WEEKLY UPDATE: Players, teams, coaches and fans continue to find new and creative ways to keep handball in their lives during the lockdown period. This week, we saw some unique and unexpected ideas
Tightropes, oranges and potatoes – handball at home gets creative
Handball players and teams around the world have well and truly settled into the lockdown situation – and from the top level to amateur, the community continues to share inspiration for ways to keep physically, mentally and technically in shape, as well as have a laugh together.
The commentary challenge with ehfTV.com commentator Tom O’Brannagain remains a key source of entertainment. This week, Rostov-Don goalkeeper and EHF Champions League 2015/16 winner Mayssa Pessoa took part – from the celebratory side of course.
From Skopje, some fans used the commentary to showcase their allegiance to HC Vardar, with the North Macedonian side the victors in their recreation.
Their script was perhaps a nod to the VELUX EHF FINAL4 events in 2019 and 2017, when Vardar claimed the trophy after wins against Barcelona in the semi-finals.
Over the weekend, the SEHA League shared some training tips from Veszprém goalkeeper Vladimir Cupara, encouraging fans to have an active start to their day.
Inspiration during this time comes from more than just fitness training. Many clubs are sharing how their players are spending the time outside from their workouts.
BSV Bern player Marco Strahm is keeping busy training, attending to his university studies and even practicing social distancing with his teammate and roommate Lucas Rohr – who always stays at least two metres behind Strahm in their Mario Kart duels.
In Brazil, club Donas da Bola are not only keeping up with their #handballathome, but are reminiscing about the simple things that make a team special – such as their team huddles – and looking forward to living those moments again.
Naturally, coaches are also missing the game. BM Granollers women’s assistant coach and physical trainer for the Spain women’s national team Robert Cuesta has been resourceful while practicing plays – using oranges and potatoes.
This might be a little tricky for the average handballer at home, but it is clear some people will emerge from the lockdown period with impressive balance if this clip from RK Metalac is anything to go by. It is certainly one of the more creative workouts we have seen.
Alongside fitness training, there are plenty of great ideas for continuing work on technical skills. For goalkeepers, inspiration this week came from Germany.
For court players, Romain in Alsace showed that there is no need to stop practicing spin shots – and with both hands. Surely even Uwe Gensheimer and Carmen Martin will be impressed by these skills.
TEXT:
Courtney Gahan / cor