Jeewa Galgamuwa the swimmer turned ruggerite-by Althaf Nawaz

The players occupying the position of prop-forwards compete for the ball in scrums and line-outs and are generally bigger and stronger than the backs. Props forwards push in the scrums, while the hooker tries to secure the ball for their team by hooking it back with their feet. Jeewa Galgamuwa was one of the players who played in this key position while he was representing school, club and at National level becoming the cynosure of all eyes in the rugby football arena.

Jeewa who is 39 years old was highly influenced by his father Jayalath in getting into sports,being a retired Army officer while mother Manel, a great rugby enthusiast, never missed her son’s rugby matches and remained as the biggest fan. His only brother Chathuranga who is a chef by profession works for Perera and Sons. Jeewa was admitted to Kingswood College, Kandy in 1987 and continued his studies until 2000, to complete his academic career. Jeewa was a sports loving lad from his younger days, for which both his parents gave the necessary encouragement and the support to make him a profound sportsman.

Kingswood was a renowned school in the hill capital especially for their sports where Jeewa mingled in several sports in school. He made his sporting debut in swimming by participating in the College Junior, Intermediate and Senior Swimming Squads from 1993 to 1999. During his tenure, he captained the college swimming team in 1997/1998 seasons. He was later awarded the swimming colours in 1999.

He also holds a merit certificate in tennis in 1992, which he took part in when time permitted . While engaging in these sporting disciplines his involvement with rugby was a coincidence. It was Ananda Kasturiarachchi, one of the mentors of several sportsmen at Kingswood, who met him at the college library and requested him to attend rugby practices, which subsequently became the beginning of his rugby career.

He played with the Under-15 team under Asela Muthumala, who educated him on the basics in handling the oval shaped ball. Gradually, he progressed maturing in the game and was an active member in the under-17 team, which was under the watchful eyes of .G.B Gunadasa, the former Army and Sri Lanka winger who ultimately continued coaching them up to the first XV team.

Jeewa was appointed as the Vice-Captain of College Rugby team in 2000, the final year of his school rugby career which spanned from 1996 to 2000 .

He started gaining his rewards for his unstinted performance in sports representing his ‘Alma Mater’, which included ‘Best Sportsmen of the Year’ in 1999, which was a phenomenal year in his sporting career as he went on to grab the Rugby Colours, annexed the Rugby Star award and went on to receive the prestigious Kingswood ‘Crown’, which was a unique feat in his school career, which he is still proud of. He ended his school career on a high note after winning the President’s Trophy in 2000 under Chamara Vithanage’s captaincy. beating the Thomians 30-26 in the final While he was in action with the college rugby team he was entrusted to lead the under-19 Sri Lanka Youth Rugby Team in 1999 and in the same year went on the Schools Rugby tour to Thailand. Later he toured Taiwan and won the ‘Bowl’ Championship. While he was playing for Kingswood among his team mates were Chamara Vithanage, Amjad Buksh, and Malith Hettiarrachchi.

While competing for school, he opted to continue his club career and it was Athula Galagoda, to whom he is thankful, for introducing him to Kandy Sports Club as a schoolboy to play in the Kandy under-24 team. He was a member of the Kandy Rugby Team from 2000 to 2008 occupying the prop forward position. While he was progressing as a player, they appointed him as captain in 2007 and Kandy SC remained unbeaten, winning the League, Knockout and the sevens tournament respectively. No sooner he joined Kandy, he was chosen to don the National jersey and remained as a member of the Sri Lanka Rugby Team from 2000 to 2007.

During his tenure , he participated in Asian Games in 2002 in Korea, the Rugby Asiad in Bangkok in 2003, played the test matches in Malaysia involving the hosts, Kazakhstan and Thailand. He finally was entrusted to captain the Sri Lanka National Rugby team and guided them to emerge runners up losing to Kazakhstan 17 -24 in the final of the Rugby Asiad held in Sri Lanka in November 2007.

He was feted for his unstinted performance as a player to receive the “Best Captain” in the Caltex Observer touchdown Rugby Awards in 2007. He played under the captaincy of some outstanding players like Asoka Jayasena, Pradeep Basnayake, Indrajith Bandaranayake, Haris Omar, Nalaka Weerakkody, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe and Sajith Mallikarachchi . The coaches who were instrumental in making them a winning outfit were retired senior DIG Nimal Lewke, late George Simpkin, Johan Taylor (South African) and Rob Yule (New Zealander).

He has several credentials in his illustrious sports career captaining the Dialog Rugby team at Mercantile Sevens in 2008 winning the ‘Bowl’ Championship. Receiving the leadership award in school prize giving for the ‘Best Leader of the Year in 1999 and serving as a College Prefect from 1998 to 1999.

He likes to extend special thanks to Malik Samarawickrama, Nalaka Weerakkody, Saman Kotelawala, Lasantha Wijesuriya from Kandy SC for the support extended during his tenure as a player. At present he is working for a logistics company called Goddards in Auckland in New Zealand. He still plays social rugby for a team called GPRC – Marist Rugby Club in Auckland . Also he is working part time as a Fitness Instructor at Papakura Leisure Centre in Auckland.

His wife Chulangani Galgamuwa stood as a pillar of strength in his ups and downs in life and is enjoying life with his daughters Chenuthi, Neili and Natharie.