Handball: The Other Rugby

Women's GB team celebrate after victory over Slovakia

When I read about Lynn McCafferty’s commitment to handball a few months ago in the Evening Standard I instantly had respect for her dedication to the sport. After meeting her and playing alongside her... I felt honoured.

I had the opportunity to play handball alongside Britain’s elite for two days and get a sneak peek into the lives of the women who have been quietly chipping away at the challenges that have accompanied their decision to represent GB next year in this discipline.

The entire initiation to this sport was a complete shock to the system – after all, the sports I’ve participated in are volleyball, basketball, athletics and cheerleading (don’t laugh). None of the above are as tactile or sticky as handball is.

The fundamental actions of handball are similar to some sporst, but it is definitely a unique game. It’s a little like basketball, except there are two more players on the court and contact is encouraged. It also requires some fundamentals of volleyball like explosivity, but the swinging action is high and not across the body. In fact, after being charged into by a defender, Iconcluded that handball is basically rugby on a wooden floor! Handball is definitely a contact sport, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a little addictive.

My fascination with the sport continued off court when I had the chance to hear the journeys of players like Jukesy, Fudge, Holly, Heidi, Mahony and Laura.

The Olympic funding pot took a big hit when the economy was flipped on its back a few years ago which left quite a few elite athletes with the unfortunate task of juggling the responsibility of sports performance and day-to-day maintenance. Each of these ladies has had to make major sacrifices in order to contribute to the development of this sport in the UK. The more stories I heard, the more I wondered if the spectators at next year’s games would ever fully appreciate what a lot of GB athletes have invested and forgone in order to ensure that they represent their country with nothing less than their A-game. If these women didn’t love the sport, they would have plenty to gripe about, but you only need to spend 15 minutes with the squad to confirm that their involvement is fuelled from a genuine love of the game and passion for excellence.

Despite having had the floor wiped with me, I left that session with sore hip flexors, tight hamstrings and a new found respect for the ladies of the GB handball team.

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