#BeActive European Week of Sport a roaring success

Amid a global health crisis, the importance of a campaign such as the #BeActive European Week of Sport has never been clearer.

And despite restrictions on large public gatherings in many countries, millions of people around Europe found ways to get moving wherever they were.

There was plenty of handball to be seen throughout the week, and here are just a few examples of how the handball community inspired us to #BeActive on 23-30 September 2020.

Austrian national team player Lukas Hutecek was joined by handball coach Monika Stefanoska to showcase our sport a part of the #BeActive tryouts campaign.

Lukas and Monika displayed how anyone can give handball a try as long as they have a ball, teaching some of the sport’s core skills.

Long-term #BeActive ambassador and EHF Women’s Handball Board member Narcisa Lecusanu reminded us that a ball is never far away when true handball players exercise.

From an experienced ambassador to a bunch of young ambassadors as the kids at HandbALL IN (Moje Pravo Na Rukomet) enjoy themselves at Jarun Lake in Zagreb.

HandbALL IN is a handball school for children with disabilities founded by former Croatian international Maida Arslanagić.

This wonderful organisation is run by volunteers, contributing to the inclusion of children with disabilities through handball and these young handball stars became national ambassadors in Croatia for the European Week of Sport.

As well as having an interview with Beach Handball Manager Ivana Jelic featured on the European Week of Sport website, the EHF hosted a live digital workout on 25 September where Portuguese beach handball stars Rui Rodrigues, Patrícia Resende and Vítor Pinhal put people through their paces with a 20-minute bodyweight-only workout.

Sticking with beach handball as Brodnica set the stage for the end of the Polish beach handball season and with it a campaign to promote the sport among various age groups.

MKS Brodnica and coach Kasia Brózda organised different activities, with the support of the Ministry of Sport and the Polish Handball Federation, involving young players and their parents in joint-sessions, followed by refreshments and information related to healthy eating.

Adriá Ortolá, one of the stars of Spain’s beach handball Arena tour, tells us how fundamental sport is in his life.

As well as giving several clinics to young players around the country, the Netherlands Handball Federation also held walking handball events for the elderly.

Outdoor exercise was the key last week as we all try to stay healthy in the safest way possible and that is exactly what happened in Turkey, Georgia and Albania, with street handball, GOALCHA and beach handball taking centre stage.

Thank you to everyone who took part and supported the events across Europe and helped show society how important and beneficial a healthy and active lifestyle is.