Coaching

JR WPH Salt Lake City Flourishing

Posted on December 6, 2016December 6, 2016 by DV

Salt Lake City, Utah, WPH Press, December 7th, 2016- Junior WPH Salt Lake continues to thrive with weekly clinics and an enthusiastic traveling team in the “City of Saints.” The home of the Race 4 Eight’s Salt Lake City Aces Player’s Championship, better known to the touring professionals as the “Player’s Stop,” Junior WPH SLC has built a flourishing junior handball program with a vibrant group of passionate teenage handball players under the direction of Junior WPH Salt Lake City Head Coach Ted McManus. “We are in the first ten-week session of our league and the numbers are solid,” revealed Coach McManus. We added about five new faces from last year and the players are getting better by the day. The enthusiasm is great and seeing the improvement is really cool.”

JR WPH SLC hit the road in October, with JR WPH SLC standouts Dom and Erick Alvarado advancing to the C Doubles final at the Simple Green U.S. Open and second-year player Chris Torres having the opportunity to play against top six Race 4 Eight pros Killian Carroll and Emmett Peixoto in the Simple Green U.S. Open Pro Doubles.

“The WPH is extremely proud to sponsor JR WPH SLC and introduce the sport we all love to a great group of youngsters,” stated WPH Development Director David Fink. “We are very proud of what Coach McManus and the junior players are accomplishing on a weekly basis.”

The Race 4 Eight pros and JR WPH SLC will hold a special Pro/Junior Doubles Shootout to kickoff the 2017 Player’s Championship in Salt Lake City, featuring R48, WR48, and SR48 pros teaming with Team JR WPH SLC in the 2017 Player’s Championship Opening Ceremonies. Before the start of the Pro/Junior doubles, the youngsters will take a WPH sponsored clinic with the pros. What a night!

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.

JR WPH Juarez @ the Banos Roma

Posted on December 6, 2016December 6, 2016 by DV

Juarez, Mex, WPH Press, 12/6/16-JR WPH Juarez continues to be one of the world’s top junior handball programs, with Juarez’s 51^st annual Banos Roma tournament boasting four junior divisions on the first weekend in December. Led by 2016 JR WPH Coach of the Year Richie “Drft” Fernandez, the Juarez juniors stole the show with sensational play and enthusiasm for the sport. “There have never been four junior divisions in any tournament in Juarez or El Paso so it was just awesome,” stated Coach Fernandez. “There were a lot of close games and tiebreakers.”

JR WPH Juarez Banos Roma Results

Beginner

1^st: Wendy Garcia

2^nd: Zahid

Intermediate

1^st: Abraham Sanchez

2^nd: Steven Ogaz

1^st: Andres Cordoba

2^nd: Eder Renteria

1^st: Sebastian Canales

2^nd: Alejandro Garcia

If you haven’t seen JR WPH Juarez in action, make sure to catch them at an upcoming tournament. The youngsters are full of energy, passion for the game and improve dramatically from one tournament to the next. JR WPH Juarez will next travel to Tucson for the USHA JR Nationals at the end of December.

JR WPH Minnesota Clinic

Posted on November 23, 2016November 22, 2016 by DV

Junior WPH continued its tradition of inspiring the next generation of players at Race 4 Eight events, proudly hosting a Minnesota R48 instructional clinic for the University of Minnesota junior handball program, with youngsters between the ages of 8-16 learning from WPH Coaches David Fink, Vic Perez, and Ashley Moler. After practicing the sidearm kill and competing in a “lowest kill shot” competition, the youngsters played doubles points with the Race 4 Eight stars. “This is just so great for the kids,” stated University of Minnesota junior Coach Mitch Lallier. “To hear from the pros and get a chance to play points with them is what it’s all about.”

Junior WPH is proud to provide opportunities for youngsters to learn and improve their handball games with clinics coached by WPH Certified Coaches that span more than 10 states and three countries each year.

JR WPH @ The Memorial

Posted on November 8, 2016November 8, 2016 by DV

Junior WPH enjoyed an outstanding weekend at the 2^nd annual Tucson Memorial by proudly honoring JR WPH Juarez head coach Richie “Drft” Fernandez with the 2016 WPH Coach of the Year award, coaching a sensational clinic, and hosting third Battle of the Border (BOB) team competition between JR WPH Juarez and Team FLF Tucson. Read about the great weekend below!

The WPH Honors 2016 JR WPH Coach of the Year Richie “Drft” Fernandez

The World Players of Handball was incredibly proud to present JR WPH Coach Drft Fernandez with the 2016 JR WPH Coach of the Year award in a ceremony with the WPH Executive Committee, WPH Staff, and several of the Race 4 Eight top stars. Coach Fernandez promotes, recruits, and coaches weekly junior handball lessons for more than 30 youngsters in Juarez, Mexico, building the most thriving junior handball program in North America. Coach Fernandez also organizes JR WPH Juarez tournament trips, often driving the youngsters up to 16 hours each way to provide the youngsters with the opportunity to experience tournament handball. Inscribed on the WPH Coach of the Year plaque presented by the WPH Executive Committee: “Through passionately promoting, recruiting, teaching, and mentoring the next generation of handball players, Coach Fernandez has created the most flourishing junior handball program in North America. The WPH is incredibly proud to have you on our team. Thank you!”

Junior WPH Clinic with JR WPH Juarez

JR WPH hosted a sensational clinic with JR WPH Juarez, with WPH Master Instructor David Fink playing “King of the Court” singles with the JR WPH Juarez traveling team. “The kid’s energy and enthusiasm was amazing and so much fun,” stated Coach Fink. “We are so grateful that the juniors make the six-hour drive from Juarez to Tucson to be a part of the event. What’s most fun is seeing the improvement of all of the kids from one tournament to the next.” Following the clinic, JR WPH Juarez was WPH “geared-up,” with each of the youngsters receiving JR WPH jerseys.

Battle of the Border (BOB) III

JR WPH Juarez faced Tucson’s Fred Lewis Foundation for the third time in two years in a special junior team competition aimed to build camaraderie, friendships, and team spirit between the two incredible junior programs. Team FLF captured the first two editions of the BOB, but the rapidly improving JR WPH Juarez squad was determined to take the BOB Cup back to Juarez. Team Juarez won the first two matches in the best of five format, and when Andres Cordova defeated Sophia Della Croce in the fourth match, Team Juarez clinched their first Battle of the Border Cup. “Watching the kids cheering on their teammates and taking so much pride in being on their team was the highlight of the event for me,” stated WPH Development Director David Fink.

David Fink

WPH Senior Writer

SG US Open JR WPH Clinic

Posted on October 27, 2016 by DV

10/24/16- JR WPH proudly hosted a Simple Green U.S. Open junior clinic for more than 50 youngsters from California and Ireland on the Los Caballeros’ 3-Wall courts, featuring WPH Coaches David Fink, Shorty Ruiz, and Luis Cordova. The youngsters were split into three groups, with each group having the opportunity to learn from three of the game’s top coaches. After trying to hit various targets, the young handballers had a chance to test their skills against Coach Ruiz and Coach Cordova. “I can’t believe how good these kids are,” proclaimed Coach Cordova after playing points against the 14-year olds on his court.

Junior WPH has hosted more than 900 clinics thus far in 2016, proudly providing opportunities for more than 3,000 young people to learn handball from the best coaches in the most well organized clinics in the country.

Following the clinic, the juniors competed in the final JR WPH ranking event of the season on Los Caballeros’ 3-Wall courts. The matches featured sensational shot making and sportsmanship from precocious juniors from California and Ireland. Ireland’s Kyle Jordan and Mark Doyle captured the 11-and-under and 13-and-under singles, respectively, in their first 3-Wall starts, cruising in fields of seasoned 3-Wall juniors. Multiple-time JR WPH junior champion Daniel Vazquez won the 15-and-under and Anthony Perez defeated his brother Justin in the final of the 17-and-under singles. “This was certainly one of the most exciting days of the JR WPH season,” stated WPH Development Director David Fink. “The participation of the Irish junior stars playing against the Southern Californians made for great matchups, while also creating new friendships that will likely last a lifetime.”

JR WPH Simple Green U.S. Open Results

11-and-under

1^st: Kyle Jordan (IRE)

2^nd: Isaac Camarera (CA)

tied 3^rd: Jose Arellano (CA)/Jayden Moyas (CA)

13-and-under

1^st: Mark Doyle (IRE)

2^nd: Mark Claros (IRE)

tied 3^rd: Eddie Rocha (CA)/Kevin Quiroa (CA)

15-and-under

1^st: Daniel Vazquez (CA)

2^nd: Josh Kavanag (CA)

3^rd: Mauricio Molina

17-and-under

1^st: Anthony Perez (CA)

2^nd: Justin Perez (CA)

3^rd: Danny Vazquez (CA)/Ricky Serrano (CA)

Junior WPH Juarez 2016 Fall Sessions

Posted on October 11, 2016October 11, 2016 by DV

Junior WPH Juarez continues to shine in Ciudad Juarez on the U.S./Mexico Border, with 2015 Junior WPH Coach of the Year Drft Fernandez leading weekly training sessions for two-dozen youngsters between the ages of 5-20. The youngsters practice the serve, kill shots with their right and left hands, ceiling shots, and “rebotito,” a half court game designed to improve reflexes and strategy. Following the drills, the youngsters play rally games, with the older kids using the small ball and the younger kids using the big ball.

“We hosted a tournament last weekend for kids of various levels and ages,” stated Coach Fernandez. “There were Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced divisions for more than 20 junior players. The kids had a great time.”

“The WPH is so fortunate to have Coach Fernandez leading clinics in Juarez,” stated WPH Development Director David Fink. “If there were 100 coaches like Coach Fernandez across North America we would have thousands of junior players, and if there were 1000 coaches like Coach Fernandez handball’s participation and popularity would be on par with basketball and baseball. Thank you Drft!”