He gave everything to build champions — recognition never kept pace

2026-03-01 - 23:43

A father figure to his players, Joseph De Silva delivers a team talk, guiding and shaping young talents who would go on to represent Malaysia. (Philip Andrew pic) KLANG: At the launch of the National Junior Hockey League in 1995, a senior Malaysian Hockey Federation official publicly said some teams were making a mockery of the tournament by fielding 14-year-olds. He was referring to the Old Lasallians Association of Klang (Olak). Olak manager Joseph De Silva heard the remark as criticism. He chose to see something else, proof he was doing something different, and ahead of its time. Among those boys were Amin Rahim, Roslan Jamaluddin, Madzli Ikmar, Redzuan Ponirin and Saiful Azhar — names that would go on to shape Malaysian hockey. Joseph De Silva built champions and national players, often with little recognition for the sacrifices he made. (Philip Andrew pic) The boys finished mid-table that first season. They grew into national players and coaches, turning what looked like a risk into a clear and lasting vision. That dream fashioned De Silva’s life. He died on Saturday at 71 after an illness that led to the amputation of his right leg, leaving a legacy built on personal sacrifice and belief in players others overlooked. A club built on belief, not means When Olak formed in 1995, it lacked the advantages that often mould success. There was no strong funding base, no formal pathway, no system to lean on. What it had was De Silva’s drive. A property agent by profession, he followed his father, L Andrew De Silva, whom his brother Philip described as Klang’s first property agent. Hockey, however, became his life’s work. De Silva identified schoolboys with promise, many younger than their peers, and pushed them into higher competition early. He drove them from Klang to Kuala Lumpur to face stronger teams, knowing exposure would accelerate their growth. The 1997 and 1999 title-winning Olak teams, proof that Joseph De Silva’s faith in young players was never misplaced. (Philip Andrew pics) The results came quickly. Olak won the Malaysian Junior Hockey League title in 1997, just two years after forming. They followed with the league and overall double in 1998 and 1999, and added the overall crown again in 2000. The trophies mattered, but they were not the point. Olak produced 25 players who went on to represent Malaysia at junior and senior level. Among them were goalkeeper Roslan, who won silver at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games, defender Amin, and midfielders Madzli, Redzuan and Saiful. Madzli captained Malaysia to silver at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, while Amin scored six goals from penalty corners. Others remained in the sport, including airline pilot Eric Koh, who became an international umpire. For De Silva, these journeys defined success. The price he chose to pay Behind Olak’s rise stood a level of sacrifice few saw. De Silva often used his own money to keep the team running, covering accommodation, food and equipment when funds ran dry. “Most of the time he used his own money,” Philip said. “He dug very deep.” The strain reached home. Family members grew frustrated at how much he poured into hockey. De Silva never stepped back. To him, the team was not a project. It was a responsibility. He bought a 14-seater van and drove players across the country for more than two decades, taking them door to door for training, matches and tournaments. No one missed out for lack of transport. He looked after them beyond the game. He helped secure places in local colleges, found job opportunities, and checked on their welfare. Many saw him as a father figure. Long before formal pathways took shape, De Silva built his own. He exposed his players to stronger opposition, pushed them into faster environments, and demanded they grow into the game. “He did sports development in his own way,” Philip said. A legacy that outlives the club De Silva never chased influence. He focused on the work, even when it meant staying outside the networks that often shape opportunity in sport. He did not drink or smoke, and he had little interest in social circles. He chose his players over connections. That choice came at a cost. He built one of the country’s most productive junior programmes, produced 25 national players, and sustained it for more than two decades. Recognition did not keep pace. Much of his work stayed in the background, even as the players he developed moved into national teams, coaching roles and international appointments. “He had no time for apple-polishing,” Philip said. “The results spoke. The system did not always listen.” He drew encouragement from those he respected, especially then Malaysian Hockey Federation deputy president P Alagendra, whose support meant a great deal to him. His approach stayed grounded in effort rather than status. For 23 years, he managed Olak before financial constraints forced the club to close about seven years ago. It ended quietly, despite its role as one of Malaysian hockey’s most productive grassroots programmes. The legacy endured in the players he shaped, many of whom carried his values into their own careers as athletes, coaches and professionals. Recognition came late for Joseph De Silva (seated) at the Old Lasallians Association of Klang’s 32nd reunion in 2024, where he was honoured for his service, humility and lifelong commitment to developing young players. (Olak pic) In 2024, he received rare public recognition at the Old Lasallians Association of Klang’s 32nd reunion, where he was honoured for his contribution to the community. It reflected the service, humility and commitment that defined his life. De Silva, the eldest of six siblings, never married. “My brother was married to hockey,” Philip said. It is a line that explains the long drives, the empty accounts and the years given to others. Malaysian hockey benefitted from his work. It did not always recognise it. He did not build a legacy that depended on trophies or headlines. He built people. That is why his influence remains, long after the final whistle. Joseph De Silva’s funeral mass will be held at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Klang today at 12.30pm, followed by cremation at Nirvana Crematorium, Section 21, Shah Alam.