Junior WPH was thrilled to host a junior clinic with the WPH sponsored JR WPH Park City junior handball program and a Junior R48 Showdown match at the 2016 R48 V Salt Lake City Aces.

The enthusiastic youngsters from the WPH sponsored Park City junior handball program were treated to sidearm stroke instruction, target-hitting competitions and cross-training exercises with R48 Elite 8 pros David Fink and Daniel Cordova. “These kids are like sponges to the game,” revealed WPH Coach McManus. “We have a group text with more than 20 junior players during all of the R48 broadcasts and we are always sending messages back and forth about all of the incredible shots and matches during the great broadcasts.” Thank you to WPH sponsored Park City JR program head coach Ted McManus, the juniors and the WPH pros.

Just before the start of the main draw in Salt Lake City, the youngest qualifier hopefuls in R48 history squared off in a special Junior R48 Showdown match, with California’s Anthony Sullivan and Canada’s Michael Gaulton staging a sensational junior showdown at the final regular season event of the Race 4 Eight V tour. The pair of future R48 superstars traded the lead 15 times in the one game match to 25, with Gaulton rallying from a 20-24 deficit to take a 25-24 lead, only to see Sullivan score the final three points of the match to claim the showdown title, 27-25.

What an event for Junior WPH at the 2016 Salt Lake City Aces!

WPH Coach and 1-Wall Big Ball World #1 Timbo Gonzalez held a spectacular JR WPH 1-Wall clinic for 20 junior handball players in attendance at the WPH Outdoor V Stop #3 Downey 1-Wall. The youngsters were treated to lessons from the best player in 1-Wall handball and soaked up every piece of advice from the international superstar. Joining Timbo in the clinic was WPH Race 4 Eight Star and WPH Coach Mando Ortiz. Thank you Timbo and Mando!

Following the JR WPH Clinic, more than two-dozen juniors competed in the second stop of the JR WPH Outdoor 2016 season at Downey Park, featuring 9, 12, 15, and 18-and under 1-Wall singles divisions. Xavier Flores continued to shine in the 9-and-under, as he collected his second title of the season in defeating Freddy Reyes, Jr, with Javier Valle and Arley Carmona finished third. Armando Ramirez captured his first title of the 2016 season in the 12-and-under, defeating Jordi Valle in the final. Jesus Mendez clinched his second title of the season in the 15-and-under, outlasting Danny Vazquez in the final, with Armando Ramirez taking third. Chava Dorado impressed in winning the 18-and-under, as he defeated Octavio Recendiz in the final, with Marco Ala torre finishing third.

Congratulations to all of the juniors for their outstanding play and tremendous sportsmanship. Stay tuned for an exciting summer of JR WPH clinics and tournaments!

For the full recap from WPH Outdoor V Stop #3, click here

Brooklyn, NY, WPH Press, 3/29/16- The World Players of Handball and Junior WPH are thrilled to present the World Players of Handball NYC 1WallBall Junior Shootout and Clinics + A Doubles Exhibitions in Brooklyn, NY, Saturday, May 28^th, 2016. Brooklyn’s St. John’s Park will host the junior showcase event on the 12 pristine 1-Wall handball courts on the park grounds. St. John’s Park is located at 1251 Prospect Place, Brooklyn, NY 11213.

The World Players of Handball NYC 1WallBall Junior Shootout and Clinics + A Doubles Exhibitions will feature boy’s and girl’s 15-and-under, 17-and-under, and 19-and-under junior big ball singles divisions, a special clinic and target-hitting challenge with several of the best players in 1-Wall Big Ball Handball, and men’s and women’s doubles exhibition matches. The men’s doubles exhibition will feature current 1-Wall big ball world champion Timbo Gonzalez teaming with Hector Velez against former 1-Wall big ball national champion Tywan Cook and Carlin Rosa, while the women’s doubles exhibition will feature current women’s world 1-Wall big ball world champion Danielle Daskalakis teaming with rising junior star Jenny Qu against two of New York’s top women stars, Karen McConney and Quasia Watson-Ziegler.

“With more than 400 clinics each summer and dozens of competitions, Junior WPH has been incredibly progressive in providing opportunities for current and new junior handball players to compete in junior handball events and to learn from the game’s best players,” boasted WPH Youth Donor and Development Director David Fink. “Junior WPH has hosted several “mega clinics” each summer at WPH Outdoor events in Southern California and Nevada and we are thrilled to host our first mega junior event in New York City this May.”

The World Players of Handball is extremely fortunate to be working with New York City’s “Fab 5” 1-Wall handball ambassadors Danielle Daskalakis, Veronica Figueroa, Hector Velez, Bryan Lucero, and Izzy Rivera in organizing and running the World Players of Handball NYC 1WallBall Junior Shootout and Clinics + A Doubles Exhibitions. New York’s “Fab 5” will assist the World Players of Handball in recruiting junior players, promoting the event, helping to setup the draws, and helping to run the tournament desk on May 28^th.  With 100 junior players expected in Brooklyn, the “Fab 5” is going to be extremely busy!

To enter the event, please go here

If you would like to donate to the World Players of Handball NYC 1-WallBall Junior Shootout and Clinics, please contact WPH Youth Donor and Development Director David Fink at fink@juniorhandball.org or kindly make a credit card or donation through the mail here

The mission of the World Players of Handball is to introduce young people to the game of handball to incorporate an active lifestyle, a sense of teamwork and competition, community spirit, camaraderie, sportsmanship, integrity, mental focus and physical health, utilizing handball as a vehicle to enhance childhood development. Since 2013, Junior WPH has hosted more 2500 junior handball clinics at tournaments, athletic clubs, YMCA’s, schools, summer camps, and universities, while reaching more than 10,000 young people.

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 atfink@race4eight.com

To learn more about the World Players of Handball, go to wphlive.tv

The World Players of Handball is proud to sponsor nine JR WPH Teams and Programs, as well as hosting hundreds of junior handball clinics and dozens of junior handball tournaments each year. Check out the progress of JR WPH Park City and JR WPH Juarez below.

Junior WPH Park City: Junior WPH is proud to support Jr WPH Park City (Utah), home of the annual Race 4 Eight Salt Lake City Aces. WPH Coaches Ted and Zac McManus started a youth/collegiate group with six players late in 2015 that has blossomed into 25 enthusiastic players that play in the local league and up to four times a week. Coach Ted and Coach Zac emphasize fun and learning from the pros, as Jr WPH Park City players have the opportunity to watch the pros live every April at the R48 Aces, while also watching all of the R48 events on the ESPN3. “The Utah Handball Association would like to thank the World Players of Handball for supporting our youth/collegiate handball club at the Wasatch County Rec Center, just outside Park City, Utah,” stated Coach Ted McManus. “Thank you to the World Players of Handball for all that you do for handball.”

Junior WPH Natty Gonzalez cd. Juarez, Mexico: Junior WPH Juarez continues to thrive in 2016, setting the standard for all junior handball programs in North America. Led by WPH Certified Coach and Texas State Doubles Champion Richie “Drft” Fernandez, Junior WPH Juarez holds weekly practices for more than 20 active junior players in the JR WPH Juarez program, as well as holding local junior tournaments and organizing trips for the junior players to compete in indoor and outdoor junior handball events across the United States. Thank you to Coach Drft and the entire Juarez handball community for providing the opportunity for dozens on young people to become active, responsible, and goal-oriented people through handball.

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 atfink@race4eight.com

R48 Pro and ICHA Coach, Billy O’Donnell, guided a Junior WPH~ ICHA sponsored youth handball clinic at the 2016 Long Island Open, recently. Coach O’Donnell shared lessons he learned as youngster playing 1, 3 and 4-Wall with the next generation of New York junior handball stars; including kill shot fundamentals and the “line drill.”

After listening and watching Coach O’Donnell explain and demonstrate the proper swinging fundamentals, the junior players applied what they learned in a WPH sponsored target-hitting competition. Melanie Garate, Dan Pitre and Gary Luk won WPH prizes, with each managing to knock down targets with precise shot making.

Thank you to Harry Mellis, Junior Handball Director, plus WR48 Pro, Danielle Daskalakis, R48 Pro, Billy O’Donnell, ICHA Founder, Paul Williams, and all of the junior players for organizing, coaching and participating in a great clinic!

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