Youngsters help test new mini beach handball regulations

Beach handball’s ever-evolving development continued in Germany in September when regulations for the sport’s mini version were put to the test by budding young players.

Working together on behalf of the European Handball Federation (EHF), Alex Gehrer, a EHF Beach Handball lecturer and former beach handball coach, and Prof. Dr. Frowin Fasold, head of the handball teaching research department at the German Sports University in Cologne, took two groups of children (one under-10 and one under-12) tested different methods of the mini beach handball regulations.

Boys and girls of TSV Bartenbach and Frisch Auf Göppingen helped with the testing process, which saw the two groups simulate matches in which the size of the court and the size of the ball were altered, as well as variations of how the complicated substitution system in beach handball was simplified.

With the active help of their coaches the children were able to try out the new forms of the game in enjoyably warm conditions before ending an insightful and productive afternoon in the sand with some much-needed cool drinks and pizza.

The day of experimentation was also captured on camera by a professional film crew, the material of which will be used to create an EHF instructional video for mini beach handball, which you can watch below.

Fasold and Gehrer's concept was presented at the EHF’s Scientific Congress in Cologne at the end of November and subsequently made accessible to the National Federations.

Ivana Jelić, Beach Handball manager at the EHF, said: “Grassroots topics such as these are very important for the development of beach handball – one of the priorities by the EHF Beach Handball Commission.

“In order to strengthen the basis for beach handball, Alex was assigned to develop the framework for mini beach handball and to present the topic at the next Scientific Conference.

“On the back of this successful day in Germany, we are looking forward to seeing further feedback in the development of this form of beach handball in the coming months.”