Modern indoor handball has been a sport in the Olympics since 1972. However, since then the U.S. handball team has only qualified six times.
The 2028 Summer Olympics is going to change that. Since the U.S. will be hosting the upcoming games, the U.S. handball team is automatically qualified for a spot in the competition. With this guaranteed entry, the U.S. Women’s National Handball Team is looking to find and create a team that would be competing in the 2028 Summer Olympics.
One partnership the national team has on their side is Handball Futures. Handball Futures is a nonprofit organization that was formed in August 2024 by handball Olympians whose mission is to “grow and promote the sport.”
Handball Futures works as an introduction for women who are interested in learning about the sport, no experience necessary. The organization holds handball camps all over the U.S., and on Saturday, Feb. 1, Handball Futures’ Development and Skills Camp came to Fremont.
The camp was held at Centerville Middle School. The choice of location was not random. Centerville Middle School has one of the only official handball courts in the Bay Area, and the court not only welcomed the Handball Futures event, but also the 19th annual Cal Cup Tournament that same weekend. Men and women’s teams from Seattle, Denver, Boston and more congregated at the middle school to compete in the Handball Cal Cup Tournament.
“The idea was to hold [the camp] in conjunction with well established tournaments,” said Handball Futures executive director Karen Rosoloski. “[We] can bring in new people that could watch the game be played and learn more and you have people at the tournament that want to work on their skills.”
On camp day, a mix of newcomers and experienced handball players were on the court. Six people had never played handball, five had played in the Cal Cup tournament and five had already been to other Handball Futures camps.
Campgoers learned from handball experts, from Olympians Namsoo Lee and Meg Sanders, Olympic team coach Martin Bilello and Handball Futures tournament director and former CEO of USA Team Handball Mike Cavanaugh.
Not only is the camp a chance for women to try the sport, but it’s also a pipeline for athletic standouts. With Handball Futures’ partnership with the National Handball Team, athletes who show potential are referred to the national team and encouraged to join their program.
“As coaching staff, if we see standouts we send emails to those standouts to say, ‘As a next step you might consider this women’s national team try-out,’” said Rosoloski.
Handball Futures continues to hold camps around the country, but Rosoloski suggested the best way to get involved with handball is joining a local team like Cal Heat.
With so much excitement for the 2028 Olympics many have their eyes on a medal, but Rosoloki says their goal is to help people chase their dreams. “We’re about spreading the good news about this sport and getting people who might have potential and who have an Olympic dream to be able to get on a path to pursue it.”
Handballfutures.org
