by VIOLI CALVERT
Australian Handball Federation public relations officer
Freelance writer
Waterpolo minus the water
IF YOU have always wanted to play water polo but you cannot swim, then handball is the sport for you! A quick introduction to handball is just that: Water polo without the water.
Seriously, handball is a very fast and dynamic sport that has continually attracted more spectators in the Olympic Games.
In a radio interview during the Beijing Olympic Games, Andrew Gaze, a leading Australian basketball player who had played in the American league, was asked what sport he would like to play if he was not a basketball player. Andrew readily named handball
Handball is only a young sport in Australia, but it is huge in Europe, coming second to football [soccer] in popularity. It is also played in 150 countries.
The game is played in a 40-metre long and 20-metre wide indoor court. Each team fields on the court one goalkeeper and six running players. The objective is to throw the ball into the opponents’ goal at the opposite end. The game consists of two 30-minute time periods.
It is an exciting game to play or to watch. The game involves physical contact in that players “tackle” the opponents to prevent them from scoring by grabbing them around the body or by blocking their shots.
There is unlimited substitution, and shots at goal can reach speeds of over 100km/h.
To be a successful handballer, a player needs to possess a high level of fitness, speed, agility, good technical knowledge of the game ~ plus a degree of flamboyance. #
