Building bridges in and for handball

Since July 2016, 18 participants from 15 different nation had been studying at the German Sports University to become certified European Handball Managers.

The course, which started in 2015 and is held on a yearly basis with the course language alternating between German in odd years and English in even years, is a common project of the European Handball Federation, the German Sports University and the Forum Club Handball. It focuses on topics such as strategic management in handball, club and federation law, economic basics, accounting, finances, sponsorship and the governance of team sports.

On Friday, it was time to celebrate for the participants, as all had passed the written and the oral exam and received their certificates at the graduation ceremony.

“All of Europe and all fields of handball – clubs, federations and EHF – are represented by the 18 participants. This course shows the great development in the organisation of handball since 1993. Thanks to our great partner, the German Sports University, we can give these people the tools they need to improve handball,” said EHF Honorary President Jean Brihault.

“This course was a perfect example of how to build bridges in handball, bridges between the students but also to the EHF. These bridges are essential for the development of handball,” said Joost Ooms, general manager of the Dutch club HV KRAS/Volendam.

“We need more courses like this in handball,” added Sinisa Ostoic, director of the multi-national SEHA – Gazprom League: “We need more trail blazers like the EHF and the Forum Club Handball, as we all need to reach more groups in handball all over Europe. For the next edition I hope for the participation of big clubs.”

For Päivi Mitrunen, Secretary General of the Finnish Handball Association, the course's networking aspect is one of its major advantages: “You meet new people, learn from them and from the best practices of handball all over Europe and can use those contacts for your daily business.”

The next edition of the 'European Handball Manager' will be held in German – and will be the first course with international law firm Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek as new partner for sports law topics. The agreement was signed during the award ceremony on Friday.

More information: www.dshs-koeln.de/ehm

Photos: Thomas Leuschen