JR WPH Clinic and Singles at the ’17 Memorial

Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, 11/11/17- JR WPH proudly hosted a clinic, skills competition, and JR WPH singles for two-dozen youngsters between the ages of 8-19 from Arizona, New Mexico, California, and Mexico. The junior players learned the fundamentals from R48 pros and aimed for targets on kill shots and serves to improve their accuracy and technique. During the skills competition, several of the junior players were interviewed by ESPN’s Kara Mack and discussed what they love about handball.

Following the clinic, the juniors played in age bracket JR WPH singles, with each of the participants demonstrating exceptional sportsmanship and skills.

“All of the donations we receive at the Memorial and throughout the year go towards hosting junior clinics and competitions throughout each year,” stated WPH Donor Development Director David Fink. “We are very proud to have hosted more than 1,000 junior handball clinics thus far in 2017. Thank you to all of our generous donors for helping us to inspire the next generation of players.”

JR WPH Singles at the ’17 Memorial

Rookies

Champion: Andres Araiza

Finalist: Yareli Leon

D

Champion: Jesus Mendez

Finalist: Andres Cordova

Contenders

Champion: Miguel Sandoval

Finalist: Jensen Payton

17-and under

Champion: Alejandro Sandoval

Finalist: Rodrigo Silva

19-and-under

Champion: Esteban Camacho

Finalist: Alex Clarke, Jr.

Thanks!

Thank you to ASU’s Dan Willeford, JR WPH Juarez’s Drft Fernandez, the Fred Lewis Foundation’s Abraham Montijo for organizing for their junior players to play and running the ’17 Memorial singles. Thank you to all of the junior players for the sportsmanship and passion for the game.

Keep an eye out on juniorhandball.org, as new clinic opportunities and recaps pop up weekly. Want to coach a clinic or a junior handball program? Need more information regarding junior handball? The Junior WPH group spans multiple countries, continents and oceans with clinics happening daily. We can help! Contact WPH Development Director David Fink at fink@race4eight.com

To enable Junior WPH to continue to host junior handball clinics and tournaments across North America with Certified WPH Coaches, the World Players of Handball invites you to make a tax-deductible donation today in supporting the growth of the game. 100% of the donations received by the WPH go towards junior handball development.  Donate on-line here, or send your generous gifts through PayPal (extremehandball@cs.com) or by mailing checks to:  WPH, 3561 E. Sunrise Dr. Suite 125, Tucson, AZ, 85718.

Tempe, AZ, WPH Press, 11/6/17- The ASU handball team, led by head coach Dan Willeford, coached a three-hour handball clinic for high school students from Phoenix’s Carl Hayden High School on Saturday, November 4 at the Sun Devils home courts in Tempe, AZ.  The ASU team started the clinic by sharing their perspective on safety and sportsmanship, followed by an introduction to small ball. The small ball instruction included proper hand care, hand positioning, stroke mechanics and footwork.

After the instruction, the ASU team and the high school handballers played some games to practice what the newcomers had learned. Next, the Sun Devils instructed the Falcons on different serves; they are quick learners!

We finished up with more scrimmaging so players could develop more experience with the different serves and techniques they had learned.

Throughout the clinic, the Sun Devils emphasized their philosophy on the importance of effort, mistakes and learning.

Afterwards, the players enjoyed pizzas and discussions on how college life differs from high school.

“I want to thank our ASU Sun Devil instructors Austen Bennett, Esteban Camacho, Derek Doyle, David Frances, and Juan Valerio,” stated Coach Willeford. “It’s great to see the ASU players giving back to the new players.”

Keep an eye out on juniorhandball.org, as new clinic opportunities and recaps pop up weekly. Want to coach a clinic or a junior handball program? Need more information regarding junior handball? The Junior WPH group spans multiple countries, continents and oceans with clinics happening daily. We can help! Contact WPH Development Director David Fink at fink@race4eight.com

To enable Junior WPH to continue to host junior handball clinics and tournaments across North America with Certified WPH Coaches, the World Players of Handball invites you to make a tax-deductible donation today in supporting the growth of the game. 100% of the donations received by the WPH go towards junior handball development.  Donate on-line here, or send your generous gifts through PayPal (extremehandball@cs.com) or by mailing checks to:  WPH, 3561 E. Sunrise Dr. Suite 125, Tucson, AZ, 85718.

Dan Willeford

ASU Head Handball Coach

Pensacola, FL, WPH Press, 10/24/17

By JR WPH UWF Coach Michael Morgan:

The weekend with Coach Killian was a huge success, with the UWF handball team and JR WPH sponsoring R48 #1 Killian Carroll to travel to Pensacola, FL to conduct clinics for 30 collegiate handball players from the University of West Florida and the University of Texas. All of the players had a great time playing handball, catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, and learning from Killian.

Killian was incredible with the players, conducting five hour-long clinics and adding extra time throughout the weekend for any player who wasn’t too awestruck to ask the number one player in the world specific questions about their own game.  With the clinics, we were able to split players into small groups for a more personal touch and separate the new and experienced players into separate groups to cover more of the fundamentals of the game and more advanced material for the players with more experience.  Throughout the clinics, Killian gave each player individual critiques to help improve their personal style of play.  One player mentioned, “These were the best clinics he had ever been a part of.”

All weekend Killian showed why on and off the court he is an incredible champion and ambassador for the sport of handball. I’m confident in saying through his tireless efforts with the players this weekend if he didn’t already have them, he now has 30 new fans that will be cheering him on at tournaments for years to come, check that, 31. Thank you, Killian and a big thank you to the WPH for the continued support in helping the UWF Handball team grow.

Editor’s note: Thank you to JR WPH collegiate Coach of the Year Michael Morgan and Race 4 Eight #1 Killian Carroll for an outstanding weekend of clinics for nearly three-dozen collegiate handball players. The WPH is extremely fortunate to have Coach Morgan and Killian as ambassadors to the sport and willing to give back so much of their time and energy to this great game.

Keep an eye out on juniorhandball.org, as new clinic opportunities and recaps pop up weekly. Want to coach a clinic or a junior handball program? Need more information regarding junior handball? The Junior WPH group spans multiple countries, continents and oceans with clinics happening daily. We can help! Contact WPH Development Director David Fink at fink@race4eight.com

To enable Junior WPH to continue to host junior handball clinics and tournaments across North America with Certified WPH Coaches, the World Players of Handball invites you to make a tax-deductible donation today in supporting the growth of the game. 100% of the donations received by the WPH go towards junior handball development.  Donate on-line here, or send your generous gifts through PayPal (extremehandball@cs.com) or by mailing checks to:  WPH, 3561 E. Sunrise Dr. Suite 125, Tucson, AZ, 85718.

Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, Oct 17 – More than 20 Juniors from Phoenix, ASU, Pima, and the FLF competed in the WPH Outdoor Battle I at Tucson’s Pima West College, producing a number of exciting 3 Wall matches and inspiring sportsmanship and camaraderie among the youngsters.

Fred Lewis Foundation superstar Ayden Brule continued to shine, adding the JR WPH 14-and-under Battle I title to his resume, overcoming Jensen Payton, Miguel Sandoval, and Andres Sandoval to win the title.

First: Ayden Brule

Second: Miguel Sandoval

Alejandro Sandoval cruised in the Junior B singles, ousting ASU’s Austen Bennett, David Frances, and Phoenix’s Donavyn Doyle

First: Alejandro Sandoval

Second: Donavyn Doyle

Cassie Coolidge defeated Carly Coolidge in the final of the Junior Big Ball Novice bracket, finishing the Junior Big Ball Novice undefeated. Cassie also defeated Bella Alvarez and Alex Gonzalez

First: Cassie Coolidge

Second: Carly Coolidge

FLF standout juniors Kena Byrd and Sophie Della Cruce competed in the women’s singles, performing admirably against current 3-Wall national pro finalist Ashley Moler in the round robin format. Kena took second, while Sophie captured third.

“We are so grateful for Fred Lewis and Abraham Montijo for sending a group of their Fred Lewis Foundation youngsters to the Battle I, as well as Arizona State’s Dan Willeford for driving three of his team members to Tucson to participate,” stated WPH Development Director David Fink. “We saw seasoned junior stars with national championships, juniors playing in the first tournament, and all levels in between at the Battle I. The common denominator was that each of the youngsters had a great time and developed friendships that they’ll maintain for years to come.”

Keep an eye out on juniorhandball.org, as new clinic opportunities and recaps pop up weekly. Want to coach a clinic or a junior handball program? Need more information regarding junior handball? The Junior WPH group spans multiple countries, continents and oceans with clinics happening daily. We can help! Contact WPH Development Director David Fink at fink@race4eight.com

To enable Junior WPH to continue to host junior handball clinics and tournaments across North America with Certified WPH Coaches, the World Players of Handball invites you to make a tax-deductible donation today in supporting the growth of the game. 100% of the donations received by the WPH go towards junior handball development.  Donate on-line here, or send your generous gifts through PayPal (extremehandball@cs.com) or by mailing checks to:  WPH, 3561 E. Sunrise Dr. Suite 125, Tucson, AZ, 85718.

Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, 9/29/17- JR WPH held four junior ranking events in 2017, with more than 200 junior handball players between the ages of 8-19 competing in the four JR WPH stops in California (IceMan, Fullerton), Brooklyn (NYC JR WPH Shootout), and Las Vegas (3WallBall). Each JR WPH stop featured a JR WPH clinic alongside the JR WPH competitions, with the junior players having a chance to learn from and play alongside top WPH Outdoor pros and coaches.

The 19-and-under JR WPH singles featured four different boy’s winners in four events, as New York’s Tristian Durbin, and California’s Marco Alatorre, Jesus Mendez, and Daniel Barrientos all collected titles. One-half of Brooklyn’s “Wonder Twins” Melanie Garante won the girls 19-and-under singles at the 2017 NYC JR WPH Shootout.

New York’s Edwin Troncoso won the 17-and-under singles at Brooklyn’s 2017 NYC JR WPH Shootout, while California’s Mauricio Molina won the 17-and-under 3WallBall JR WPH singles at the 3WallBall Championships. New York City’s Jasmine Chen captured the Girl’s 2017 NYC JR WPH Shootout in Brooklyn.

Central California’s Michael Bautista finished the season as the #1 ranked 15-and-under JR WPH star, finishing second at Fullerton and the 3WallBall Championships. Bautista edged David Sanchez III, Eddie Rocha, Jesus Mendez, and Kelvin Garcia for the top spot.

David Sanchez III won the 13-and-under 4-Wall national title in December of 2016 and added the 14-and-under Fullerton title to his glittering resume. New York’s Fernando Hernandez and California’s Abraham Espindola shared the top 14-and-under honors with Sanchez, winning the NYC JR WPH Shootout and the 3WallBall, respectively.

Abraham Espindola added the #1 JR WPH 12-and-under ranking to his stellar season, winning Fullerton in June. Southern California’s Xavier Flores and Northern California’s Daniel Sanchez shared the top spot in the 10-and-under JR WPH season, with Sanchez winning the IceMan and Flores winning in Fullerton.

“We are extremely proud of all of the youngsters who participated in the 2017 JR WPH events,” stated WPH Development Director David Fink. “Although we recognize the winners of each event, the real winners are those who had fun playing, gave their best effort, and are determined to continue playing and improving in the future.”

19-and-under boys

1. Tristian Durbin (NY) 10

1. Marco Alatorre (CA) 10

1. Jesus Mendez (CA) 10

1. Daniel Barrientos (CA) 10

5. Salvador Diaz (CA) 8

5. Edwin Troncoso (NY) 8

5. Octavio Romero (CA) 8

19-and-under girls

1. Melanie Garate (NY) 10

2. Jessenia Garate (NY) 8

2. Emily Sanchez (CA) 8

17-and-under boys

1. Edwin Troncoso (NY) 10

1. Mauricio Molina (CA) 10

3. Henry Santana (NY) 8

3. Jesus Mendez (CA) 8

17-and-under girls

1. Jasmine Chen (NY) 10

2. Celeste Luna (NY) 8

15-and-under boys

1. Michael Bautista (CA) 16

2. David Sanchez III (CA) 10

2. Eddie Rocha Jr. (CA) 10

2. Jesus Mendez (CA) 10

2. Kelvin Garcia (NY) 10

6. Alex Trujillo (CA) 8

6. Joshua Rosa (NY) 8

8. Louis Montes (CA) 6

15-and-under girls

1. Cathy Chen (NY) 10

2. Celeste Luna (NY 8

14-and-under boys

1. David Sanchez III (CA) 10

1. Fernando Hernandez (NY) 10

1. Abraham Espindola (CA) 10

4. Ferman Victoria (CA) 8

4. William Li (NY 8

4. Jacob Marin (CA) 8

15-and-under girls

1. Madison Borrego (NY) 10

2. Veronica Figueroa (NY) 8

12-and-under boys

1. Abraham Espindola (CA) 10

2. Moises Barrientos (CA) 8

10-and-under boys

1. Daniel Sanchez (CA) 10

1. Xavier Flores (CA) 10

3. Victor Serrato (CA) 8

3. Jose Arellanos (CA) 8

5. Emilio Serrato (CA) 6

Junior WPH Clinic & JR WPH Singles at the 2017 3WB Outdoor Worlds

Las Vegas, NV, WPH Press, 9/24/17- Jr WPH was proud to present an exciting jr handball clinic for 12 youngsters competing in Vegas. WPH Coaches Shorty Ruiz and Martina McMahon played doubles points with the 12 youngsters, alternating partners after each rally.

Following the doubles points with the pros, Coaches Ruiz and McMahon discussed the importance of practice and dedication to improve. “I spend 20 hours a week training and playing handball,” explained Coach McMahon. “You need to pay 5-6 games per day and work on different shots while you are playing, then practice by yourself for two hours,” added Coach Ruiz.

“The 3WallBall junior handball clinic is one of the WPH highlights from the 3WallBall,” stated WPH Development Director David Fink. “There is no other sport where junior players can play points with the top pros in the middle of a world championship event. The mission of the WPH is to inspire the next generation of players and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to inspire the youngsters at this great 3WallBall venue. To see families traveling to WPH events together and competing in adult and junior brackets, while watching fathers and sons bonding through handball is the true highlight of the event for our organization.”

JR WPH Singles

JR WPH proudly hosted the 2017 3WallBall Outdoor World Championships JR WPH singles, with more than 25 youngsters competing on handball’s greatest stage. The youngsters demonstrated exceptional skills and passion for the game during the singles event. “We’ve been watching a lot of these juniors for the past four or five years and it’s incredible to see how much they’ve improved,” stated WPH Executive Director David Vincent. “We especially love watching the great sportsmanship and friendships the junior players have developed at the tournaments over the past few years.”

12-and-under: Abraham Espindola def Jacob Marin 12-4, 12-2

15-and-under: Eddie Rocha, Jr. def Michael Bautista 12-2, 12-4

17-and-under: Mauricio Molina def Jesus Mendez 12-4, 12-5

19-and-under: Daniel Barrientos def Octavio Romero 12-10, 12-9

Keep an eye out on juniorhandball.org, as new clinic opportunities and recaps pop up weekly. Want to coach a clinic or a junior handball program? Need more information regarding junior handball? The Junior WPH group spans multiple countries, continents and oceans with clinics happening daily. We can help! Contact WPH Development Director David Fink at fink@race4eight.com

To enable Junior WPH to continue to host junior handball clinics and tournaments across North America with Certified WPH Coaches, the World Players of Handball invites you to make a tax-deductible donation today in supporting the growth of the game. 100% of the donations received by the WPH go towards junior handball development.  Donate on-line here, or send your generous gifts through PayPal (extremehandball@cs.com) or by mailing checks to:  WPH, 3561 E. Sunrise Dr. Suite 125, Tucson, AZ, 85718.

Phoenix, AZ, Press, Sept 15th, 2017 – Jr handball is thriving in Phoenix, with a flourishing collegiate program at Arizona State Univ and a rapidly developing high school handball program.

Head Handball Coach, Dan Willeford, leads the Sun Devils in weekly handball practices, as the squad prepares itself for the USHA’s Collegiate Nationals.

Coach Willeford leads his team to weekend tournaments in Arizona and beyond. Six Sun Devil stars recently traveled to the Tucson R48 Pre Qualifier, where each of the collegiate players competed against the best players in the Southwest. In addition to coaching the Sun Devils team, Coach Willeford leads a one-credit handball course, attracting up to 30 new players each semester.

“JR WPH was fortunate to hold a clinic for Coach Willeford’s ASU team and handball class last spring and the amount of interest and enthusiasm for handball at ASU is truly inspiring,” revealed WPH Development Director David Fink. “Coach Willeford’s tremendous efforts at ASU are making a huge difference in growing the sport.”

When Coach Willeford is not coaching his ASU handball team and teaching handball classes at the university, Coach Willeford is coaching and organizing 3-Wall high school handball clinics and tournaments in Phoenix.

“We just held a dual meet between Camelback High School and Hayden High School with 24 combined players,” stated Coach Willeford. “This was the first high school matchup of the school year. The high school coaches did a great job with their myriad duties: coordinating with their Athletic Directors, reserving the courts, gathering permission slips, arranging transportation, defining a competition format, teaching their students the techniques & rules, etc. It was an outstanding outreach event for Arizona State University, too.  Members of the Sun Devil Handball Club were in attendance to support the players and help with the event.  Two of these Sun Devils were alums for Camelback HS and still have lots of friends The Sun Devils handed out Access ASU information so that high school students know what is required to gain admission to ASU.  No classes were missed by any of the students — ASU or high school! I’d like to point out the people who made the first high school dual meet a success. Out of the goodness of their hearts, they put in a lot of effort to benefit their students. In one way or another, they do this every day. I’d like to specifically thank Kathryn Wagner – Camelback sponsor, Jim Reitmyer – Camelback coach, Steve Kuipers – Camelback AD, Chris Hogan – Carl Hayden sponsor, coach, Martin Gracia – Carl Hayden coach, Ben Fernandez Carl Hayden coach, and Chris Oglesby – Carl Hayden AD.”

Coach Willeford also visited Phoenix’s South Mountain High School this week, talked with the Athletic Director, and coached 3-Wall handball during the South Mountain High School lunch break. “The Jaguars had already heard of the CHHS vs CBHS dual-meet,” boasted Coach Willeford. “They want in on the action!  A teacher has agreed to be the sponsor and I was invited back to campus next week to help with the next steps.”

Phoenix’s Carl Hayden High School will be holding a one-day Big Ball tournament on Saturday, November 18. If you’re in Phoenix or can make it to Phoenix, don’t miss it! To view the Carl Hayden tournament application, click HERE

Keep an eye out on juniorhandball.org, as new clinic opportunities and recaps pop up weekly. Want to coach a clinic or a junior handball program? Need more information regarding junior handball? The Junior WPH group spans multiple countries, continents and oceans with clinics happening daily. We can help! Contact WPH Development Director David Fink at fink@race4eight.com

To enable Junior WPH to continue to host junior handball clinics and tournaments across North America with Certified WPH Coaches, the World Players of Handball invites you to make a tax-deductible donation today in supporting the growth of the game. 100% of the donations received by the WPH go towards junior handball development.  Donate on-line here, or send your generous gifts through PayPal (extremehandball@cs.com) or by mailing checks to:  WPH, 3561 E. Sunrise Dr. Suite 125, Tucson, AZ, 85718.