Less than two
years ago UK Sport
began funding a
programme to turn
Great Britain’s
handball teams
almost from
scratch into
potential Olympic
medal winners in
2012. The key
attribute for
handball players
is height so a
cornerstone of the
scheme is a talent
search called
Sporting Giants to
fast-track tall
athletes into
handball. The
women’s team will
hope to underline
how they have
progressed under
the initiative at
the Four Nations
Invitational
Tournament in
Sheffield today
and tomorrow
Rising high in attack
Doubling up in defence
Handball is a fast-paced contact game involving
dribbling, passing and shooting into a low net.
Four of the six outfield players — a pivot around the
goal area and three back-court players —
must be tall and strong enough to ensure
they are not crowded out by defenders
Defence must begin from
in front of the attacker
Powerful long arms
can lever shots at up
to 60mph into the net
Height helps player
leap above blocking
defenders
6m goal-area line.
Players must shoot from
outside the area
Players also
hold the
attacker
50cm
Players must be able to jump 50cm
from standing to compete at the top
level. Players on the programme
develop explosive power and agility
through a drill known as spring-sprint.
This combines plyometric exercises —
jumping/bounding — with speed work
One arm
blocks the
ball, the
other is
on the hip
Keeping the opposition out
1m 80cm
5ft 11in is the minimum
height requirement for a
women’s handball player
on the Sporting Giants
programme. However,
international players have
become taller in recent
years and except for the
two wingers, women
chosen are increasingly
2m (6ft 6in) or taller
Players’ height is
crucial because each
one has to defend
as well as attack.
Players on the British
handball development
programme have had
to become bigger and
faster very quickly to
catch up with
other nations so
twice-a-day training
combines an intensive
weights programme
with skill sessions and
spring-sprint drills
3m
2m
Save 2
Save 1
The goalkeeper is
often the biggest
player on court — and
the most flexible. The
aim is to fill the goal
to narrow shooting
options. The
goalkeeper can often
find themselves
having to perform the
splits to save at their
feet and then leap up
to save a shot close to
the bar