The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Handball Federation, formed just before COVID-19, is back in full swing.

According to Wellington Miller, the founding president of the federation, they relaunched the federation two weeks ago as they introduced the game to members of the New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Association in a two-day clinic at the DW Davis Gymnasium.

Miller, the immediate past president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee and a former president of the Boxing Federation of the Bahamas, said they were happy to stage a two-day clinic for the NPPPPSA spearheaded by Lawrence Hepburn, a vice president and a coach for the federation.

Layota Sturrup, the president of the NPPPSSA and a physical education teacher at Claridge Primary, serves as the assistant secretary. She, along with Clara Storr, the education officer at the Ministry of Education, helped to facilitate the clinic for the NPPPSSA.

The federation, according to Miller, was founded about nine years ago when efforts were made by the International Handball Federation to get the sport into more of the English speaking countries in the Caribbean.

“It took off at that time, but then. we got hit by Covid,” Miller ssid. “So now we decided to start the programme all over again.

“We went to the primary schools teachers association and we hosted a two-day clinic for them. They loved it. They are very optimistic about getting into their school programme.”

Handball, played on a similar court as basketball, is a combination of football, basketball and netball. The game is contested by two teams of seven players and involves one team invading another team’s territory with the aim of throwing a ball into their opponent’s goals.

Played at a very fast, skilful and competitive pace, the game requires a range of physical attributes in defence and attack, generating scores of up to 35 goals each in two halves of 30-minute each with a 10-15 break.

Unlike basketball, handball allows each player to make at least three steps before they can pass the ball off with seven of their 12-member team on the court at all times.

Miller said it’s an interesting and exciting game, which is now a part of the Olympic Games and it’s hoped that by 2032, the Bahamas will be able to field a team qualified to compete in the biggest sporting extravaganza, held every four years.

Miller said after watching the men’s national basketball team make it to the final of Olympic Qualifying Tournament, only to fall short of getting into the Olympics in Paris, France in July, they wanted to start preparing players for an alternative for team sports.

“If we don’t have players who can make it in basketball, they can make it in handball,” Miller said. “If they can’t make it in track and field, swimming or boxing, they can try handball.

“You can play handball and become a star. So we will be having a very heavy recruiting programme to get some of our players involved. We want to get some basketball players to be a part of the programme as well.”

Interested persons can contact Sean Bastian, the vice president of the federation, who serves as the assistant Sports Director at the University of the Bahamas.

Dawn Knowles, a long-time advocate for primary schools sports in the Bahamas, is also a vice president. As they move forward, Miller said they will add more people to complete their executive team.

But in the meantime, he said they want Bahamians to get ready for another sport to try and qualify to compete in at the Olympic Games once they are fully in operation at their home site at the DW Davis Gym.