Professionalising handball management

Without a coaching licence, one cannot coach a team. Without the proper qualification, one cannot become a referee – but what about handball club managers?

To date an adequate education, matching the demands of national and international handball, for the people responsible for the clubs’ and federations’ business side of things does not exist – but things are about to change. 

Starting this year the European Handball Federation together with the German Sports University Cologne offer a one-year "European Handball Manager" course, and applicants are already lining up to enrol.

"We did not imagine such a huge feedback. The interest shows that there was the need for such a course," says Helmut Höritsch, who is responsible for the project on the side of the EHF.

"Some former top players, world champions among them, have expressed their interest, and we get a lot requests from all over Europe."

In addition the course’s concept was presented to the participants of the VELUX EHF Champions League at the Last 16 draw on Tuesday. On the same occasion the official contract between the EHF and the German Sports University was also signed.

Signing the contract: EHF President Jean Brihault (left) and Prof. Dr. Christoph Breuer from the German Sports University Cologne.

Sharing of best practice examples

The course will be offered in German and English in alternating years, starting with German in 2015. Club managers are the primary target group, but federation managers are also eligible to apply.

Each course will consist of a maximum of 20 participants, the deadline for the 2015 registration is 30 April. The enrolment fee is 5,000 euro.

Participants will have to be present at the Sports University for 15 days. The course ends with and oral and a written exam.

"When players or coaches turn into managers, they often lack the basics of accounting, licensing or sports law," says Dr. Stefan Walzel of the Institute of Sports Economy and Management at the German Sports University.

Walzel will be responsible for the “European Handball Manager” course. His institute has been a long-time partner of the EHF. Together they have been organising the club manager seminars on the fringes of the VELUX EHF FINAL4.

"The EHF as well as the Forum Club Handball have seen the need to give the management side of things more attention," says Walzel. "A club’s economic success is as important as the success on the court."

The course consists of five modules: Basics in economics and law, handball management, marketing and sponsoring, finances and licensing as well as media and communications.

Besides the education aspect, the organisers stress that the participants share best practice examples from their daily business.

"We, as the German Sports University, of course want to check how research results relate and can implement in the daily business and whether we have to enlarge our areas of research," says Walzel.

"It is furthermore one of our goals to show that clubs, leagues and federation can only achieve their goals if they work together – despite that they might stand in opposition to each other."

The course targets former professional players and coaches and also managers, who have been working in professional handball for at least two years. University graduates with an expressed interest in the course are also eligible to apply.

"There are many former players who did not have the possibility to finish a university degree or another form of education during their career, but they want to stay connected to handball," says Höritsch, who is enforcing EHF projects to allow for a combination of sports and education.

For more information on admission, exams, attendance phases and for a registration form visit http://www.dshs-koeln.de/ehm