Beach handball is a summer sport gaining popularity in Europe, perfectly suited for both indoor handball players transitioning to the sand and beach sports lovers eager to explore something new. But how well-known is this sport in Ireland?
Since 2022, Olympic Handball Ireland has been organizing the Irish Beach Handball Championships. However, how has it progressed so far? How many teams does Ireland have, and what efforts have been made to engage children and raise awareness of the sport?
We took an in-depth look at the current state of beach handball in Ireland, uncovering the various initiatives that aim to shape the sport's future since 2012.
Beach handball in Ireland has seen several efforts throughout the years, starting with Lúcás Ó'Ceallacháin's tenure as General Manager for Olympic Handball Ireland in 2012. His initial efforts to popularize the sport involved integrating beach handball with beach volleyball events.
Small sessions were organized at the seaside, with indoor national team players involved, creating a festival-like atmosphere. Inflatable goals, typically used in street handball, were utilized despite not being ideal for beach handball.
Lúcás’s inspiration for introducing beach handball to Ireland came from Norway’s enthusiasm for the sport. Given that Norway’s summer weather is similar to Ireland’s, Lúcás believed that beach handball could quickly succeed in Ireland due to the low cost of using beaches compared to expensive indoor handball halls. His vision included the potential for Ireland to participate in European or World Championships. However, despite these ambitions, beach handball in Ireland did not advance beyond mini and social events. After he left in April 2013, some members of the men’s national indoor team organized informal seaside gatherings for club members interested in playing for fun.
Following Lisa Regan’s departure from Olympic Handball Ireland, Mark Ferguson, an indoor national team player, became the Development Officer from June 2013 until August 2014. Despite efforts to promote the sport, it was concluded that the Irish population did not show much enthusiasm for beach handball, largely due to the weather. As a result, the focus shifted to developing mini handball instead.
In 2014, Benny O'Regan took over the development of beach handball. Also involved in beach volleyball, he sought to build a vibrant beach sports community by combining these sports through mini-events.
Working closely with Olympic Handball Ireland, where Susan Moloney served as the administrator, Benny organized social events to promote beach handball. He collaborated with Ivan Vrnova, a Croatian from Astra club at that time, with extensive experience in coaching and organizing beach handball tournaments. Together, they aimed to raise awareness and generate interest in the sport through a few summer events.
Benny’s vision was to create engaging summer activities by linking beach handball with the already popular beach volleyball. This approach aimed to attract participants from both sports and foster a supportive community for beach handball. However, this approach was not sustainable in the long term as no clear strategy for the sport was created. Despite the efforts done, by 2016, the development of beach handball in Ireland remained limited to social gatherings.
Currently, Benny is no longer active in the Irish handball community but remains involved in sports, primarily volleyball. This summer, he worked as a sports instructor for an Italian sports tourism company that organizes annual camps, focused on volleyball but also including beach handball. There he had the chance to teach the Italian children the basics of beach handball.
As he used to be part of UCD team until 2016, he continued to play and coach Olympic handball at SETU Carlow until 2019 when COVID came. Now he is having serious plans to revive the team, starting in September. With him back, there is a significant chance to become once again an asset for Olympic Handball Ireland and contribute to the development of both Olympic handball and beach handball.
The extent of Olympic Handball Ireland’s collaboration with Volleyball Ireland to create awareness for beach handball remains unclear. Detailed information about the number and nature of events specifically organized for beach handball has been scarce in recent years. Efforts to contact João Ferreira, Operations Director of Olympic Handball Ireland, for information have been unsuccessful, as he declined to share any details. However, people from the community say he is the only one from the Irish board who has consistently supported the idea of developing the sport. Similarly, attempts to gather details from Volleyball Ireland have received little response, despite their initial interest and enthusiasm regarding our request.
Despite the lack of cooperation from these two sports organizations, we have been fortunate to have direct contact with key individuals who have been involved since 2012. Their insights have allowed us to create an overview of beach handball in Ireland. We take this opportunity to publicly thank them for their willingness to share their experiences.
Sharing experiences and actions taken should not be feared, rather, it is an opportunity to be true to oneself, acknowledge the efforts made, and sometimes see the situation from a broader perspective to understand what was missing and how to improve in the future.
However, organizations and individuals with decision-making power fear criticism and losing control over the narrative, as this has already been confirmed to us by one of the Irish board members. If the responsibility for their actions is not taken and an analysis of their decisions that impact the future of the sport is not accepted due to sensitivity to criticism, we must question whether we have the right decision-makers in place. True leaders should view constructive criticism as an opportunity for improvement, not a threat.
To ensure the sport's long-term success, it is crucial for decision-makers to:
Embrace transparency in their operations and decision-making processes.
Take responsibility for their actions and be open to constructive feedback.
Foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
Communicate clearly and honestly with all stakeholders and the community.
Act in the best interests of the sport, prioritizing its growth and integrity over personal agendas.
By adopting these principles, trust can be built, community support is gained and a more inclusive and thriving sporting environment is created.
We thought it necessary to shed light on the presence of beach handball in Ireland and the efforts made to promote the sport. The question remains: Is it valuable to discuss and promote the education and development of beach handball in Ireland, or should the topic remain unexplored? Understanding who benefits from this approach and examining the reasons behind it is crucial. Does this attitude contribute to the sport's development or hinder it?
Understanding the current state and challenges of beach handball in Ireland is vital for its development. The sport has seen several efforts and initiatives over the years, but consistent support, clear strategy and transparent decision-making are necessary for its growth.
Do you want to know more about what has been done over the past years in beach handball, including teams and competitions? Part 2 of this article is going to be published tomorrow.
Stay tuned for a deeper dive into the Irish beach handball.
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