Norway’s coaches take handball to Africa

Two of the world’s leading handball coaches swapped their normal coaching duties and the relatively cool climate of Norway for bumpy fields and burning 30 degree heat in April as they travelled to Northern Uganda.

Thorir Hergeirsson and Robert Hedin spent a week in the African nation leading coaching courses and teaching students in local schools in a programme organised jointly by the Norwegian Handball Federation and the sports-NGO Right to Play.

It was back to basics for the two experienced elite coaches, with the least experienced of their charges never having seen the sport before.

“I had to reject both plans A and B and teach basic knowledge, starting with throwing and catching," said Hedin, coach of the Norwegian men's side.

Hergeirsson, who is more used to directing the tactics of the Norway’s female Olympic champions, concurred. “We can truly say that the learning curve has been steep,“ he said.

As well the coaching programme, the delegation from Norway watched a tournament with four teams from Lira and Soroti, the first steps in creating a regular programme of competition in the region.

On the final day of the visit an official opening of a new ashphalt handball court took place, the first public handball court in the country, provided with the support of the Norwegian Handball Federation.



Right to Play

Right To Play is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programmess to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world.

Its mission is use sport and play to educate and empower children and youth to overcome the effects of poverty, conflict, and disease in disadvantaged communities.

Visit the website for more information.