Healthy competition, skill sharing & talent scouting at inaugural Trust Handball Cup

Four hundred handball players from 10 secondary schools showcased their sporting skills in a fast-paced, day-long tournament organised by Redhill Academy Trust in partnership with Handball England.

Packed coaches from schools across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire made their way to the Trust’s first ever Handball Cup, hosted by Nottingham Trent University at David Ross Sports Village.

Across the day, a total of 96 handball matches were played in top class sporting facilities, creating a lively and inclusive competitive environment. It was an opportunity for students to learn new skills, have fun, make friends and be inspired by the sport. For many, it was their first time playing competitive handball. But they were well-prepared, with Redhill Academy Trust having recently invested to make handball a core sport amongst students, providing equipment, coaching and CPD for PE teachers.

These types of experiences help to develop our students’ self-confidence, build their resilience, and feel a greater sense of belonging

Combining speed, strength, stamina, agility, technical skill and teamwork, handball is one of the world’s fastest-paced sports and is represented at the Olympics. And head coach of Great Britain’s Men’s handball teams, Ricardo Vasconcelos, was special guest at the Redhill Trust tournament. Ricardo attended on behalf of England Handball to referee matches, do a spot of talent scouting and award medals to winning teams.

VIDEO: Watch all the Handball Cup action

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Competitions were held for Under 13s and Under 15s in boys’ and girls’ categories. The winning teams were:

Under 13 Boys - Park Vale Academy
Under 13 Girls - Tupton Hall School
Under 15 Boys - South Nottinghamshire Academy
Under 15 Girls - The Carlton Academy

Adam Douglas, Trust Sports Development Officer at Redhill Academy Trust, said: “It was a pleasure to see students from each of our 10 secondary schools come together for a positive and friendly day of competition. These types of experiences help to develop our students’ self-confidence, build their resilience, and feel a greater sense of belonging.”

“Working alongside England Handball to deliver this event ensured our students had a unique experience that will have hopefully inspired them to continue playing handball in their school and help them to transition into community clubs and beyond.”

Guillaume Eprinchard, Education Lead at England Handball, added: “Redhill Academy Trust have worked closely with England Handball to develop handball as a core sport this year. Their approach of developing staff expertise, investing in age and stage appropriate equipment and facilities, and creating new competitive opportunities for their students is creating a platform for sustainable and long-lasting impact that will benefit students with a range of confidence and competence levels through the sport of handball.”