The Masters Handball World Cup, one of the tournaments that gains notoriety in the world of handball at the veterans level since 2017, takes place annually in Omiš, Croatia. This year, from May 22nd to 26th, marks a special occasion as Irish Celtic Legends joins the crowd for the first time, celebrating alongside 50+ other teams from around the world.
Over the years, the tournament expanded into what Mario Caljkusic calls, the event founder, the "Olympic Games for veteran players". This year, he expects a bigger turnout of the event, with teams from Brazil, Egypt, Turkey, Chile, Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates, India, and various European countries joining in.
The competition is structured into women's groups ranging from +30, +40, +45 and +50 and men's groups covering age ranges from +35, +40, +45, +50 and +55.
Behind the scenes, the Masters Handball World Cup is run by a dedicated team of 37 people who work tirelessly all year, with an extra 90 to 110 staff and volunteers joining during the tournament.
Promotion for the tournament receives a boost from well-known handball platforms like Handball Planet and Balkan Handball, as Mario's partner owns these channels. Additionally, there's extensive media coverage, including on national TV, especially during the tournament.
As the event enters its seventh edition, there are big challenges with organizing things like finding enough places for players to stay and making sure they can get around easily. Mario is optimistic due to the substantial financial support from various companies and from the community. He believes they are capable of surpassing their previous achievements.
The Masters World Handball Cup is not only having a good impact on gathering veterans together to play handball for fun, or creating local jobs, but also on the tourism aspect. Petra Bartulović, the Tourist Board Manager for the Omiš region, provided some insights about the event's impact. "I think it's the best event for our town because, outside the high season, it attracts a great number of people who come here for the tournament that would probably come back. So I think it's perfect, it has a positive influence on the promotion of the town. Definitely, we support the event, and it's our intention to support it even more strongly in the future."
Photos Credit: Masters Handball World Cup
However, who are the Celtic Legends that represents Ireland to this event? Well, the Celtic Legends isn't an active club in Ireland, rather, has been specifically created for this event.
The original plan came from Nicolas Fredin to form a team with former players he knew from his time as the goalkeeper at Dublin International. However, as things progressed, his vision shifted towards creating an event that welcomed players from all Irish clubs.
"The main idea was to provide an opportunity for former players to reconnect, using handball as a pretext. The primary aim is to relax and reminisce with old friends, fostering good memories. Handball serves as the pretext, while friendship is the main focus."
Some of the players are still active in the Irish League, while others have left Ireland or stopped playing handball.
Besides the friendship well established between some participants, the event promotes inclusion and cooperation among players from Irish clubs, essential aspects in the development of the sport and fostering teamwork within the community. As a result, players from Astra, Dublin City Handball and Dublin International and those who have since left Ireland are coming together under the name of Celtic Legends this May in Croatia.
Out of the initial 60 people who showed interest for the competition, 33 players remained, forming 3 teams: one women's team aged 30+ and two men's teams aged 35+ and 40+.
The team's participation also attracted some sponsors, as this opportunity was mentioned during the initial presentation of the event when the decision to register the team for the competition was made. The contribution of €850 was received from three proactive participants working at Camfil Ireland, SGS, and SAPO Motors Limited, slightly reducing the financial burden for each participant. These individuals demonstrated initiative by persuading their management teams to contribute as much as possible. This shows that every effort counts, and even if there aren't always positive answers, the fact that there was an effort made is what matters most. The Celtic Legends is already showcasing the spirit of teamwork and cooperation through their driven, organization and entrepreneurial actions.
The team name was chosen by the participants through an open suggestion process, and from there, Celtic Legends emerged.
The logo and the T-shirt design were created by Barbara Rodriguez, a player who now lives in Germany, while the jerseys are produced in the UK through the contact that was already created with PRO-EM.
In terms of the competition and strategies, it was mentioned that the Croatian organizers have not yet released information about the number of games. However, Celtic Legends is working on creating a strategy for the players, ensuring that everyone can enjoy playing together during the tournament. "Next year, if people really enjoy the experience, maybe we will put that in place again and try to work on organization earlier, because obviously, October was too late."
On February 19th, the first friendly men's match of the Celtic Legends took place at Phibblestown Community Centre against Dublin International. Since some of the men's players are still active in the Irish league, the event served more as a training opportunity for the ones that did not play for a long time handball. Moreover, they can train every Wednesday in the same hall to get back in shape before the competition.
The positive impact in the Irish landscape is evident. It creates an opportunity for players from different Irish clubs to come together and work as one team. Emphasizing teamwork is crucial because without it, success is unlikely. When each person's energy, passion, dedication, skills, and talents are combined under the umbrella of a team, a positive atmosphere and remarkable results can be achieved.
The participation of Celtic Legends in the Masters Handball World Cup marks a significant milestone, showcasing the collaboration between active Irish players and fostering friendships. This debut participation not only signifies Ireland's inaugural presence in this international handball event but also underscores the positive impact of unity and camaraderie among Irish handball club members. We look forward to witnessing more of this in the future.
Wishing the Celtic Legends the best of luck in the competition!
Yorumlar