PRESIDENT'S UPDATE - AUGUST 2025

Kia ora koutou, Aotearoa Handball Whānau

We are now down to the business end of the Handball calendar, on and off the court, with something for everyone in the weeks ahead.  While we lead off with a promo for the Club Champs that are just around the corner, please continue reading through to some important messaging regarding next month’s AGM, with an acknowledgment of our youth and junior women’s teams set to take on the rest of Oceania in October to round out this month’s update.

Club Champs

Not long to go until the pinnacle event on the New Zealand Handball calendar takes place - the 2025 edition of the New Zealand Handball Club Championships. Once again the event will run from Wellington's fabulous Ākau Tangi Sports Centre. For the first time we are running the event over four days, with the opening game throwing off at 4.30pm on Thursday 4 September, the action continuing throughout the days on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th, and the event culminating  in the placement games and finals for each division on Sunday 7th.

This year we have another strong showing from our friends across the Tasman. Brisbane will be represented in both the Men's and Women's divisions for the 2nd year in a row, UNSW will be back once again, having become a regular fixture in the Men's division over the past few years, and for the first time we welcome a team from Melbourne to contest the Women's division. And of course there is the usual line up of New Zealand Clubs from around the Motu descending on Wellington to join the local Clubs taking part, with many hardened campaigners and plenty of fresh talent hitting the courts. We look forward to seeing you all in action!

There will be plenty of spectator seating for the main court on Sunday 7 September, where you will be able to witness the Women's bronze medal game at 9am, the Women's final at 11am, and the Men's final at 1pm.  All the other placement games will be taking place at 9am or 11am on the other courts, with all games livestreamed thanks to the technical wizardry of New Zealand Handball life member Jun Tanlayco. If you can't get along to watch the action live, be sure to tune in at NZHandballLive YouTube channel 

Thanks to the Wellington City Council Sports Event Partnership Fund for its generous support of the event, allowing us to keep the team registration fees down. Thanks also to the cohort of volunteers who have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to pull it all together, and our event supporters Trinity Group (and in particular the Cambridge Hotel where the social will be held on the Saturday evening at the conclusion of the day’s action) and the Brentwood Hotel. Our clothing partner Select is also coming to the party with vouchers for tournament award winners.

AGM - 28 September

 As if Club Champs wasn't enough excitement for one month, on Sunday 28 September at 8pm we will be holding the 2025 AGM for the New Zealand Handball Federation. As with past years, the AGM will be held online. The agenda and link to the event will be sent to our official Club contacts closer to the time. All New Zealand Handball Stakeholders are welcome to sit in on the event, although only the nominated Club representatives, Life Members and the Executive Committee are able to vote.

 Nominations for people wanting to join the Executive Committee to be voted on at the AGM close on Saturday 13 September. If you are interested in rolling your sleeves up to do some of the heavy lifting required to keep New Zealand Handball moving forward, please speak with your Club committee and seek their nomination.

 This year's AGM is particularly significant as we consider and vote on changes to our constitution that are required to enable the Federation to re-register under our governing legislation next year. We are also taking the opportunity to tweak a few of the provisions in the constitution to better align with how we want to see New Zealand Handball operating. The proposed constitution changes were circulated to the Club contacts earlier in the year, and a final form will be included with the agenda when that is sent out next month. If you would like to have a look at what the proposed replacement constitution looks like, please contact secretary@handball.org.nz.

IHF Trophy - women's Under 17 and Under 19 selections

Congratulations to our youth and junior Women's players who have gained selection to represent New Zealand at the IHF Trophy in the Cook Islands in October!  We know it has been a fairly intense few months for you all with multiple training camps and many taking part in Handball League Aotearoa. We look forward to seeing you put all that hard work into action come mid-October. To those that missed the selection cut, I am sure there will be other opportunities for you in the future. Hopefully you have all enjoyed the taste of participating in a New Zealand handball high performance squad - and that taste has left you hungry for more!

Yours in Handball

David Ireland

President, New Zealand Handball Federation

Beach Handball Pre-Season Update

Kia ora Koutou Katoa e te Whānau Handball,

The beach season is fast approaching! This is an extremely important season for beach handball, and the NZHF want to share our plans as early as possible, even if all details are not yet finalised.

Due to qualifiers being held this season for the world championships, our intention is to start early so that we can select the strongest squad possible and give that squad time to gel before taking on our Oceania cousins for the right to participate in the world championship.

The first 2 camps will be spread over the North and South Island and will be open to all interested parties to allow maximum participation. Then a selection camp will take place this side of Christmas allowing for a squad to be selected and have at least one training camp before the Qualifying event.

The INDICATIVE dates are included below. These are indicative only and subject to change given the tight timeframes, particularly around the first camp which is still in the tail end of the indoor season.

The NZHF has put their hand’s up to host the Oceania Qualifiers this year and have indicated we wish to host them on the 30th of Jan till the 1st of February Which will give the winning team ample time to prepare for the World Championships and we will align our calendar with both our Club Championship the week after to entice our Oceania Whānau to come over and enjoy what Aotearoa has to offer. We have worked in with our Handball Australia to ensure that players wishing to attend both club championship events and allowed enough spacing for this.

So that we hit the sand running we will be running a Beach Handball High Performance meeting to discuss player and management expectations, timing of camps and tournaments as well as team culture. TO SIGN UP FOR THIS MEETING PLEASE CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW. This is an open meeting available to anyone interested in playing for New Zealand Beach Handball.

This is going to be a busy season full of change so expect further communications, such as the staple of our NZ High Performance Beach Calendar, the North vs South Series, as well as some great opportunities to get involved in the beach handball community.

If you want any further information on the beach programme please reach out to beach@handball.org.nz. It’s going to be an exciting year ahead for Beach Handball!

Looking forward to seeing you all out on the sand soon,

Ngā mihi nui

Willy Silcock

NZHF Executive Board Member (Beach Handball Portfolio)

Celebrating International Handball Week: Nurturing the Future of Handball in Aotearoa

As we celebrate International Handball Week, it’s a great time to shine a light on the youth who represent the future of our sport here in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Over the past couple of years, the New Zealand Handball Federation (NZHF) has been laying the foundations for long-term growth by focusing on youth development. With the support of clubs, coaches, teachers, and volunteers, we’re creating clear pathways for young players to not only enjoy the game — but also to develop and compete at higher levels.

Building a Sustainable Pathway

NZHF’s regional youth tournaments are more than just events — they’re stepping stones. Designed for intermediate school-aged players (ages 11 to 12), these tournaments offer a fun and competitive environment where young athletes can grow their skills, connect with others, and dream big.

From the Court to the Community

Handball is more than just a sport — it's a tool for building confidence, community, and lifelong friendships. By embedding the sport in schools, partnering with PE teachers, and running open-entry competitions, we’re helping kids of all backgrounds access the game. Whether they go on to play socially or aim for national teams, every player matters.

In Their Own Words

“I never knew handball was a thing here. Now I’ve played in this tournament, and we won! So now I want to make the Wellington rep squad!”
– 12-year-old participant, Wellington Youth Tournament 2024

The Future is Bright

As we look ahead, our goal is clear: make handball visible, accessible, and sustainable for all tamariki and rangatahi. That means continuing to invest in youth competitions, coach development, and school outreach — and celebrating the wins, big and small, that happen along the way.

Happy International Handball Week!

To every player, parent, coach, and volunteer: thank you for helping us grow the game. Together, we’re building something incredible.

🔗 Follow us on @newzealand_handball_federation or visit [www.handball.org.nz] to learn more and get involved.

PRESIDENT'S UPDATE - June 2025

Kia ora koutou, Aotearoa Handball Whānau! 

With mid-winter fast approaching, we are now into the thick of the Handball season, with lots of Handball action around the country to get excited about.

 In this month’s update, I take a quick look at what’s been happening on the youth development front before switching to the other end of the experience spectrum with Handball league Aotearoa, and finish off with my favourite subject, NZ Handball admin.

Youth Development

The success of the Intermediate School age regional tournaments in Auckland and Wellington that kicked off last year continues.

In Auckland we had another well-attended U13  Inter-School Regional Handball Championships at the Barfoot Thompson Stadium on 6 June. With over 80 kids taking part and overwhelmingly positive feedback on the event, it is super encouraging for the future of the sport in New Zealand’s most populous region. Thanks to all the volunteers who stepped up to ensure the success of the event.

Wellington also saw an U17 Women’s Inter-College Champs take place in May. While not quite the same numbers as we saw at the younger age level in Auckland, rebuilding the female game in the Nation’s capital is an important spoke in the wheel of maintaining Handball as a national sport. Reports of the enthusiasm shown at that event bodes well for the future.

On 29 July the Wellington focus switches to the U13s, with a three day festival of Handball throwing off featuring 20 local Schools, followed by the Capital’s own U13 Regional Championships on 14 August. Both events take place at the spiritual home of New Zealand Handball, Ākau Tangi Sports Centre in Kilbirnie. Once again, the level of interest in these events has been quite overwhelming. While the high-performance and club side of Handball delivers plenty of special moments to celebrate, nothing quite beats the sheer joy you see on the faces of this younger cohort as they get their first tastes of our amazing game. Thanks to our head of youth development Frank Stoltenberg and his group of volunteers for all you do to inspire the next generation of New Zealand Handballers.

Of course, much of the North Island Handball youth development is just playing catch up with the Mainland, and all the amazing work with our youth players that continues in both Christchurch and Dunedin. The depth of the youth game that has developed in the South over the past decade is quite something, and it hasn’t been by accident as our growing Handball communities of Canterbury and Otago continue to do the mahi to secure the future of the sport. A big shout out to all those involved for your ongoing commitment to the growth of youth Handball.

The next step will be progressing an inter-regional competition at the U13 level. Watch this space for more on that in due course.

Women’s Handball

Moving on to the high-performance side of what’s happening in New Zealand Handball, as reported by our national Women’s Team manager and NZ Handball Secretary-General Leanne Dawson, in mid-June our Women's High Performance programme came together for a joint camp in Waimate, with our juniors, youth, and seniors attending.

The squad were well-looked after at Gunns Bush (although it was rather freezing!), and trained together at the Waimate Event Centre. It was great to connect as a group, share learnings and growth across our women's squad. It was also really exciting to see the commitment and development of our women's players, reinforcing the importance of building a unified, supportive community Handball culture. Thank you to everyone involved in organising this event. Another camp is scheduled for late July to build on the success of the June camp.

Handball League Aotearoa

Our high performance inter-regional competition is now in full swing. May saw the opening super weekend at The Peak Stadium in Hamilton, with teams from Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury opening up the 2025 edition of HLA. While hosting an event in the Tron created a few more travel logistics than usual, it was great to take the event outside its traditional bases, and feedback from those who took part was positive. Hopefully the event has inspired a fresh wave of Waikato residents to ring their cowbells at something different!

Both the Southern and Northern Shield exchanges are in play, with the Southerners continuing to meet at Waimate, and the Northerners playing home and away in Wellington on 4-5 July (when they will be joined by Otago, compensating for the Southerners missing the HLA opening in May) and Auckland at the start of August. All is set for the final showdown in Christchurch in October!

Constitution Review Reminder 

Feedback on the proposed changes to NZ Handball’s constitution circulated in April officially close on 30 June. If you still want to chip into the review process, or missed the consultation pack, please get in touch – it is your governing framework, so we want to give all our stakeholders as much opportunity as we can to have their say.

The next step in the process will be a confirmed set of proposed changes being circulated ahead of this year’s AGM in September. Once approved, we will then be able to re-register the organisation under the new laws, well ahead of the April 2026 deadline. For any of our Clubs and Regional Associations who have been set up as incorporated societies who have yet to progress their re-registration process, the clock is well and truly ticking!

Reimbursements

Last up, I am conscious there have been a few delays in processing reimbursements through our system. Apologies for that. We are working hard to try process claims as efficiently as we can, but the system does rely upon volunteers juggling busy day jobs, so your patience is appreciated.

Reimbursements will only be processed if entered online, which you can access from the ‘About’ section of our website  here. You can do your bit to expedite the process by ensuring any reimbursement requests are properly populated with receipts uploaded – and ideally just one receipt per reimbursement claim that you upload – and ensure the relevant manager is aware of the claim so they can approve it being paid. Many of the delays are down to incomplete information, which adds to the workload involved. Claims are usually processed every second Sunday of the month, but If you do experience a delay (as in, more than three weeks have elapsed since you submitted your claim), please get in touch to see where things have gone astray.

That’s all for now. Take care and have fun on court.

Yours in Handball

David Ireland

President, New Zealand Handball Federation

President's Update - April 2025

Ngā mihi o te tau hou, Aotearoa Handball whānau!

As we say farewell to another successful season of Handball on the Beach, we are all set to go for another action-packed season of indoor Handball, Kiwi-style.  Thank you to all those involved in organising the Beach Handball season enjoyed by many.

An admin focus in this month's update, but the overall calendar of domestic Handball events is fast taking shape and it's great to hear of all the training and preparation that is going on around the country.

Handball League Aotearoa, Take Two and Club Champs update

Super exciting to have HLA 2025 kick off in Hamilton on May 24. Ted Fitzpatrick has put in a massive shift to build on the success of the inaugural league in 2024, and taking our sport to the mighty 'Tron’ is another step in the path to turning Handball into a true national game for New Zealand.

For further details, see last month's post. It's not too late to get amongst it, and as usual all games will be livestreamed for those unable to be there in person.

But High Performance 2025 is not just about the HLA. Everything is shaping up nicely for this year's Club Champs in Wellington, and we are already at the stage of needing to turn away interest from overseas Clubs to take part to ensure the event is able to cater for all our New Zealand Clubs. We are aiming to kick off the tournament late afternoon/early evening on Thursday September 4th this year to help manage player loads. We are looking forward to another great showing of Handball talent. Once again we are grateful to the WCC Sports Event Development Fund for another generous grant that will help us keep registration fees at a similar level to previous years and maintain the high quality of the event. 

Player registration

As promised in my February update, our new player registration platform is now fully up and running. The opening weekend of the HLA on 24 May will be the first time we have enforced compulsory player registration on a national database, so please bear with us if there are any teething issues to work through. 

The launch of the new platform, partnering with Esportsdesk to make it happen, is the culmination of a few years' work in trying to pull together a system that is easy to use and administer, and cost-effective for us. The engagement with Esportsdesk over the past few months has been really constructive as we built something tailored to the needs of New Zealand Handball, and we are delighted with the end product. If you experience any issues when trying to use the new platform, please contact Julien at membership@handball.org.nz. Even if you don't have any difficulties with it, we would still love to hear your feedback. This is effectively NZ Handball registration 1.0 - inevitably there will be enhancements we can make, but we want to see how this OG version plays out first, with ease of use a priority for us.

Look out for communications from your Clubs for news on how the new system will impact on Club memberships. For those looking to register as a player with New Zealand Handball, follow this link New Zealand Handball Federation - Powered By esportsdesk.com.

Handball resources

The New Zealand Handball Federation is proud to announce the release of six new skill-based videos as part of our Play Handball series, designed to make Handball even more accessible to students, teachers, and parents across Aotearoa.
These new clips follow the success of our first video, Introduction to Handball, launched six months ago. That video provided an overview of how the sport is played and helped demystify handball for schools and families new to the game."

The link to the series of videos is: Play Handball NZHF - Intro to Handball

Constitution review and re-registration

As promised previously, we are about to circulate a consultation paper along with a set of proposed amendments to the NZ Handball Federation constitution. The bulk of the changes contemplated are to ensure we align with the new laws governing incorporated societies, but we are also taking the opportunity to fine-tune some other aspects of our governing rules. There ends up being quite a lot to get through, and we would really welcome feedback from our stakeholders before progressing to the next step.

And what is that next step? Once we have closed off the initial round of consultation at the end of June, we will reflect on the feedback and then release a further final draft of the proposed replacement constitution in time for it to be voted on at this year's AGM in the back half of September.

Clubs and Regional Associations should have all received from us earlier in the year an outline of what is involved in re-registering under the new Act, including a checklist of the key aspects that need to be covered off. All those stakeholders that are incorporated societies will need to go through the same process as the NZ Handball Federation, with the deadline for re-registration now less than a year away. If any of you need some input from us to make it happen, please get in touch.

That's all

Looking forward to the next update when we will have some Handball action to report on!

Yours in Handball

David Ireland

President, New Zealand Handball Federation

New Skills Video Series Released to Help More Kiwis Play Handball

The New Zealand Handball Federation is proud to announce the release of six new skill-based videos as part of our Play Handball series, designed to make Handball even more accessible to students, teachers, and parents across Aotearoa.

These new clips follow the success of our first video, Introduction to Handball, launched six months ago. That video provided an overview of how the sport is played and helped demystify handball for schools and families new to the game.

Now, we’re diving deeper into the essential skills needed to play, with short, easy-to-follow videos focused on:

• Stemshot

• Jumpshot

• Feinting

• Defense

• Passing

• Goalkeeping

Each video offers clear demonstrations and coaching tips to help new and experienced players alike. They’re perfect for students learning the game, teachers running school sessions, and parents or caregivers wanting to understand and support their children in playing handball.

We hope these resources inspire more schools around the country to pick up the ball and give handball a go.

You can watch all the videos now on our YouTube playlist:

Play Handball Skills Series

Special thanks to our presenters, Anaiwan Ojala and Lara Johns, and to Silas Kane and Saphira Thompson for their support on court. Torven Schalk from Victoria University Handball, offered the technical know-how from the sideline. The videos were filmed and edited by Jun Tanlayco and NZHF’s Youth Development Coordinator, Frank Stoltenberg.

We are also grateful to our clothing partner, Select Sports, and to Mt Cook School in Wellington for once again hosting us.

Let’s keep building handball together — one skill at a time.

Handball League Aotearoa Gears Up for an Exciting 2025 Season

The countdown has begun for the highly anticipated Handball League Aotearoa (HLA) 2025 season, promising fans an exhilarating showcase of speed, skill, and strategy. With both the men’s and women’s leagues set to deliver thrilling matchups, teams from across the country are preparing to battle for national supremacy.

The 2025 season will kick off with a high-stakes opening match featuring reigning champions Canterbury taking on Otago in the South Island derby on May 10th in Waimate, setting the tone for an action-packed season. Throughout the competition, fans can expect key clashes, including a fierce rivalry showdown on the men's side, between Canterbury and last year's runners-up Wellington, to be played in Hamilton on May 24th, which is already being touted as a must-watch encounter. This game will be part of the HLA Super Weekend, which is bringing handball to Hamilton. It is time to turn "The Tron" into "Handballton".

On the women's side, reigning champs Canterbury begin their title defence against Otago in Waimate on May 10th, but the highly anticipated match will be when they face Auckland in Hamilton on May 24th.  Auckland managed to go the 2024 regular season undefeated only to be beaten in the final, they are out to prove they have what it takes to win the big matches.

“The 2025 HLA season is shaping up to be our best yet,” said League Director KarlFitzpatrick. “We have an incredible lineup of teams, and the level of competitioncontinues to rise every year. We can’t wait to see handball fans across NewZealand come together to support their teams and we also want new fans to comeand witness handball firsthand.”

In addition to the main league matches, the season will feature special events, including community engagement initiatives, junior development programs, and opportunities for those new to handball to give it a go.

Fitzpatrick says that "handball is a really exciting sport to watch live and offers something different to the mainstream sports in New Zealand". Spectators are encouraged to give handball a shot and come support the teams at games across the country. Matches will also be streamed online for those unable to attend in person.

More information, including the full schedule and venue details, will be provided later.

Follow Handball League Aotearoa on Instagram @handball_league_aotearoa. For additional information on the league, go to HLA Links.

New Zealand Women's Handball Online Presence

New Zealand Handball Federation is proud to announce the creation of a separate online presence for NZ women’s handball. It is fitting that the creation is in line with International Women’s Day.

Visibility fuels growth. A strong online presence for women's handball in New Zealand isn’t just about showcasing talent—it’s about inspiring the next generation, building a community, and proving that women in sport deserve the spotlight. The more we share, the more we grow.

Leanne Dawson - Manager, National Women’s Team

“We are delighted to launch a site dedicated to the achievements and initiatives of our female representative squads. We are excited about how the site has been developed by the women’s leadership group, and the contribution it will make to the ongoing development and success of women’s handball in New Zealand”.

David Ireland - President, New Zealand Handball Federation

For links to NZ Women’s Handball,

Canterbury Pekapeka wins the 2025 Beach Handball Club Men's and Women's Championships

Canterbury Handball followed last year’s indoor handball success by winning both the men’s and women’s category of this year’s NZ Beach Handball Club Championship. Last year, Canterbury Quakes won both men’s and women’s Handball League Aotearoa and the men’s title of the 2024 NZ Club Championship. They started this year with Canterbury Pekapeka winning both men’s and women’s titles in beach handball.

Canterbury Pekapeka dominated the women’s championship winning all their games and the finals. The men’s tournament was a tighter affair. On the first day, Pekepeka men lost both their matches against Barad-dûr Beach Bros. Barad-dûr Beach Bros won all their matches on the first day. But they could not replicate it on the second day.

2025 Beach Handball Club championship Winners

2025 Beach Handball Club Men’s Championship - Canterbury Pekapeka

Ollly Donaldson (Charrots)

Top Scorer and Most Valuable Attacker

Cameron Ross (Charrots) and Jeremy Clarke (Charrots)

Most Valuable Defender

Jack Gallagher (Charrots) and Alex Brown (BBB)

Best Goalkeeper

2025 Beach Handball Club WOMen’s Championship - Canterbury Pekapeka

Jaclyn Parker (Pekapeka)

Most Valuable Attacker

Kianna Dawson (Parrots)

Top Scorer

Rowan Moloughney (Pekapeka) and Mae Bartlett (Pekapeka)

Most Valuable Defender

Julia Singhal (Pekapeka)

Best Goalkeeper

That concludes the New Zealand Beach Handball season. Good luck to the teams and players going over to the Australian Beach Club Championship starting 3rd of April 2025.

President's Update - February 2025

President’s Update - February 2025

Ngā mihi o te tau hou, Aotearoa Handball whānau!

Better late than never, welcome to another year of Handball, Kiwi-style. Over the summer break your Executive Committee has been working hard on planning for the year ahead, and the planets have now aligned to share an update with you. As always there is more to come as planning continues, but here is a taster of what lies in store:

Handball League Aotearoa 

Building on the success of last year's inaugural national league, we are excited to confirm the programme for the year ahead. A key piece of feedback we received last year was that participants didn't feel they had enough notice of dates for events. We have listened, and that shouldn't be a source of complaint this year!

For 2025 HLA kicks off with the first leg of the Southern Shield in Waimate on May 10 and then we have yet another first on 24-25 May - a full national handball tournament being hosted in Hamilton! We are super-excited to be bringing Handball to the 'Tron with a Super Weekend being held at The Peak Sports Hall. We have received great initial support on the ground in Hamilton to make the most of showcasing the event in New Zealand's 4th largest city, just a bit over an hour's drive south from Auckland airport.

Note that with the HLA Super Weekend being held in Hamilton at this time, the traditional Auckland Open has been deferred this year to help people manage their travel budget.

We then move onto the home and away legs of the Northern Shield - 5-6 July in Wellington, and 2-3 August in Auckland. The 2nd leg of the Southern Shield with HLA points up for grabs then takes Canterbury and Otago back to Waimate on August 23 before it all wraps up in Christchurch on 11-12 October. Between those two events of course we have the NZHF Club Champs in Wellington 4-7 September - another chance to showcase the best that New Zealand Handball has to offer, even if no HLA points are up for grabs. The full schedule will be available on our website shortly.

A huge Handball thank you to Karl Fitzpatrick and the rest of the HLA committee for all the mahi put into getting the programme together. If you are keen on taking part, please contact your local regional association.

Player Registration system

Supporting a more professional approach to the way we manage participation in HLA, we have partnered with Esportsdesk to create a Club and player registration system for New Zealand Handball. As a starting point, all those wanting to take part in HLA and national representative squads will need to register on the new platform, but the plan is for the platform to finally provide an easy to use system to capture registrations for everyone wanting to take part in Handball in New Zealand.

There are still a few final details to nail with the registration system, and Julien Pringot and the team will be in touch with Clubs to provide further information and guidance to help get everything loaded up. This has been another big project for us to progress, and we are indebted to Julien for all the mahi he has put in to make the player registration vision a reality.

Beach Handball

Hard to believe it, but the domestic Beach Handball programme is nearly at an end, with the NZ Beach Club Champs to be held at the Pioneer Sand Courts on 1-2 March. It has been a trimmed down programme this summer to help free up space for players to take part in the Aussie Club Champs at the start of April, but once again we have seen another successful summer of action on the sand, with some exciting new talent coming through and a few of the Beach Handball stalwarts still  getting amongst it and showing the next generation how it is done. For details, teams, game schedule and livestream, go to our NZ Beach Club championship Event page. Thanks to Willy Silcock for all that you do for our Beach Athletes.

Grassroots Youth Development

Of course, it is not all just about High Performance. As a New Zealand community and participant in the global community that is Handball, a key objective for us is to ensure the next generation of players is coming through that will share our passion for this great game, and carry forward the legacy of what has been created into the future. Again building on last year's successes, we are working on a sustainable framework to support Handball develop and thrive amongst our younger enthusiasts and potential enthusiasts. Frank Stoltenberg has put a huge effort into pulling things together for the future benefit of us all, and NZHF is investing significant resources into this project. We will save details to be rolled out in future communications, but for now be assured that while we place a lot of emphasis on our high-performance initiatives, we remain focused on the future health of Handball in New Zealand

Incorporated Society Re-registration

As if all the action on the court and sand wasn't enough, we also have the excitement of the NZHF constitution review and re-registration as an incorporated society to get through this year.  We are well underway with our internal review, and hope to get a consultation paper circulated before HLA kicks off in May. Opportunities to update our governing framework do not come around too often, so we are keen to ensure everyone has a chance to have their say. We take feedback received on board to inform a replacement set of Rules that will be put to the September AGM for adoption.

All Clubs and Regional Associations have been sent a package to help get them underway with their own re-registration processes, where required. So for those with a thirst for governance and governing rules, this is finally your year to get amongst it.

Wrap

That is just a taste of all that is on the go for now - there is plenty of other work going on behind the scenes, and other initiatives in play. If you have any queries or would like to contribute more to what is going on, please do not hesitate to reach out to Leanne at secretary@handball.org.nz. We would love to hear from you.

Ngā mihi nui

David Ireland

President, New Zealand Handball Federation