Introduction to Team Handball

PGCE and School Direct Physical Education students experienced the game of Handball and completed the English Handball Federation level one teaching certificate as part of their university-based training.

Team handball is a seven-a-side invasion game that combines the skills of running, jumping, catching, and throwing. Elements of soccer, basketball, lacrosse and water polo all can be seen in team handball and it’s a sport that was seen at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The basic objective of the game is to outmanoeuvre an opponent by passing the ball quickly and then throwing the ball past the defence and goalkeeper to score.

Route leader Dr Gary Stidder said: “Team Handball is a very popular invasion game in schools across Europe and is integral part the PE curriculum. The combination of skills and techniques used to manoevre the ball through a defended territory to an agreed target within set parameters is very similar to most invasion games played in UK schools and gives pupils the opportunity to use transferable skills.

“Unfortunately, some girls and boys continue to experience a sex-segregated physical education curriculum which is insufficiently broad, traditional in nature and frequently gender-stereotyped. Team handball offers an alternative to more conventional team games.”