The history of women’s hockey at BRC- By Dennis de Rosayro
Source:Sundayobserver
The women’s hockey section of the Burgher Recreation Club was founded in October 1932 with the President of the Club, Dr. V.R. Schokman as Ex-Officio Chairman.
From July 1952, this section which had been a separate part of the Club with a Constitution of its own came into the main club. From the outset, the Ladies played a major role and took a very active interest in the promotion and encouragement of hockey for women and girls. In spite of several outstanding players emigrating in the Fifties and Sixties, the Club continued to participate in all tournaments conducted by the Sri Lanka Women’s Hockey Association.
I (Dennis de Rosayro) took over as coach from 1957 to 1978 and had a significant role to play. In fact through the BRC he introduced the seven-a-side tournament on November 25, 1961 not only to promote the game but also to encourage the formation of more girls hockey playing clubs and there is no doubt that the venture had proved both successful and extremely popular.
The Ingram Challenge Cup was an All Island seven-a-side Invitation tournament open to all A Division clubs. Out of 19 tournaments played the last was played in 1981. BRC won it nine times, followed by Ceylonese Ladies Hockey Club with four wins and Colombo Ladies Hockey Club, Kandy Whites Hockey Club and Baptist Mission School Matale, with two wins each. This tournament was not held in 1972 and 1979. In 1968 I introduced the Juriansz Challenge Trophy for ‘B’ Division clubs; B teaches of ‘A’ Division clubs and schools. Subsequently in 1981, it was only conducted for school teams. The club had many successes participating in the Wynne Hones League tournament conducted by the Colombo Hockey Association.
Enid Reimers, Enid ‘Gilly’ Fernando and Claire de Kretser were the seniors in the contingent having represented the club and Ceylon before I took over. Gilly was an outstanding sportswoman, having captained Ceylon both in hockey and cricket. A very humble lady, she volunteered to play for the BRC ‘C’ team for the Ingram Challenge Cup in 1965.
A veteran Centre Forward, I would have played her in the ‘A’ team. Hugh Aldons a triple International in hockey, rugby and cricket told me that Enid Reimers was a fearful Full Back and both Gilly and Enid were fit to play for the men’s team.
INTERNATIONALS: Enid ‘Gilly’ Fernando 1956 – vs. India (Captain) vs. Scotland (Captain) 1960 – vs. India (5 Tests) Enid Reimers 1956 – vs. India vs. Scotland, Hyacinth de Kretser 1956 – vs. India vs. Scotland, Claire de Kretser 1960 – vs. India (5 Tests) 1962 – vs. India (3 Tests) Deana Beling 1960 – vs. India (2 Tests) 1962 – vs. India (3 Tests) Cissy Pinto 1960 – vs. India (2 Tests) 1962 – vs. India (1 Test) Hyacinth Atwell 1960 – vs. India (5 Tests) 1962 – vs. India (3 Tests) Charmaine Boulton 1967 – vs. India (3 Tests) 1968 – Asian Women’s Hockey Championships – New Delhi Jill de Kretser 1967 – vs. India (3 Tests) 1968 – Asian Women’s Hockey Championships – New Delhi 1969 – vs. Singapore (3 Tests) Manel Wijekoon 1968 – Asian Women’s Hockey Championships – New Delhi 1969 – vs. Singapore (3 Tests) Carmen Impett 1968 – Asian Women’s Hockey Championships – New Delhi Dawn Harvie 1967 – vs. India 1969 – vs. Singapore (Vice Captain) (3 Tests) Maya Weerasinghe 1971 – vs. U.S.A. vs. Scotland vs. Wales, Marlene Marchado 1971 – vs. England (2 Tests) 1974 – Asian Women’s Hockey Championships, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Dec. 1975/Jan. 1976 – International Hockey Tournament – Madras, India Sherine Edirisinghe 1974 – Asian Women’s Hockey Championships, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Dec. 1975/Jan. 1976 – International Hockey Tournament – Madras, India National Players (vs. Indian State teams) 1967 – Dawn Harvie, Jill de Kretsr 1968 – Frances Crusz, Roshni Scott, Carmen Impett 1979 – Jennifer Todd, Petite Dias, Marlene Marchado, Roshni Scott. After a mass exodus of players from 1957 onwards, most of the very young girls joined from Bishop’s College, Ladies College, St. Paul’s Milagiriya, Holy Family Convent, St. Claire’s Convent and Methodist College, Colpetty. Those outstanding players who migrated were Gilly Fernando, Hyacinth and Claire de Kretser, Carmen Impett, Deana Beling, Hyacinth Atwell, Charmaine Boulton, Jill de Kretser, Dawn Harvie, Jennifer Todd, Roshini Scott, Petite Dias and Jean Rabot.
Other talented players were Lorraine Mc Heyzer, Shiela Hoffman, Jennifer Rabot, Lyzbeth Anthoniesz, Pamela Alexander, Dalrene Ferdinands, Nilufer Sellayah, Gillian Mack and Debra Silva. The outstanding players who remained were, Cissy Pinto, Frances Crusz, Sherene Colombage, Nimal Ettipola, Manel Wijekoon and Marlene Machado.
A host of youngsters joined the club from 1962 and with rigid coaching and very regular practices, the girls won several trophies. Those who played in the winning teams and since emigrated were, Romaine de Zilva, Jean Gibson, Jennifer Rankine, Delrene Boustead, Rosemary Forbes, Geraldine and Rhonda Harvie, Alison Berman, Fiona Joachim, Coralie Barsenbach and Doreen Wijemanne. In Sri Lanka are Myrna Perera, Zarina Nagoor, Helene de Rosayro, Sherine Saranapala, Olivia Gomes, Nilufer Sellayah, Carmen Santiago and Claudette Soranaretnam, among others.
From the time I joined the Club in 1954 till I stepped down in 1978, the hockey pitch was laid out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with the whole ground available for skilled exercises and training. In fact, they organised practice matches and coaching even on Sundays early morning from 7.00 am to 9.30 am before the commencement of cricket matches.
Only practice can make you perfect, was my motto. I emphasized that all my students were excellent learners who also sacrificed a lot to attain the required standards. Dennis de Rosayro joined March 8, 1954 (Life Member from 1978) General Secretary from 1962 to 1975. Vice President 1976 Vice Patron 2005 to 2011/12 Patron 2004/2005 and 2012/13 to 2023/24 (to date) November 2023.
