Play Team Handball 5 Key Projects

Play Team Handball will focus its efforts in the following 5 target areas:

Athlete Recruitment & High Performance Training

We plan to form three age-group teams: Futures (U-16), Select (U-20), and Ultimate (20+), which will provide a platform for young female athletes to excel in handball. We firmly believe in talent development and strive to empower our athletes, paving the way for their success in the world of handball. Through our comprehensive training programs, we create an environment that fosters growth and instills a passion for the sport.

All aspiring players have two options to further their handball skills. The first option is to join the Play Team Handball age-group team in the DFW area, where they can receive regular training specifically designed for handball development. The second option is available for players who live outside the DFW Metroplex. They can join a local handball team for regular training and competition. Additionally, they have the opportunity to travel to the DFW area for additional development camps, training consultations, and games. Furthermore, they can participate in virtual training enhancement programming to further enhance their skills. These options provide aspiring players with the necessary resources and opportunities to excel in the sport of handball. Once an athlete has achieved a certain level of skill and conditioning, she will be offered the chance to join the USATH WNT Training Pool. This opportunity will allow her to participate in all officially scheduled National Team events and competitions. The ultimate goal for the Play Team Handball athletes is to become eligible for National Team selections and potentially be nominated for the Team USA 2028 and/or 2032 Olympics. However, the timing of this achievement will vary for each athlete, as it depends solely on their individual pace of development.

The Play Team Handball was recently created with a sole mission to break all barriers for female athletes to train and compete internationally in our world renowned Olympic sport. As a founder of the PTH, and someone who has been involved in the development of handball in the US for over 30 years, I identify three (3) key roadblocks for future success of our National as well as Olympic Teams. First, recruiting athletes from other mainstream sports to play handball. Second, lack of regular, science-based, high performance, long-term training & competing  opportunities for new players to make a rapid transition to a new game. Third, absence of a comprehensive athlete support environment encompassing  family-study-work-train-play that would help athletes to fulfill their sport aspirations without compromising their personal lives.   

To fill this void, Play Team Handball is about to launch its local programming in Texas for both current players dispersed throughout the country and all new athletes interested in transitioning from their primary sport to the Olympic sport of team handball. Our National Teams are in dire need for more young talented female players capable of leveraging their past athletic experiences and transferring their skill sets into handball. Thus, Play Team Handball begins its operations with a new athlete recruitment campaign for the 2024 - 2032 Olympic cycles. We are actively looking for female athletes in three age-groups: Futures U16, Select U20, and Ultimate 20+ to start training and developing skills necessary to compete on national and international level. No handball experience is necessary. All High School, Collegiate, and post college athletes looking for an opportunity to: (A) become a multi-sport player, (B) transitioning from their main sport to handball, (C) extend their sport careers after completing their collegiate eligibility, (D) returning to competitive play after being cut from their school, community academies, (E) seeking to advance from recreational to competitive training/competition are highly encouraged to contact us for immediate consideration and placement. And here is some really good news, under the right circumstances, it is truly possible for a new player to achieve a high competency level in handball in a relatively short period of time. Historically, single and multiple sport-athletes from NCAA D1-D3 schools from basketball, soccer, softball, baseball, and volleyball were able to make a very successful transition to handball within 1-2 years and qualify for USA Team Handball National Teams as well as Olympic Games in Seoul (1988), Barcelona (1992) , Atlanta (1996 as a host city). A few most talented and dedicated to their skill development, continued their professional careers for several years in top European Clubs. Please take a look at this short fascinating journey of our greatest player Leora Samuela Jones: https://vault.si.com/vault/1992/07/22/play-it-again-sam-sam-jones-will-put-her-battered-body-on-the-line-for-a-third-and-final-olympics

This spring thousands of American athletes already have or will soon compete in their final sport meet, event, race, championship as their eligibility comes to an abrupt end. Some will gladly close the sport chapter and move on but many will feel that they are not done and want to continue training and performing. Yet, the pro sport opportunities that exist are few and far between. According to the NCAA data reported by W.J Price from the United States Sports Academy in its Sport Digest - ISSN: 1558-6448: "In men’s basketball, for example, there is only a .03% chance of a pro career. This means that of the almost 156,000 male, high school senior basketball players only 44 will be drafted to play in the NBA after college, and only 32 women (.02%) out of just over 127,000 female, high school senior players will eventually be drafted."

Did you know that according to recent estimates there are 1.7 million female athletes playing soccer in the US, 440k playing basketball, 200k playing volleyball, 83k playing ice hockey, 28k playing pickleball, and over 20k playing rugby…and only about two hundred total (200) playing handball? That is right…maybe 200 US born female athletes of all age categories combined, across all 50 states, 15 recreational clubs, 5 collegiate club level programs, who are involved in training and competition in the country of 169 million women. The US Team Handball Senior Women’s National Team comprises roughly 40 players, with a majority of dual-citizens,  who are eligible for selection for the official international competitions like Pan American Games, World Championships, and Olympic Games. This is bad news for our NT coaches but excellent news for new prospective converts who face marginal competition for NT selections. This is truly a unique opportunity for each new prospective player!

• Begin your journey as a potential athlete by filling out a new athlete interest form on line. This allows you to express your desire to participate and showcase their skills.

• Spread a good word about handball and about Play Team Handball initiatives in DFW, Texas by passing along our contact info through your professional and social circles.

• Follow us via website, including BLOG, and social media at Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and reposting the messages that resonate with you and you believe would make a positive impact on our mission;

• Refer any and all prospective athletes from all sport and recreational backgrounds to coachwartalowicz@gmail.com or playteamhandball@gmail.com or encouraging those athletes to contact us directly Athlete Contact.

Premier Handball Skill Camps

To compete at the highest level against the top handball players in the country and increase their chances of being selected for the USA National Teams, players must possess a diverse set of intricate individual technical and tactical skills. However, it is not enough to simply acquire these skills; players must also consistently apply them in game-like and match situations. Our specialized skill camps are designed with the purpose of refining and perfecting the unique handball abilities required to give our female athletes a competitive advantage. Through intensive training and focused practice, we strive to empower our players to excel on the court and reach their full potential in this fast-paced and dynamic sport. These weekend long event, usually Friday evening trough Monday morning, offer a fantastic opportunity for players to enhance their current skills and improve their tactical abilities specific to their court primary position. Also, by attending these highly individualized camps, athletes can push their physical and mental limits while engaging in handball-specific technical and metabolic exercises tailored to maximize their potential. The nurturing coaching staff provides valuable feedback and recommendations that will help athletes grow and develop in their training journey. Don't miss out on this incredible chance to excel in the sport and take your abilities to the next level.

Play Team Handball Skill Camps offer a specialized and progressive training program designed specifically for the 2024-2028 Olympic Cycle. These camps are carefully structured to ensure that each subsequent camp builds upon the skills and techniques learned in previous sessions. The goal is to enhance skill acquisition, promote refinement, and facilitate automaticity in executing handball maneuvers. In addition, the camps focus on developing tactical awareness and the ability to apply these skills effectively in real-game scenarios. With a comprehensive approach that spans multiple camps, participants can expect to see significant improvements in their handball abilities. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, these skill camps provide an immersive and dynamic learning experience to take your handball game. Play Team Handball Skill Camps provide a scientifically proven and practice tested comprehensive and progressive training experience based on the dedicated practice model that ensures players our players progress much faster than their peers are well-prepared to compete at the highest level.

Our 1st Premier Skill Camp is scheduled for August 30 - September 2 at Game On Sports Complex, 2600 Alemeda St., Fort Worth, TX 76108. The registration will open on or around April 15th at www.playteamhandball.com. The camp is strategically caped at 30 athletes to allow for an optimal player to coach ratio and individualized attention for each player based on her developmental needs.

Competition Opportunities for Futures U18, Select U20, and Ultimate 20+ Teams to Play Nationally & Internationally

Play Team Handball engages in organizing domestic and international tournaments and leagues in collaboration with local community based entities such as Sports Authorities or Chamber of Commerce. The organization actively pursues sending abroad local and regional teams to compete in marquee European competitions as a way of providing athletes with unsurpassed opportunity to see the world and test their handball acumen. We also assist the most advanced players in finding semi and fully-professional club placements in Europe.

Collegiate Handball Club Support & Coaching Mentorships

Play Team Handball resolves itself to partnering with US handball collegiate programs to provide coaching education resources and mentoring, new club formation and intramural assistance, team/club program design including periodization, training organization, skill development tutorials with hybrid delivery uniquely carved to meet the needs of program's athletes and their coaches. Interested programs and coaches can reach us directly by emailing: coachwartalowicz@gmail.com or playteamhandball@gmail.com.

Community Handball Outreach & Grassroots

Play Team Handball is dedicated to empowering young female athletes and enabling them to reach their maximum athletic potential. Our mission is not only to develop their skills in handball, but also to instill in them the Olympic values and build strong character, fostering responsible citizenship and leadership. We believe that participation in handball should be accessible to everyone, regardless of age or ability, which is why we offer sport demonstrations upon request, free physical education lessons, after-school intramurals, and mini handball festivals. By expanding the development of handball to all age groups, coaches, and officials in communities across Texas, we aim to create a thriving handball culture and provide opportunities for young girls to thrive both on and off the field.

We invite all K-12 schools, whether they are private or public, and community-based organizations in the DFW metroplex to reach out to us regarding introductory handball projects for your students or members. We are enthusiastic about promoting team handball and would love to have a discussion or explore opportunities with you. Getting in touch is easy, just give us a call or leave a message through our contact form.

Our handball community outreach initiatives aim to promote the sport and engage youth in a fun and active way. These initiatives are entirely free, as we believe in removing any barriers to participation. We are committed to providing all the necessary equipment and materials, ensuring that every participant has access to the resources they need to enjoy the program. Additionally, we provide a qualified lead instructor who will deliver the agreed-upon program at your school or community-based organization. All you have to do is extend an invitation, and we will take care of the rest. By offering these opportunities, we hope to foster a love for handball, promote teamwork, and encourage a healthy and active lifestyle among the participants. Join us today and be a part of our inclusive handball community!