News Item

New course promotes handball in Formby

A new club is giving children and young people in Formby and beyond the chance to take part in an up-and-coming Olympic sport. Formby Handball Club will be launched later this month as a joint initiative between Liverpool Handball Club, handball coaching specialists the Community Sports Factory, Formby High School and Active Sefton.

Young people aged from 11-19 of all sporting abilities are being invited to the group’s first free training session at Formby High School from 4.45-5.45pm on Wednesday 11th March. Handball, which originated in northern Europe at the end of the 19th century, is played in teams of seven – six outfield players and a goalkeeper.

According to Community Sports Factory founder, Andy Clark, the new club is designed to build on the work that is being done to promote the sport in Sefton schools. He said: “The great thing about handball is that it requires little equipment. It can be played in any sized space and is easy to set up.

“This makes it an ideal sport for youth groups, as it can even be played as a street sport or on a beach. It’s also much less gender specific than football or netball.”

The partners in the new initiative hope that it will help to encourage more teams to enter the flagship Liverpool International Handball Tournament at the end of May, which is being opened up to junior sides for the first time this year.

Andy Clark added: “We’re hoping for a very good turnout on 11th March and at our subsequent training sessions.”

“The young people who attend will find that as well as being an enjoyable and exciting sport, handball also helps players to develop social, team building and planning skills, all within the context of keeping fit and having fun.”

Children and young people can simply turn up for the free 11th March session as no booking is required. Further sessions will cost just £1 each, with a loyalty card system with rewards in place for participants.