6 SPORTS EXTRA artslondonnews.com Friday 08 February 2013 artslondonnews.com Friday 08 February 2013 SPORTS EXTRA 7 My first handball experience would have had ‘most of FC Barcelona purring’ In the lead-up to writing this feature I had arranged to meet Paul Fenech, Olympia HC’s treasurer, for These chaps playing made it look so easy, catching the ball at vicious speeds with just one hand. an interview at the SportHouse in Dagenham. Something else that took me a back was the swiftness of the passing. It would have most of FC Handball Conveniently, there was also the entire round of fixtures taking place that night, so after Barcelona purring (over-statement, I know, but I’m going with it.) interviewing Paul, I got to sit back in the bar and watch the games. It was disappointing to see the turnout of spectators, though. There must have been only ten of us The SportHouse, in the middle of Mayesbrook Park, cost £11 million and was purpose built to host watching. training sessions for Olympic handball, Paralympic judo and wheelchair rugby. I took along my housemate and his girlfriend. She’s French and was excited to watch some It’s a great venue, and just off of the park’s picturesque boating lake. handball, but even she found it surreal. The bar overlooked a set of four indoor courts, all of which were being used by the handball She told me how league games at her college in France still attracted a hundred-strong crowds; a reaches matches as they all “threw-off” at 18.30. far cry from this. It was hectic – there was so much going on. My direct and peripheral vision was swarmed. Being It’s a shame because it’s a fantastic sport, and so enjoyable to watch. Handball just needs to be not too sure on which match to watch, it felt like watching tennis doubles on speed. given the attention it deserves. new shores Today, its popularity is widespread across Europe, particularly in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. France, however, has won the last two Joshua Drake reflects on how the sport has summer Olympic tournaments in the men’s cat- egory. benefited from exposure at the London 2012 This poses the question as to why handball isn’t as popular in Britain, given that we share Olympic Games and why it will continue to grow similar sporting interests to the French. “It is basically the lack of media interest. A @joshwilldrake Handball Club said: “Great Britain did very well, few articles with regular reports on the leagues [email protected] the women especially. They all did brilliantly, would help, as well as showing the games on considering they had picked handball up a few mainstream television, and then the rest would he word “legacy” has been banded around years before. They were then going up against take care of itself,” says Wuggenig. a great deal post-2012 and there is one individuals who had been playing the sport for Fenech cites the absence of handball in school Tsport in particular hoping to build upon its most of their lives. curriculums as a reason: “In Britain, the take-up Olympic success: Handball. “The best players in the world were there and is quite slow. One of the main reasons for this is Handball is the second largest sport in Europe Great Britain showed heart; they weren’t walked the lack of youth systems in place. Abroad, you in terms of participation, which will come as a over,” Fenech added. have so many youth systems implemented to surprise to most Brits, who will probably claim to ensure involvement and participation. have never heard or even seen the sport. Rising Popularity “We are struggling with our own youth club The London Olympics, however, gave us One-and-a-half million people tuned in for the at Olympia. We are trying to get help from West- a glimpse at what handball is all about. The men’s opening game against the reigning Euro- minster to have it incorporated into their school nation was mesmerised by the fast-paced back pean and world champions France live on BBC3. curriculum but they refuse to recognise it. I even and forth counter-attacks, the measured and The interest was there from the start, and grew as asked one of the schools if they would be inter- incredibly intricate build-up play and sheer the tournament unfolded. ested in free taster classes and they refused!” brute strength and athleticism. During the Games, Richmond-based Thames This isn’t the case everywhere, though. The In what has been touted as one of the greatest Handball Club received 475 emails inquiring LHA is now supporting the establishment of handball tournaments in living memory, France about the game and 65 on the first day Team handball competitions within schools and uni- and Norway came away from the London Games GB’s Men’s team played. Both Thames and Fenech by: Paul Photo versities, and also backing teachers and students with gold medals, in the men’s and women’s Olympia play within the London SportHouse Olympia HC player shooting at goal during his side’s game against London GD to develop it in what is an integral process if the divisions. League, which is run by the London Handball the sport is to rise popularity. Equally inspiring were the performances put Association (LHA). “Handball encompasses all the qualities of watching the athletic shots and leaps.” in by Great Britain, especially given that the vast Frank Wuggenig, the Thames chairman said: a team sport. You can’t get away with sitting The game is played at a ferocious speed for Funding majority of the players had been playing the “The club has grown from an initial two teams back on a one-goal lead like football, you have the most part, but when the play does eventu- Unfortunately, in December it was announced sport for five years before the London Olympics. mostly comprised of foreign players, to six teams: to attack or otherwise you will be penalised ally slow you see another side to handball. If the that the £2.92 million of Olympic funding dedi- Paul Fenech, the treasurer for the Olympia two men, two female and two junior. for slowing the game down. It’s very attractive attacking team is unable to score on the coun- cated to handball would be cut completely in the Fenech by: Paul Photo ter-attack, they will assemble into formation run-up to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeriro, Olympia HC (yellow) in action against London GD (red) in the venue built for teams to train for the 2012 London Olympics encircling the opposition’s box. Brazil. The ball is switched this way and that in a However, the government subsequently is worth investing due to the popularity of the beautiful blur of speed and movement in search announced record levels of investment for hand- French league. The key moments in Britsh handball of a gap in the defence. The playmaker is the key ball at grassroots level by doubling the previous “It’s not just about the money, though; it’s also to orchestrating the attack, and is usually in the figures from £0.6 million to £1.2 million. about people helping us improve the numbers in 1967 – The British Handball Association is 1972 – Great Britain compete in the centre of the formation. Handball far exceeded the agreed participa- participation through awareness,” says Fenech. founded in Liverpool in 1967 by four teachers Olympic qualification tournament in Spain for “Handball is just as fast as basketball, but far tion level with Sport England, who awarded the - Phil Holden, Chris Powell, Jeff Rowland and the first time. more physical, which requires more athleticism funds raised by the National Lottery, as partic- Home Support Andy Smith 1972 – The first British national than anything else. I think it is probably the sec- ipation was increased by 200 per cent, a year The outstanding reception handball received at They were soon joined by sports shop championships take place and are won by ond most physical team sport after rugby,” says ahead of schedule. the London Games proves this. It wasn’t a case proprietor Ken Watson, who provided the first Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh Fenech. Wuggenig explains how sponsorship is also of people getting behind Team GB for the sake headquarters for the Association at 38, North 1972 – The Scottish Handball Association is Olympia HC also profited from the new-found present among some of the clubs, but is sparse of them being British; they got behind the sport John Street, Liverpool. Each of the founders formed and the first women’s game in the UK is interest in the game and opened two new “B” in terms of substantial financial assistance: “It as a collective entity. A brilliant spectator sport, invested five pounds in the new association, a played between East Kilbride and Bell College, teams for both sexes and added a junior team. mainly comes down to if a player has the right the future of Handball is looking secure as more not inconsiderable amount at the time Hamilton “There was much more interest than we connections. Sponsorship will most likely come people want to take it up. 1968 – The British Handball Association is 1985 – The Commonwealth Handball expected. One of the things I noticed in par- in the form of a team kit or just a small contri- Chris Smith of the LHA sums it up brilliantly: accepted into membership of the International Association is founded at a meeting of nations ticular is that during the Olympics, much of the bution.