How academies form the future of handball

The event, which will bring people from all over Europe together to talk about the latest developments, initiatives and innovations around grassroots sports, will be held on the fringe of the Men’s EHF EURO 2026.

Here, we preview two examples of academies: One from a club and one from a federation. 

Dutch Handball Federation

It was 16 August 2006. Over 20 female Dutch handball players received the keys to their rooms in the newly built Handbal Academie in Papendal, located in the same neighbourhood as the Dutch National Olympic Committee’s high performance centre. 

One year after a historic fifth place at the Women’s World Championship in Russia, it was the clear aim of the Dutch Handball Federation not to be a one-hit-wonder, but to become a consistent leading handball nation in Europe. For the talents, a dream came true. For the Netherlands women’s and YAC national teams, it was the start of a series of successes.

“More than 90 percent of our women’s national team had been trained in the academy. This is the source of our success,” says Ricardo Clarijs, head of the Papendal academy and today assistant coach of the Netherlands women’s team. The handball academy was inspired by the Dutch Volleyball Federation, who climbed to the top of the world with a similar concept. 

It was the handball dream to qualify for the Olympic Games by bringing all talents together under one roof. The players are coached in Papendal from Monday to Friday afternoon, then they return to their clubs for the final training session and weekend matches. “We believe that it is the best to leave the players with their clubs to be part of league competitions on the weekends,” says Clarijs.

The players, aged 16 to 21, are selected for the academy from the youth and junior national teams. “But it is no obligation to be part of the academy to later on become women’s national team player,” says Clarijs, mentioning current players Yara ten Holte and Larissa Nüsser, who made it abroad even earlier without being part of the academy.

One aim of the academy is to raise the performance level of the talents to help them find clubs abroad at the perfect age. The other goal is to shift two or three players to the senior national teams per year. 

All of the players are at schools or universities in the Arnhem region. Approximately 20 hours of handball training is scheduled per week. Five handball coaches, including two goalkeeper coaches, and seven more staff members, such as mental and athletic coaches, take care of the 37 talents currently in the academy. Since 2018, the academy has also been open for men, and some of them have already made it into the national team. But the majority are still female: 21 women and 16 men.

Thanks to the academy, the Dutch women returned to the World Championship in 2011 and narrowly missed a spot at the 2012 Olympic Games. With more than 70 per cent of the squad coming from the academy, the Netherlands made it to their first semi-final at a major tournament at the 2015 World Championship, and even reached the final. They were only beaten by Norway, but silver shone like gold from what was the best success ever for a Netherlands A national team. 

Eight months later, at the 2016 Olympic Games, the Netherlands made it to the semis again, finishing fourth. More silverware followed: Silver at the EHF EURO 2016 and bronze medals at the 2017 World Championship and EHF EURO 2018. 13 years after the opening of the academy in Papendal, the Netherlands won their first trophy, becoming world champions in Kumamoto, Japan.

“Every medal is highly closely connected to the academy. Now, we hope for a similar breakthrough in men’s handball. I am sure we are on a very good way too,” says Clarijs.

Many other national federations have visited Papendal to experience the Dutch way of growing talents. For example, the Swiss academy is based on the concept from the Netherlands. 

BM Granollers, Spain

With 597 players currently enrolled — 392 men and 205 women — the BM Granollers academy stands as one of the most significant grassroots handball structures in Spain.

“It welcomes children from as young as five years old through to junior age, nurturing talent that has not only fed the club’s senior teams but has also shone on the international stage,” says Aleix Caussa Roca, the academy director since 2020. Roca was a Granollers player and coach of all youth and junior teams in the club. His side is “competing against giants,” as he called his lecture for the EHF Grassroot Convention.

Youth development has long been woven into the fabric at BM Granollers. “We have always had youth teams, throughout our history,” Roca emphasises. However, during the 1990s, the academy took on a more formal, systematic shape, laying foundations for the modern structure that exists today. A similar evolution occurred in the 2000s for the women’s section, which, until then, had never enjoyed a fully consolidated pathway.

Few academies can boast such a distinguished list of alumni. BM Granollers has produced some of the most recognisable names in Spanish handball, including Joan Cañellas, Antonio García, Ferran Solé, Pol Valera, Ian Tarrafeta, Jan Gurri, Víctor Romero, Ferran Castillo and Kaba Gassama. For the club, developing players who reach the elite level is both a sporting strategy and a source of pride.

The academy’s existence is rooted in both principle and practicality. “The process of training players and seeing them reach the elite is motivating and fills us with pride,” says Roca. But youth development also ensures sustainability: By forming their own players, Granollers can compete at the highest level “without having to make large budget expenditures” and can better manage the evolution of their squads.

For BM Granollers, developing youth players is not only a pathway but a philosophy. “Players who come to the first team directly from the academy already know the functioning, language and systems of our club,” says Roca. This familiarity accelerates adaptation and ensures continuity. Moreover, players are trained with specific roles and future needs in mind, creating a seamless link between the academy and senior team.

Academies offer a unique environment for growth. At Granollers, coaches can “mould players into the way you think they should be and give you time to help them progress.” Free from excessive pressure, young talents can truly become the best versions of themselves. There is also an emotional dimension. Growing up within the academy fosters a strong bond with the club and with long-standing teammates — connections that hold “a value that is difficult to calculate,” says Roca.

Player development at Granollers is highly personalised. “The rhythms of players are diverse and it is important to respect them,” Roca stresses, recognising both early bloomers and those who need more time. 

A structured coordination system ensures that every youngster receives a tailored plan. Each month, coaches from the professional, junior and under 18 teams meet to analyse progress and establish individual objectives for the next four weeks. Consensus, communication and care underpin the process: “Young players are our most valuable treasure and we must take care of them as such.”

Join us for the second EHF Grassroots Convention

The second EHF Grassroots Convention 2026 will be held in conjunction with the Men's EHF EURO 2026, co-hosted by Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The event in Malmö will provide participants with the valuable opportunity to hear from renowned speakers and get inspired, offering opportunities for discussions and networking. Further information about the event and how to register are available here.

Photos: kolektiff images/Jure Erzen/Uros Hocevar/Sasa Pahic Szabo/Jozo Cabraja; IHF; Xavier Solanas // DCG Fotografia