Kia ora koutou, New Zealand Handball Whanau
Just about time to wrap up another handball year. The outputs weren’t quite what we had been hoping for a year ago. 2021 started with much promise as we secured Sport NZ Investment Eligibility status and concluded arrangements with the TAB, and naively thought that the COVID-19 disruptions of 2020 were behind us. This time round we won’t be tempting fate again by claiming that 2022 can only be better. However, you have to hope that the worst is behind us in terms of event disruptions, and we have a jam-packed plan lined up for 2022 that should deliver something for everyone, no matter what Greek numbered COVID variation we are up to by the end of it!
Speaking of COVID, we have now placed NZHF’s official policy regarding the subject on our Constitution and policies page on the website.
On the international front, I took part in the Commonwealth Handball Association congress at the start of the month. This is a grouping of handball-playing Commonwealth nations that has historically struggled to gain traction. There is now a renewed sense of purpose, with an ambitious goal of having handball at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth is largely limited to 2nd and 3rd tier handball playing nations, making a Commonwealth Games tournament possibly a lower standard event than the Asian Handball Champs that we have already been blooded at. However, the boost to the sports’ profile in having it included in the Commonwealth Games schedule, especially if New Zealand takes part, is pure gold – no matter where we place. It’s early days for the rejuvenated CHA, but it has the potential to open up new international competition pathways for us, which is super exciting.
Speaking of international excitement, as I write this the Women’s World Cup in Spain has hust wrapped up Another action-packed tournament with some incredibly talented athletes on display to inspire our own Women’s Training Squad. We also have the Asian Men’s Handball Champs in Saudi Arabia coming up next month. While travel restrictions prevented us from fielding a team, there will be some great overnight action for you all to catch on the live streams in the back half of January.
Beach Handball has swung into full gear for the season with our first high performance camp held successfully early in December that showed a high level of skill on display and some young talent shining through. We look forward to continuing to grow the beach handball scene with our North vs. South 3 game series starting in February and our flagship event, the National Beach Handball Championships, on 26-27th February, Pioneer Stadium Beach Court, Christchurch.
With more venue opportunities opening up across the country in the future we are eager to work with the regions in the New Year to develop long term strategies to create regional opportunities to experience beach handball.
The other key event coming up on the domestic front is the Under 18 Club champs, 16-17 April, ASB Centre, Wellington. This event kicks off our youth campaign as we prepare ourselves for anticipated Oceania IHF Trophy qualifiers later in the year, with the prize we are aiming for a place at the Junior or Youth Intercontinental Champs in 2023. Details are up in the air at present, but we can at least control the first leg of our own destiny by running a high quality tournament at Easter, from which we can select boys and girls training squads to push for that prize. We want to run the Easter Tournament as a Club-based championship. To encourage Clubs to get amongst it and recruit an Under 18 Team, there will be a decent financial incentive in the form of a 2022 subs rebate if you are able to enter a team, with an increased rebate if you are able to enter both a boys and a girls team. Details will be confirmed early next year once we have crunched the numbers and set next year’s subs. What we can confirm now is there will be six development grants available of $1,000 each for teams travelling from outside the Wellington region to help cover accommodation costs, and we have secured some pretty good rates at the Brentwood Hotel, a five minute stroll from the venue. Get in quick if you want a piece of that. Terms & Conditions apply.
Another initiative we are working on for 2022 is to run an awards evening, where we recognise those that have contributed the most to our sport over the past year in various categories. That will be coordinated with either Club or Regional Champs. Our sport has many unsung heroes trying to make a difference, so we figured it was high time we started singing about them. Included in the list will be Club of the Year, with points available for those Clubs who get themselves organised to enter teams into the Easter Tournament. The points system will recognise that while they deserve to be acknowledged, performances on the Court are less important in the long term than performances and commitment off the Court. And unless we build the foundations for future success, the achievements of today may count for little.
Now, to finish on a high note. We are now putting the finishing touches on a long-term arrangement with the Goethe Institute, which will see us partner with that organisation to grow handball in New Zealand. The Goethe Institute has already committed to arranging for a significant supply of handballs, training bibs, referee shirts, goals and other equipment to be imported into New Zealand, to be rolled out around the country. They are thrilled to be able to leverage off the opportunities we provide to raise their profile, and we are even more excited about the volume of kit they are able to provide and other opportunities this partnership presents. This could be the start of a new era in the way we are able to support handball in the community, so a hugely exciting way to be able to finish the year: while we had some limits on what we were able to achieve on the Court, off the Court we have been able to make great strides.
Meri Kirihimete to all, and Roll on 2022!
David Ireland
President, New Zealand Handball Federation
