés included Sri Lankan players Michael Jayasekera ( described by Havelocks rugby Club coach Gamini Fernando as "being gift-wrapped and delivered to his club by Quentin Israel"[8]) who went on to become chairman of the Board of Selectors and PL Munasinghe. The 1975 and 1976 teams they both played in were later described as the best Thomian team by sports journalist Sharm de Alwis.[9]

He later coached Trinity College to win the Bradby Shield on five occasions.

He also served the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), was the coach of the national under 19 side and took over coaching the Galle Rugby Football Club after retiring from Trinity College.

Schoolmaster

He taught Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics and is credited with emphasising education despite his enthusiasm for Rugby.[10] He also coached the 2nd XI Cricket team at S Thomas College, Mt Lavinia.[11] He served as a house master[12] and Head Master of the upper school where he had the reputation of being a strict disciplinarian.[13] At the time the college did not offer en suite facilities for resident staff and Rajiva Wijesinha who was sub warden at the school comments on the "Panache with which Quentin Israel strode to the showers in a towel".[14]

S Thomas College 1st XV Rugby Team 1975 Standing L to R Charith Wickramathilake, Ananda Welikala,Darup Pieris, SKN Fernando, Rienzie Fernando, Shane Pinder, Devaka Fernando, Rohitha Attygalle, Michael Jayasekera, Tushitha Ranasinghe Seated L to R Mr Quentin Israel (Coach), Mahes Abeynaike, Theadore Thmabapillai, Pat Jacob, PL Munasinghe (Captain) Mr SJ Anandanayagam (Warden) Stefan D'Silva, Peter Vanniasingham, Loka Thilakaratne, Wilhelm Bogstra, Mr Lassie Abeywardena (Master in Charge)
S Thomas' College Rugby 1st XV Team 1976 Standing: Avindre de Silva, R Wadugodapitiya, Eraj Gihan Ratnaike, Dyalan Supramanium, Kapila Waidyaratne,Jeya Poniah, Jeyakumar,Shane Pinder, Charith Wickramathilake, Wazil Hafeel Seated: Quentin Israel (Coach) Michael Jayasekera, Darup Pieris, PL Munasinghe, Stefan D'Silva (Captain), Mr SJ Anandanayagam (Warden) Theadore Thambipillai, Wilhelm Bogtsra, Rienzie Fernando

Israel was described as an 'Athenian' for his scholarship by Chaminda K. Weerawardhana who was on the Trinity College staff with him,[15] and his intellectual abilities which he channelled into his coaching, are mentioned in the obituary written by his schoolmate and fellow coach YC Chang.

Commemoration

Junior School challenge cups (donated by Herbert Lakshman Fernando) are presented to the Most Promising Student and the Best All-round Sportsman of the Year in Trinity College in his memory.[16] The Toronto Chapter of the St Thomas, College old boys association initiated a Rugby 7 aside tournament to be played for the Quentin Israel Memorial Trophy.[17]

References

  1. ^ [1] G.D.V. Perera, Quentin Israel, Maxwell Gerlach, accessed 26 November 2011
  2. ^ [2] , Quintin Israel - The coaching legend of schools, Y.C. Chang. - LakbimaNews Sunday 11 Nov 2007, accessed 26 November 2011
  3. ^ [3] Quentin to coach Galle RFC this season, Hafiz Marikar from Kandy, accessed 26 November 2011
  4. ^ [4] Death of rugby coach Quentin Israel, accessed 26 November 2011
  5. ^ [5] Sharm De Alwis A brief overview of Thomian rugby, accessed 28 May 2011
  6. ^ [6] MR. Quentin Israel – The Coach, The Mentor - A Tribute!, accessed 28 May 2011
  7. ^ [7] The Glory days of Thomian Rugby Mahesa Abeynayake , accessed 26 November 2013
  8. ^ [8] Four rugby super heroes BY SHARM de Alwis , accessed 28 May 2011
  9. ^ "A Brief overview of Thomian Rugby". www.tyretracks.com. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  10. ^ [9] Tribute to Mr Leo de silva and Mr quentin israel by DR Weerasinghe S.Thomas' College Old Boys Association of Canada , accessed 29 November 2011
  11. ^ [10] Cricket in the 80’s Stephan Anthonisz, accessed 29 November 2011
  12. ^ [11] Warden and the gardener -mistaken identity My Days at S.T.C (Episode 3)By Quentin Israel, accessed 29 November 2011
  13. ^ [12] From ‘Boys to Men’ at Mount Lavinia Ranil Peiris, accessed 29 November 2011
  14. ^ [13] How school should be remembered Sunday Observer Sunday, 5 June 2011 , accessed 29 November 2011
  15. ^ [14] Appreciations Quentin Israel: a true ‘Trinity Spirit’ Chaminda K. Weerawardhana University of Paris The Nation on Sunday, accessed 28 November 2011
  16. ^ [15] Legend in his own time Sunday Leader 14 December 2008, accessed 28 November 2011
  17. ^ "Sharm de Alwis Thomians honour Quentin Israel". The Island. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
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