Schools struggle to implement handball in their physical education when they stick to the official rules of the game. Therefore, several concepts have been developed through the years to make it easier to bring a young generation in touch with the sport. Ultimate and mini beach handball are just two examples of those initiatives.
Building on this, the EHF is now introducing Ultimate School Handball, which applies the universal characteristics of beach handball to teaching handball in school and to ultimately foster the development of school handball. Among those characteristics are fair play, power-play in offence, reduced body contact (only the ball may be attacked in defence), and the use of a soft, non-slip and easily palpable ball.
For the implementation in sports halls — so, independent of the surface — aspects of different methodological and didactic approaches have been combined. And even though the approach is based on the characteristics of beach handball, it is intended to create a foundation for both indoor and beach handball.
Basic skills stimulated in a playful manner
In Ultimate School Handball, basic skills in passing, throwing and catching, simple cooperative passing, recognising open spaces in offence, orientation towards the ball and opponents, the first cooperative elements (give-and-go) and footwork in defensive play are all stimulated in a playful manner.
Thanks to a block-change system in all game forms, many pupils can take part in the game even in a small space, and the shootout module offers the opportunity to practice basic technical and tactical actions in a goal-oriented manner under simple but game-like conditions.
Ultimate School Handball aims to enhance the pupils' enjoyment of sport and thus increase the probability of lifelong participation in handball and sport in general.
The EHF has released a 22-page booklet on Ultimate School Handball containing background info and two modules with several game variations. This booklet is available for download in PDF format below.
