News

,

President's Update - February 2024

,

Greetings, Aotearoa Handball Whānau

A belated welcome to 2024, Kiwi Handball style. It’s only the end of February, but already plenty has happened in 2024 on the New Zealand Handball front, and we are really excited about what the rest of the year holds in store.

Our Men’s Team doing New Zealand proud In the Middle East

What a fantastic way to finish an international tournament!

Our Senior Men’s Team knew they would be up against it when they headed to Bahrain in January for the 21st Asian Men’s Handball Championships. Our previous campaigns to the Asian Champs – Men and Women – have failed to produce a win, despite a couple of close results and periods of footing it with the best Asia had to offer.  After four years in the international wilderness, the Men kicked off the 2024 Championships with a lot of ground to make up.

That gap in the level of play we were used to certainly showed in the early games. By the final game of the Championships against India we were staring down the barrel of another winless campaign. But never count a Kiwi out! Superbly led by the ever-green Jimmy Cochrane and a player of the match performance from Paul Ireland, New Zealand powered to a five goal win to finally get the monkey off our back. With a mounting casualty list, it was a massive effort from our men and just reward for all the years of effort that got the team to that point. Congratulations to coach Roland Van Den Tillaar and all the squad for what they achieved. And thanks to our new-found supporters in Bahrain for getting behind the team!

National League

What the latest Asian Championships has taught us is that if we want to be competitive on the international stage, we have to increase the number of competitive games our players are exposed to. There is no substitute for game-time.

With the above in mind, and in response to feedback from around the regions of players hungry for more opportunities to flex their muscles, we are now putting the final touches on the National League concept floated last year. Keep an eye out for further updates over the next few weeks as we lock down the final logistics following consultation with the Regional Associations.

Meantime, we have a calendar of upcoming events. More details will be posted in our event page - https://handball.org.nz/events. Unfortunately, the Trans-Tasman  clash we had previously hoped to take place at the start of May has fallen through, but there’s still plenty coming up for everyone!

 

BEACH

2024 National Beach Womens Champion - Dirty Pigeons

2024 National Beach Mens Champion - Barad-dur Beach Bros

 

At this time of year, of course, Beach Handball dominates the domestic scene. Another superb programme on the sand has been put together, with the National Beach Championships having just successfully concluded in Christchurch. Congratulations to the Dirty Pigeons from Australia and the Barad-dûr Beach Bros for taking out the Women’s and Men’s titles respectively, and to all who took part. Fantastic to have a team from across the ditch taking part. We have a couple of teams looking to reciprocate for the Aussie Beach Club Champs in April – great to see the Trans-Tasman rivalry and Handball camaraderie thriving. Also pleasing to see the strong uptick in the number of female Beach players coming through, encouraging signs for the future of the Women’s game.

Next up on the Beach calendar is the North v South Championships taking place at the end of March. If you haven’t experienced the excitement of Beach Handball live, that should be a great event to get along to. 

Volunteers and admin

Now that we have got the NZ Exec organisational restructure bolted down - Organisation Structure, we are looking out for volunteers to help out with the various portfolio areas. The idea is that many hands make light work – and a heck of a lot more fun!

You can find the EOI details here EOI Form. No prior experience necessary, with each portfolio overseen by one of the Executive Committee. All we are after is people passionate about helping New Zealand Handball become the best that it can be. And there is no shortage of work to be done.

The other volunteer initiative underway at present is the appointment of coaches for our various high performance sides. EOIs are currently in circulation, and we hope to be in a position to make some announcements on that front later in March, with the immediate focus being the launch of the Junior and Youth Men’s campaign for the IHF Trophy later this year.

Of course, Handball in New Zealand is built on the backs of our wonderful volunteers all around the country, outside of the national Exec roles. It is great to hear news of various initiatives kicking off in our Handball centres to set up the year ahead. All the work you do to support grass roots Handball and keeping it going throughout the country is greatly appreciated. You are the life blood of our sport.

Last, and sorry to end on a negative note – we have been plagued by fake Facebook accounts of late, with various unfortunates trying to pass themselves off as NZ Handball. All we can ask is that you be wary, and check that any posting you are following or sharing is the real deal. Our official social media accounts can be found on the top right of our website - CONNECT WITH US. And remember, our livestream YouTube account is NZ Handball Live,we will not ask you to create an account nor pay subscription to view livestream games.

All the best for your Handball in the year ahead

David Ireland

President

,

President's Update - September 2023

,

Kia ora koutou, Aotearoa New Zealand Handball Whānau!

It has been an action-packed past couple of months on the Handball front, but with just a few sleeps to go now until the NZHF AGM, I’ll stick to the highlights.

Club Champs – Wellington’s Ākau Tangi Sports Centre, 8-10 September

What a fantastic advertisement for Handball!

15 teams – five competing in the Women’s section and ten in the Men’s, including University of New South Wales to add an international flavour to things – with over 200 players taking the court over 42 games. Tremendous to see the New Zealand Handball community come together once again to enjoy some great competition and camaraderie over three action-packed days. Big thanks to the Bond Street Sports Bar for supporting the social event, the Brentwood Hotel for providing some great accommodation deals, Select NZ for chipping in a couple of backpacks for the tournament MVPs, Tom Paget & Habit Health for the physio support to keep everyone firing, and the Goethe Institut for supplying bags of Handballs for the winning teams and for its ongoing support for the development of New Zealand Handball. Great to have the Institut represented at prizegiving. And of course Jun Tanlayco for the amazing footage of the event, with livestreaming of all three courts beamed around the world! Thanks also to the WCC Sports Event Partnership Fund for the generous financial support that helped fund the event. 

Both finals were closely contested, and provided fine examples of quality Handball played in the best of competitive spirit. Congratulations to theHunters Handball Club, who dominated pool play and came out on top in the final after the Canterbury Quakes made them work hard for glory in the Women’s division. Even more evenly contested was the Men’s final, where the Otago Sheeps held their nerve and came out on top of the Purple Gounas.

Club Champs Womens Winner - Hunters Handball Club

Club Champs Mens Winner - Otago Sheeps

Congratulations also to the Canterbury Quakes Handball Club who were the inaugural winners of our brand new trophy, Kotahitanga – meaning Unity. This special award, kindly co-ordinated and gifted from the Hunters’ Tahndae Wyatt on behalf of her Ngāti Rangitihi iwi, celebrates being one with the community and the expression of selfless acts towards one another. There were many fine examples of the spirit of Handball on display over the course of the Championships, with no shortage of those taking part offering to help and coming together as one. But the unity, support and cohesion shown by the Canterbury Quakes made them worthy recipients of this special recognition.

Club Champs Kotahitanga award - Canterbury Handball

Referees

On a less positive note, we had a few instances of inappropriate challenging of referees’ decisions and dissent during the Club Championships, in some cases with that criticism carrying on after the final whistle. That sort of behaviour has no place in New Zealand Handball. Our referees are not hardened professionals. All do their best, but are never going to be perfect, despite the investment made in our referee training programme. We want to promote a Handball culture where all our referees feel supported and encouraged to pick up a whistle, without fear of abuse. It is the collective responsibility of the entire Handball community to call out poor treatment of referees, with zero tolerance for bad behaviour. Those who don’t get that message can expect to be on the receiving end of disciplinary processes.

Back to the positives, thanks again to Antoine Desnos for leading another round of our referee training programme. Congratulations to the 15 newly minted referees who worked through this year’s programme to earn the green shirt at Club Champs. As with last year, we are proud to have two of our cohort of qualified referees heading overseas next month to help officiate at the Oceania leg of the IHF Trophy. Congratulations Tahndae Wyatt and Langi Winitana.

 

NZ Youth Teams

On the subject of the IHF Trophy, our Women’s Junior and Youth squads are now all set to take on the best that Oceania has to offer in New Caledonia in October. It has been a mission getting everything organised for that, but exciting to see the two squads in action for an exhibition game at Club Champs. We wish them all the best for this qualifying event, with the winners going on to compete in the Intercontinental Championships next year.

U17 Team for 2023 IHF Trophy Oceania Womens

U19 Team for 2023 IHF Trophy Oceania Womens

U19 Men’s Team at the IHF Handball Youth World Championships in Croatia

And of course, we can’t overlook the efforts of our Men’s Under 19 Squad who took on the world at the Handball Youth World Championships in Croatia last month. While they didn’t come away with the results they had hoped for on the court, I am sure it was an incredible experience for all involved, and by all accounts they were fine ambassadors for New Zealand Handball off the court. It was a mammoth task to pull together, with plenty of lessons learned for next time. Thanks to all involved for your commitment to the cause. 

 

NZHF AGM 1 October

 All is set for the AGM being held online Sunday 1 October, commencing 7.30pm. Your Executive Committee is set for a bit of a shake up from that, with a couple of changes in our composition to take place. Please get in touch with your Club if you would like a link to the Zoom meeting – all members of the New Zealand Handball community are welcome (although only the Clubs and Life Members get to vote!). For those that can’t make it, details will be posted on our website after the event. But why would you miss it live??

 

Regional Champs – Christchurch’s Pioneer Stadium, 7-8 October

Hot on the heels of the AGM we have the clash of the Regions in Christchurch, as we gather together one last time for 2023 to finish off the regular domestic indoor season, before attention switches to Beach. Safe travels to everyone journeying to that.

The tournament and referees meeting will be held online on Thursday 5th October at 7 p.m.

 

That’ll do it for this month. As always, please don’t hesitate to get in touch if there are any Handball-related issues you would like to raise, ideas to share, or support to offer.

Yours in Handball

 

David Ireland

President

New Zealand Handball Federation  

president@handball.org.nz

,

U19 Handball Team's Unstoppable Journey to the World Championships in Croatia

,

In a whirlwind of passion and dedication, the U19 handball team embarked on an extraordinary journey towards the World Championships in Croatia. As the head of delegation, Thomas Schmider, I am thrilled to share the incredible highlights and challenges faced by this determined group of players.

The Campaign's Humble Beginnings

The journey commenced after the Oceania champs in December, when Hayden Juranovich and I initiated the call for players to join our World Championships campaign. Witnessing the commitment of both players and their parents filled us with excitement and hope for what was to come.

A United Delegation

With Olly Donaldson and Roland Nemes joining us, tthe delegation took shape, and together, we strategised our campaign. Our priorities were crystal clear: budgeting and fundraising, player development, marketing, and understanding the logistics of the World Championships.

Training Camps and Game Practice

To prepare rigorously, we organised three intensive training camps in Christchurch and participated in the Auckland Handball Championship for valuable game practice. These efforts were crucial in honing the players' skills and enhancing their physical fitness.

Overcoming Struggles

Our journey was not without challenges. Financial burdens weighed on both parents and players, as the costs of participation fees and flights escalated. Limited resources within the delegation also posed hurdles. However, the unwavering commitment and motivation of the team helped us overcome these obstacles.

Remarkable Fundraising Efforts

Undeterred by the financial challenges, our players & parents organised fundraising events like sausage sizzles, cake sales, raffles, quiz nights, and more. These remarkable fundraising events not only provided financial support but also strengthened the bond within the handball community

The recent partnership with Select has had a positive impact on our on-court appearance, and we are enthusiastic about nurturing this relationship for upcoming initiatives. The communication and coordination regarding Select orders have been excellent, and we are grateful for their continuous support throughout our journey so far.

Building a Supportive Network

In an effort to foster a strong sense of support, we took the initiative to print fan shirts specifically designed for parents and fans. These shirts not only served as a way for supporters to showcase their enthusiasm for NZ handball but also created a sense of unity among the team's followers. Wearing these shirts during matches and events further amplified the team's presence and generated a vibrant and supportive atmosphere.

Recognising the importance of keeping parents involved and informed, we introduced monthly Q&A sessions exclusively for them. These sessions provided a platform for parents to interact with the coaching staff, ask questions, and gain insights into the team's progress and strategies. By involving parents in this way, we aimed to create a more connected and engaged community around the handball team.

As part of our efforts to raise awareness and promote NZ handball, we produced two compelling promotional videos videos. These videos showcased the skills, dedication, and passion of our players, giving the world a glimpse of the talent that lies within our handball community. Through social media and various online platforms, these videos garnered widespread attention, not only increasing our fan base but also attracting interest from international audiences.

The combined effect of these initiatives had a profound impact on the team's morale and spirit. The unwavering support from parents and fans, evident through the fan shirts and their active participation in the Q&A sessions, motivated the players to perform at their best and feel a strong sense of unity. Additionally, the global recognition generated by the promotional videos opened up new opportunities for NZ handball, bringing attention to the sport at an international level.

Celebrating Victories

As we approach the World Championships, we celebrate the biggest wins achieved during this campaign.

  • Each player has undergone significant personal development, both on and off the court. On the court, our players have imrpvoed their skills, displaying remarkable techniques and tactical understanding. From mastering intricate handball moves to executing flawless teamwork, their progress has been evident in every game and training session.Beyond the physical aspect, the players have blossomed into exceptional individuals off the court as well. The challenges they faced throughout the campaign have instilled in them resilience and determination, traits that will serve them well in both their sporting careers and personal lives.

  • We successfully enhanced the profile of NZ youth handball, gaining recognition from handball nations worldwide. Our relationship with the IHF and the connections we established have been invaluable. Their incredible support, both financially and with resources like handballs and coaching assistance, has been instrumental in our journey.  We want to specially acknowledge Bob Zermani, who traveled all the way from Germany as a coach from the IHF (International Handball Federation) to assist us with any coaching requirements we may have during our time in Hungary, and Samuel Selig (IHF), who made this initiative happen. Their contributions have been truly incredible and we are extremely thankful for their assistance.

The Heart of the Community:

The NZ handball community rallied behind our cause, with 360 donors generously raising nearly $40,000 NZD. The dedication of parents has been nothing short of astonishing, further strengthening our resolve to create a bright future for NZ handball.

As we stand at the precipice of the U19 World Championships in Croatia, we reflect on the extraordinary journey that has brought us to this point. The passion, dedication, and unity of the U19 handball team, along with the unwavering support from the community, have been nothing short of inspiring. Together, we have overcome challenges, celebrated victories, and carved a path for the next generation of NZ handball. The future looks bright, and we eagerly anticipate the exciting journey that lies ahead. Go Team NZ! 


Thomas Schmider

,

U19 Men's Team leaves for World Championship

,

Our U19 men’s team will fly out from Auckland on Sunday, 23 July, to start their journey to the World Championship in Croatia. They will first go to Hungary for a training camp and warm up games. The 10th IHF Men’s U19 Handball World Championship in Croatia will start on 2 August 2023. For the championship, our team is part of Group B with Hungary, Slovenia and Hungary. Their preliminary games will be played in Varaždin in Croatia. For more details about the tournament, schedules and links to games and results, go to U19 Mens Handball World Championship 2023

Speaking prior to the flight on Sunday, Thomas Schmider, Head of Delegation.

“As the head of delegation, I am truly humbled by the dedication and perseverance shown by our U19 national handball team in their preparation for the upcoming World Championships. It has been a remarkable journey so far, and I couldn’t be prouder of each player’s growth and commitment to their sport.

Together, we embark on this exciting adventure, knowing that success is not guaranteed, but we will give it our all with a united spirit. We value the opportunity to represent our nation and showcase our passion for handball on the world stage.

The road ahead might be challenging, but we approach it with humility and gratitude for the chance to compete among the best. We understand the importance of teamwork, and we will lean on each other’s strengths to overcome any obstacles we may encounter.

Our focus remains on the love of the game, and win or lose, we aim to leave a positive impact with our sportsmanship and camaraderie. With hearts full of determination, we are eager to embrace the experience, learn, and grow both as individuals and as a team.

Together, we carry the hopes and dreams of our country, and we promise to give our best effort in every match. We hope to inspire not only through our performances but also through the values we uphold on and off the court.

Thank you to all our supporters for believing in us. Your encouragement fuels our passion, and we are excited to make you proud throughout this incredible journey”
— Thomas Schmider, Head of Delegation

Coach Hayden Juranovich,

“I am super excited for the journey ahead. This is an awesome opportunity for the boys travelling to be able to train and play over in Europe and gain some invaluable experience.

The tournament will be tough. But I know the boys have been training hard and will give it everything they have and do NZ proud.

Time to show off NZ handball to the world.”
— Hayden Juranovich, Head Coach

Messages from New Zealand Handball Federation

New Zealand Handball Federation and its Executive Board wishes the team safe travels and good luck. We know the team will make the country proud. And foremost, enjoy the amazing experience ahead.

Rowan Maloughney, NZHF Secretary General

David Ireland, NZHF President

,

Shout Out to the NZ Under 19 Mens World Championship Delegation

,

With the NZ youth team busy training and preparing for the 2023 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship, we would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the delegation behind the team.

Please continue supporting the team by going to NZ Youth Handball.

TIM RAYNER

High Performance Director

Tim is the current High Performance Director of NZHF. He coordinates and coaches the NZ representative teams. He has coached the youth team that won the 2018 IHF Trophy Oceania and at the IHF Intercontinental Trophy. He has also coached the New Zealand Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball Team. The men’s beach handball team played at the 2018 World Beach Handball Championship in Russia as a wildcard. And followed that up with winning the Oceania qualifiers to represent the region for the 2022 World Beach Handball Championship in Greece.

 

THOMAS SCHMIDER

Head of Delegation

Thomas was the president of Auckland Handball from 2019 to 2022. During that time they have setup the foundation for a youth team in Auckland. He took over the management of the national youth teams last year with the successful campaign at the 2022 IHF Trophy Oceania were the Youth team placed 2nd and the Junior Team 3rd. He looks at his main responsibility as the Head of Delegation is to “enable the management team to make choices that create the future for the National Youth Handball Team. The goal is to establish an environment where the players feel well looked after, can train and perform like professionals and are inspired to connect with other players”.

 

OLLY DONALDSON

Manager

A relatively newcomer to the handball community, he has a Sports Management and Psychology degree. He was part of the team delegation at the 2022 IHF Trophy Oceania were the Youth team placed 2nd and the Junior Team 3rd. He is currently part of the NZ Men’s Beach Handball team and played at the 2022 World Beach Handball Championship in Greece and the 2023 Oceania Beach Handball Championship in Australia.

 

HAYDEN JURANOVICH

Head Coach

Hayden coached the youth teams at the 2022 IHF Trophy Oceania were the Youth team placed 2nd and the Junior Team 3rd. He has also the coached the Canterbury Women’s team. As coach he is “looking forward to helping (the) guys grow as players and see where this sport can take (them) as many opportunities have opened up recently for our players”

 

ROLAND NEMES

Coaching Advisor

Roland is an IHF Lecturer and has been involved in handball coaching including national teams, top-tier club teams and young players at grassroots level. He brings a wealth of coaching knowledge and expertise.

Beach Handball Update - December

Tēnā tātou!

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Willy Silcock and I am currently in charge of the New Zealand Handball Federation's Beach Handball portfolio. I wanted to give you a quick update on how we are expecting the current summer’s Beach Handball programme to proceed.

Beach Handball already has a strong regional showing this season with regular games in Dunedin, Auckland and Canterbury and we wish to leverage the growth in the last few years to strengthen our presence on the international scene.

Our approach to achieve this is to create a high performance calendar to compliment the great work that is happening in the regions. The calendar has 3 components. Training camps to help develop skills, a North vs South series to develop healthy competition within New Zealand and a National championships to give all players something work towards.

The training camps are available to any players who have a passion for Beach Handball. Experience is NOT a prerequisite. All camps are based in Canterbury. For more details see the Facebook events below.

Camp 1 (19th December)

Camp 2 (29th – 31st January)

Camp 3 (5th March)

Camp 4 (20th - 22nd March)

Each player who is interested in attending camps NEEDS to fill out the THIS FORM. This form is also required for the North vs South series explained below.

The North vs South Series will give all players in New Zealand a goal to aim at as well as a competitive environment to thrive. Any player can put their names forward for their respective squads. Which squad they will represent will be decided based on which club they are registered to in New Zealand. Note that players who attend camps will be prioritised. Any player wanting to considered for the series OR attend camps NEED to fill out the form above.

The peak of the Beach Handball season is the National championships. This will be run as a two day tournament from the 6th and 7th of March. It will provide competitive and social environments to suit all players. To register individual interest please see the Facebook event. It is requested that at this early stage a representative from each region register approximate team numbers using this form so we can start to correctly shape the tournament format.

Lastly a couple of other events of note in the calendar is the Canterbury Handball Mixed Social Tournament and the Wellington Beach Fun Day these are open to all so go have a look and see if you or any of your players would be interested.

I have a passion for Beach Handball so if you want any more information, help on getting Beach Handball embedded in your handball community please reach out to myself via beach@handball.org.nz.

Ngā Mihi,

Willy Silcock

Executive Board Member, Beach Handball Portfolio

New Zealand Handball Federation

Open Senior Men National Team Training Camp

The New Zealand Senior Men’s team is starting their campaign to the Asian Championships in January 2022.

The kick-off event is an open trial training camp in Wellington over the weekend of the 31st of October. Everyone who is a New Zealand Citizen is welcome to join for the camp.

Over that weekend there will be training sessions, games and we also will provide more details about the ‘Road to the Asian Championships 2022’.

To register interest, please email mensnationalteam@handball.org.nz (coach) or david.ojcc@gmail.com (team manager) with the following information:

  • First and Last Name

  • Nationality

  • The city currently residing in

Agenda

  • Friday, 30/10 - training (evening)

  • Saturday 31/10 - training (morning), game (afternoon)

  • Saturday 31/10 - campaign presentation event

  • Sunday 1/11 - training (midday)

Once we get closer to the weekend, the management team will contact all players who registered for this weekend with more detailed information (including financial arrangements.

Please save the date. 

2017 New Zealand U17 Men's Beach Handball Team Announced:

The New Zealand Handball Federation are please to announce the U17 Men's Beach Handball Team, this team will represent New Zealand at the IHF U17 Challenge Trophy in the Cook Islands in May 2017.

Head Coach: Tim Rayner

Assistant Coach/ Manager: Aaron Huddleston

2017 Team:

Max Brookes (Scots College)

Joe Poata (Wellington College)

Paul Ireland (St Pats Town)

Johnny English (St Pats Town)

Danyah-Lee Skelton-ChongNee (St Pats Town)

Boston Christie (St Pats Town)

Michan Hunter (Palmerston North Boys High School)

Gus Hamilton (Cashmere High School)

Josh Holland (St Pats Town)

Miguel Aizpuru (St Pats Town)

,

Australia Wins Oceania Beach Championships, Both Women & Men

,

Congratulations to both Australian Senior National teams, women and men, who won the Oceania Beach Championships 2016 played at the Gold Coast in Australia. Unlucky for the New Zealand teams who challenged the Australians in both finals.

The NZ men team was well prepared and included some players who already competed at the Oceania Beach Championships in 2012. The team played outstanding well the first game which they won with 2:1 after a nail biting shoot-out.
The second game was even closer, but the Australians had a tiny bit more luck and managed to win both halves and therefore the Oceania Championships

The NZ women team was relatively new to Beach Handball and faced a very experienced Australian side. Lessons are learned and the girls have made huge progress over that weekend and will come back stronger.

Results Men

Game 1 – 26/2/2016 – NZ vs AUS 2:1 (11:12, 24:12, 7:4)
Game 2 – 27/2/2016 – AUS vs NZ 2:0 (18:17, 11:8)

Australia wins 3:2 in total

Results Women

Game 1 – 26/2/2016 – NZ vs AUS 0:2 (2:24, 5:20)
Game 2 – 27/2/2016 – AUS vs NZ 2:0 (16:0, 14:4)

Australia wins 4:0 in total

NZ Beach Men's Team Wins First of Two at Oceania Beach Champs

NZ Mens Beach Handball team beat Australia in a penalty shootout in the best of 2 series World Champs qualifier. Aaron Huddleston was unstoppable from the wings and Thomas Roxburgh impenetrable in the shoot out. Coach Gaston Fuso said “the team was strong in defence and accurate in attack.”
He goes on to say how proud he is to coach the first senior and first men’s team to be victorious over Australia. Game two is Saturday afternoon, with a win sending the boys to Hungary.

Unfortunately for the girls, they were unable to match it with a well drilled Australian Womens team.

Scores will follow