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 among students, providing equipment, coaching and CPD for PE teachers.
Photos from the event courtesy of The Redhill Trust
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.
The participating schools included The Redhill Academy, The Oakwood Academy, The Carlton Academy, Park Vale Academy, South Nottinghamshire Academy, Colonel Frank Seely Academy and Hall Park Academy from Nottinghamshire and Tupton Hall School, Brookfield Community School and The Bolsover School from Derbyshire.
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.”
Further information regarding the Redhill Academy Trust can be accessed HERE
Further information regarding England Handball can be accessed HERE
