User:MikeFitzpatrick3/teamhandballintheunitedstates

Introduction
Team Handball is a growing sport in the United States. Though popular in Europe and South America, it has yet to fully catch on in the US. With no medals in the Olympics or the World Championships, the United States hopes to find greater success in international play. Team Handball is often taught in physical education classes in elementary, middle, and high schools. The sport has club teams throughout the United States, with teams in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, as well as many other major cities.

According to the USA Team Handball Website, “Under the leadership of federation president Dieter Esch and an all-new Board of Directors, USA Team Handball has relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah on a mission to reorganize and reinvigorate the sport.”

As Stack Media Associate Content Manager Joe Baur notes in his article and interview with US National Team star Gary Hines, “Handball, widely known as team handball in the United States, is played in 159 nations by 39 million people…[and] many people link elements of basketball, soccer and lacrosse to the sport. It is fast, physical and exciting.” Baur takes this quote from.

National Team History and Highlights
In his interview with Hines, Baur asks about everything from Hines's training regimen to his thoughts on the national team and its chances in international competition.

USA Team Handball has been a member of the International Handball Federation since 1963. Since then, the United States has competed in the 1972 Olympic games, the first year that handball was re-introduced as an Olympic sport. In 1976, the USA finished 10th out of 12 teams in the Montreal Olympics. A major highlight in international competition for the USA men’s team is the silver medal in the 1986 Goodwill Games in Moscow. The men’s national team also won the Gold Medal in the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis. The best finish for the USA men’s handball team in the Olympics came in 1996 in Atlanta (9th out of 12 teams) and 1984 in Los Angeles (9th out of 12 teams). The team’s best finishes have come on American soil. For the women, their best finish in Olympic competition came in 1984 in Los Angeles (5th out of 6 teams). Unlike the men, the women’s national team has two gold medals in international competition, coming in the 1987 Pan American Games (Indianapolis) and the 1995 Pan American Games (Argentina).

In his interview, Hines notes that “Being able to represent the USA gives me great honor.” It is the hopes of these elite athletes that feelings such as these can elevate team handball to national relevance. In his interview with Hines, Baur asks about everything from Hines's training regimen to his thoughts on the national team and its chances in international competition. Hines stated that winning the Pan American games is the biggest goal for him and his teammates right now. An automatic qualification to the Olympics is on the line in this tournament.

The governing body of handball in the United States is USA Team Handball. Previously, the governing body was the United States Team Handball Federation, but was revoked of its governing duties by the United States Olympic Committee.

Handball in Different Regions in the United States
Chicago, and the Midwest in general, has been seen as a hotbed for handball talent for the past few decades. The article “Chicago Becomes Recruiting Target For Olympic Team Handball” records Team USA Handball Chief Marketing Officer Greg Myers “What we are trying to do at Team USA handball is get the game into more high schools. We’ve been targeting specifically Chicago because there is a wealth of talent here.”

Paul Levy’s 1976 article notes that Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, was a hotbed of handball talent prior to the 1976 Olympics. He also writes that three of the members of the men’s national team attended Whitefish Bay High School. The Midwest has been consistent with its production of elite-level talent in the United States.

Handball is also popular on the east coast, as the 2011 club national champions reside in New York City. Clubs have sprouted up across the country, ranging from Miami in the South to [Boston] in the North. Handball is also popular in the west as club teams reside in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and [Salt Lake City].

Club and College Teams
Many major urban centers now have club handball teams that compete for a national championship. A full list of registered clubs can be found here List of Registered Clubs

In the 2011 men’s finals, the New York City Team Handball Club defeated Chicago Inter 33-13. On the women’s side, Chicago Inter beat the New York City Team Handball Club 20-19.

In the 2012 US National Championship, which was held May 18-20 in Minneapolis, New York City THC defended it's title by beating Los Angeles THC 25:20. This was the fourth gold medal in five years for the Gotham Boys. Sayed Shalaby from NYCTHC was the MVP and the top goalscorer. Ivan Ignjatovic also from NYCTHC was the Most Valuable Goalie. On the women's side Alberta from Canada defeated the reigning champion Chicago Inter.

The sport is starting to be recognized by a few notable tertiary schools, such as UNC, UCLA, UC Berkeley, United States Naval Academy, United States Military Academy, United States Air Force Academy, and others. Those schools and academies along with other amateur teams participate in the Club National Championships and Collegiate National Championships, one for men and the other for women. 

Conclusion
With an established national program and club teams across the country, handball has become a presence in the United States. The sport’s leaders and elite athletes are hoping that international success follows suit.


 * United States national handball team
 * Handball in Spain

References and Works Cited
[USA Team Handball]
 * United States national handball team
 * Handball in Spain

Team handball an unknown game in the United States

Joe Baur's Interview with Gary Hines

Team Handball Finds Fountain of Youth

Team Handball Isn't Handball, Folks

Isobel Kleinman's Book

Chicago Becomes Recruiting Target For Olympic Team Handball

History of USA Team Handball

New York City Team Handball News

Registered Clubs