Highlighting JR WPH Clinics Coached by Race 4 Eight Pros and JR WPH Coaches Growing the Game
WPH Press, 12/20/24
JR WPH proudly inspired hundreds of youngsters with junior clinics and tournaments throughout 2024 to provide opportunities for young people to build friendships, compete, and develop a physically active lifestyle through handball. JR WPH spanned thousands of miles in 2024 to grow the game, with dozens of WPH pro players and coaches inspiring the next generation of players.
Check out all of the JR WPH’s 2024 initiatives below.
JR WPH Q&A With Killian Carroll and Martin Mulkerrins (January)
22-time Race 4 Eight champion Killian Carroll and 6-time Race 4 Eight champion Martin Mulkerrins conducted a Q&A with a number of collegiate players at the 2024 Chapman Memorial, fielding questions that included how to practice by yourself, match strategy, conditioning, technique and how the top pros manage their emotions and anxiety in big moments.
“I like to start a match at about 70% because I do not want to start too tense,” Carroll answered one of the awestruck participants. “That way I can work my way into the match.”
When discussing practicing by himself, Carroll explained his process. “I have forty-eight different shots and I like to practice two per day, focusing on letting the ball hit one or two fingers. To hit the left-to-left ceiling shot, I think about relaxing my core and tightening my lower back.”
Mulkerrins was asked how to play with the lead. “Maybe I should be a bit more aggressive when I get the lead,” Mulkerrins explained to the group of collegiate players. “When you get your chances, you have to take them.”
Thank you to Killian Carroll and Martin Mulkerrins for taking the time to share their expertise with a very inspired group of collegiate players.
JR WPH Supports the February Advisory Doubles at Carl Hayden High School (February)
JR WPH continues to proudly support Coach Chris Hogan’s Carl Hayden High School handball program, providing WPH jerseys and gear to the Carl Hayden handballers at the February 15-16, 2024 Advisory Doubles Tournament.
The 2024 Carl Hayden Advisory Doubles Tournament featured thirty-six players and eighteen teams competing in a two-day doubles tournament on the high school’s 3-Wall courts during their two lunch periods. Matches were one game to nine, with teams needing to win by two in each game.
“When pairs would lose, they immediately asked me when the next tournament was,” stated Coach Hogan. “Everyone played at least two matches. It was organized chaos. I can’t believe how well it went. It was funny how excited the players got, even after losing. All of the players awarded really liked the WPH shirts. Thanks again to the WPH for the continued support and encouragement of our program!!!”
“The WPH has been proud to support Coach Hogan and the Carl Hayden handball program for many years,” stated the WPH’s David Fink. “Coach Hogan is one of the most enthusiastic and exceptional coaches in handball and we are so grateful for his passion for growing the game. JR WPH looks forward to continuing to support Coach Hogan and Carl Hayden High School in the future.”
JR WPH Juarez Clinic at the 2024 Race 4 Eight Juarez (March)
WPH Master Instructor David Fink held a clinic for a number of Juarez’s junior players, playing big ball and small ball singles points and teaching the back wall fundamentals. “These kids spent the whole weekend watching the pros, getting autographs and jumping into the court whenever they could to hit the ball around,” stated Fink. “I was very happy to be able to work with them, rally and show them some back wall techniques to help them improve. A lot of what makes the Juarez event so special are the young players and their enthusiasm for our game. Many of the kids in the clinic are going to be the Race 4 Eight pros in the next decade.”
2024 SAHC/JR WPH Spring Kickoff Tournament (April)
The Santa Ana Handball Club was proud to present the 2024 SAHC/JR WPH Spring Kickoff Tournament on the first weekend in April, featuring forty-one junior handball players from Southern California competing in 3-Wall big ball singles and doubles brackets.
“The tournament was a success,” boasted Gilbert Granado. “Each participant got a tournament shirt and we fed everyone too! Thanks to the WPH for all your help and support!”
ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY WINS THE INAUGURAL DOUG RANDOLPH INTERCOLLEGIATE TEAM CUP by Martin Mulkerrins (April)The WPH was proud to have sponsored the 2024 WPH Pre-Qualifier Charlie Bokelman Classic and Texas State Doubles Championship at Texas A&M University (recap HERE). Ninety collegiate players entered the Bokelman Classic/State Doubles, with thirty-two of those students also participating in the inaugural Doug Randolph Cup. This new, innovative team tournament pitted students from Texas A&M, the University of Texas, Angelo State University and Missouri State University against each other for $10k in scholarship funds.
Each of the matches were two games to fifteen with no tiebreakers. With a total of 450 points available over the three rounds, Angelo State University came out on top! The Rams scored a total of 400 points, with Texas A&M pushing them all the way with a final score of 381 points.
Diarmuid Mulkerrins and his teammates were thrilled to take the title home to West Texas. Diarmuid shared his thoughts with the WPH after his team’s Randolph Cup win.
“The Randolph Cup was very exciting. The format was new here and it made every game interesting regardless of the score because every point mattered. Up until the very last game of the tournament the winners were yet to be decided, A&M had a 10-point lead on us at that stage and it just shows how competitive it was last weekend. I think the Randolph Cup will be a major event going forward, one of the biggest tournaments of the year, it’s unique, has a strong team element and scholarships for students to compete for. It meant a lot to our players, it was rewarding after all the hard work they’ve put in all year to beat Texas A&M, UT and Missouri. The scholarships meant a lot too and I hope this helps towards continued growth of the program at ASU.
Tournament director and seven-time Race 4 Eight champion Martin Mulkerrins added to his brother’s enthusiasm and appreciation.
“We were determined to honor Doug Randolph. His three $1million dollar donations to promote Handball at Texas A&M, the University of Texas and Angelo State University have been incredible for our sport. We were delighted Doug was home from his travels and was able to attend the tournament and present the trophy and $10k in scholarships that he sponsored. We now look forward to next year where we will travel to Lubbock, Texas where Doug lives. We will play at Lubbock Christian College where he has built the Handball Courts and hopes to develop a Handball program there. We plan to continue our fantastic relationship with the WPH to make next year’s tournament even better”.
“JR WPH was proud to support the inaugural Randolph Cup and will continue to support the tremendous efforts of both Martin and Diarmuid Mulkerrins to grow the collegiate game,” stated JR WPH’s David Fink.
JR WPH Sponsors the End of Season Advisory Tournament at Carl Hayden (May)
JR WPH proudly sponsored the End of Season Advisory Tournament at Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix, AZ. JR WPH provided tournament balls, medals, autographed handballs from several Race 4 Eight pros and WPH shirts for one of the biggest handball tournaments of the school year at Carl Hayden High School.
“We had about 50 participants,” stated Coach Chris Hogan. “The students appreciated the shirts, medals, and the autographed small balls as prizes. Our season has concluded, so it is time to take a break because next year the Handball Club is going to be busy!! I want to thank Carl Hayden for the support and the WPH for the awards, support of our program, and being our BIGGEST fan!!”
“JR WPH is thrilled to support Coach Hogan’s phenomenal junior handball program at Carl Hayden High School,” stated the WPH’s David Fink. “Thank you to our generous donors for providing prizes to the tournament players – we all know how nice it feels to receive an award for finishing well in a big tournament. JR WPH will proudly continue to support Coach Hogan’s Carl Hayden handball program during the 2024/25 school year.”
Thank you to JR WPH donors Chris Watkins and Ashley Ruiz for generously donating to the Carl Hayden junior handball End of Season Advisory Tournament.
R48 Legend Marcos Chavez Leads JR WPH at the 2024 Jr. Vasquez (July)
Race 4 Eight legend and Digiflex owner (HERE) Marcos Chavez coached a JR WPH clinic for twenty youngsters at the 2024 Jr. Vasquez CA State Doubles Championships at Smith Park in San Gabriel, CA on the first weekend in July. The former SR48 #1 and R48 Elite 8 member focused on the proper hitting technique with the off-hand before playing in the open doubles final at the Jr. Vasquez.
“The clinic went really well,” exclaimed Chavez, who has been studying the WPH Coaching Centers to prepare for his JR WPH lessons. “I had the juniors hit the small ball, which most of the juniors had not hit before. I explained and demonstrated how important stepping into the ball is to hit a kill shot. I also spoke about where small ball can take you regarding schools and opportunities in L.A. with the Fire Department. I had Sabrina Zamora there to help me to give her side of the schooling opportunities.”
Thank you to Marcos for inspiring the next generation of players at the 2024 Jr. Vasquez.
JR WPH at the 2024 Tucson Racquet Club Summer Camp (June-July)
JR WPH proudly coached weekly junior handball clinics at the 2024 Tucson Racquet Club Summer Camp, emphasizing dexterity, coordination, speed, and of course, fun! The camp directors and counselors were thrilled to have the opportunity to incorporate handball into the camp curriculum, providing the youngsters with the opportunity to learn a sport they would have likely not experienced. Certified WPH coaches led the youngsters through progressions that started with throwing the ball, catching the ball, drop-hitting, serving, and eventually playing crosscourt two-bounce.
“Handball is an incredibly challenging sport to learn, especially with youngsters, so we aim to create an environment where kids can gradually adapt to the game through a series of attainable sequences that leads to the youngsters successfully rallying,” stated WPH Master Instructor David Fink. “Many of the kids tell me that playing handball is their favorite part of the camp.”
JR WPH has introduced handball to hundreds of youngsters at the Tucson Racquet Club Summer Camp since 2013.
Vic Perez Inspires the Youth at the LAFD (July)
Written by Vic Perez
LAFD Fire Station 4 proudly hosted juniors on the fourth Thursday in July. Located in the Arts District, FS4 is one of the busiest assignments in Los Angeles. The youngsters learned about Firefighter equipment and hose manipulation, while also learning 4-Wall Handball drills proctored by LAFD firefighters David Hinojosa @ 14’s, Sergio Guzman @ 79’s and Vic Perez @ 4’s. Students got to see first-hand the daily life of a Firefighter and how demanding but also rewarding the job can be. In addition, students were taught small ball drills and proper mechanics by WPH R48 Pro Vic Perez.
Special thanks to Marcos Chavez of Digiflex (HERE) for sponsoring LAFD Handball Gloves for the students.
Thank you to WPH Race 4 Eight pro Vic Perez for providing an unforgettable experience for the youngsters.
Race 4 Eight Legend Mando Ortiz Inspires the Next Generation in Riverside (July)
Race 4 Eight legend Mando Ortiz coached a JR WPH Clinic at the Bill Doles Baby Doll doubles tournament in Riverside, CA. The two-time Race 4 Eight champion and former R48 #1 taught the large group of youngsters how to step into the ball to execute his patented back wall kill. “I was happy to step up and drop some knowledge about our great game,” stated Mando.
The Waddy Pup Leads JR WPH at the LAAC (July)
JR WPH Coach and WPH social media influencer Ryan “Waddy Pup” Watkins introduced a group of thirty youngsters between the ages of four to eight years old to handball at the LAAC Summer Camp in July. Coach Watkins split the youngsters into two groups of fifteen, working on throwing the ball with both hands, hitting the ball off drop feeds, and paired the players into groups of two to play two-bounce.
“The kids learned the fundamentals of the numerous sports offered at the LAAC Summer Camp,” barked the Pup. “After watching a few of us play during their lunch break, many kids expressed interest in giving handball a try. We offered to give them lessons and they incorporated handball into the last week of the summer camp.”
Thank you to the Waddy Pup for inspiring the next generation of players at the LAAC.
JR WPH at the 2024 Memorial (September)
JR WPH was thrilled to host several dozen junior handball players at the 2024 Memorial tournament at the Tucson Racquet Club. Juniors from Tucson, Phoenix, Juarez, El Paso, Colorado, and Ireland competed in Junior singles, Pro singles, A singles, B singles, and doubles brackets during the first event of the 2024/25 Race 4 Eight season.
JR WPH is proud to offer events to inspire the next generation of players, providing junior and collegiate players the opportunity to watch the pros, compete against one another, and build lifelong friendships and memories with one another. While the top pros may garner most of the attention at the Race 4 Eight events, it is the junior players who provide the most inspiration and excitement.
Thank you to all of the coaches who traveled with the junior players and inspired the youngsters each day.
R48 #1 Martin Mulkerrins Hosts JR WPH Clinics at Texas A&M (September)
Written by Martin Mulkerrins
Texas A&M Handball Club hosted a JR WPH sponsored clinic on September 25th, with more than forty attendees participating over the course of the two-and-a-half-hour session. Martin Mulkerrins delivered two clinics, one for students trying Handball for the first time or in their first few weeks playing, and the second for intermediate/advanced club players.
The first clinic focused on the fundamentals of the game in terms of footwork, cupping the hand when striking, and keeping the eye on the ball as well as some drills to use to improve on the back wall shot.
The second clinic primarily focused on the back wall shot, and more specifically, how to practice back wall kill shots. Different drills were discussed and demonstrated with each student present getting the chance to try to kill the ball. This drill was coupled with a hit the target competition, which was won by Rhys Pardoe. Rhys selected one of the Handball shirts that were kindly sponsored by the WPH for the clinic.
After the clinics students played some matches and also got the opportunity to win more WPH sponsored prizes (shirts, gloves, balls etc.). Another kill shot/hit the target competition was enjoyed by everybody and this was followed by a mini tournament for the students who had started playing this semester. After a number of timed games Shiva Shelvaraju won the tournament against Luke Bethancourt.
“It was a super turnout for the clinic, our biggest attendance so far this semester,” stated handball ambassador and coach Martin Mulkerrins. “All of us here at TAMU are very thankful to the WPH for their continued support for our program. The sponsored shirts, gloves, balls and medals generated that bit of extra excitement during the clinic. We look forward to more events like this in the future and in the short term we are excited for the WPH R48 Pre-Qualifier which will take place here on October 11/12th as part of the Johnson/Mathis Aggieland Classic”.
Thank you to R48 #1 and 2023/24 WPH Race 4 Eight Sportsmanship Award Winner for organizing and hosting this inspiring JR WPH Clinic.
JR WPH Clinic at the 2024 Portland Classic (October)
Minutes after becoming the youngest Race 4 Eight finalist in history at the 2024 Portland Classic, Ray Ure jumped back into the court and coached a junior clinic for several enthusiastic youngsters at the Multnomah Athletic Club, teaching the side arm swing and playing two-bounce with the youngsters.
“What a thrill for these youngsters to watch a pro make the finals then share the court with him ten minutes later,” stated the WPH’s David Fink. “The WPH is so proud to see our young pros giving back to the game and inspiring the next generation of players.”
Thank you, Ray!
Killian Carroll Coaches a JR WPH Clinic in Beaverton, OR (October)
23-time Race 4 Eight champion Killian Carroll coached a JR WPH clinic at Sexton Mountain Elementary School in Beaverton, OR on the first Thursday in October. Carroll hit the ball with the kids after school in the school’s outdoor play area, with the group of youngsters and Killian playing for nearly two hours. “The kids did not want to stop but after two hours it was time for dinner,” stated Sexton Mountain Elementary School parent and WPH broadcast crew member Che Lowenstein.
JR WPH proudly provided the gloves and balls for the kids
JR WPH Clinic at the Texas A&M Race 4 Eight Pre Qualifiers/Fall 2024 Aggieland Classic – Written by Martin Mulkerrins (October)
Following the very successful WPH JR WPH Clinic at Texas A&M at the end of September, Martin Mulkerrins led another JR WPH clinic during the Texas A&M Race 4 Eight Pre Qualifiers/Fall 2024 Aggieland Classic.
The clinic was attended by students from Texas A&M, the University of Texas, Angelo State University, Missouri State University and a future star, 10-year-old Tyler from Corpus Christi. A number of shots, drills and strategies were discussed in relation to footwork, serves, returning wrap-around shots, and hitting kills and back wall shots.
“The group were interested in many different aspects of the game but we focused most of our time and attention on serving, as it was a commonly mentioned topic of interest and was applicable to all the skill levels within the group,” stated Martin Mulkerrins. “I thought there were great contributions and technical questions asked. I also think everybody learned something from the clinic, in particular how they can improve on their serves, through the demonstrations provided and through the discussions and feedback given to participants who took turns at serving.”
Thank you to Martin for growing the game daily at Texas A&M and across the globe.
JR WPH Hosts Carl Hayden at the TRC (October)
JR WPH was proud to host six of Carl Hayden High School’s handball players for a special Saturday clinic, target-hitting, and singles and doubles match play at the Tucson Racquet Club. Carl Hayden Handball Coach Chris Hogan drove the six enthusiastic high school players from Phoenix to Tucson for the Saturday small ball 4-Wall afternoon lessons with Coaches David Fink, Sam Esser, and Jesse Aranda. Coaches Fink, Esser, and Aranda coached the overhand swing, sidearm swing, and underarm swing, in addition to the back wall shot, serve, and return of serve, with the kids rotating courts to learn from the three coaches.
Following swing and shot instructional, the juniors competed in target-hitting and rallying games and a singles round robin for WPH prizes.
The juniors then teamed up for a Handball Davis Cup, with the six players separated into teams of three to play singles on one court and doubles on the other.
“This is so different from coming here for a tournament,” Coach Hogan would say. “The kids were able to get a lot of instruction and they really got a great workout.”
“Coach Hogan is one of the game’s most selfless coaches and people,” stated WPH Master Instructor David Fink. “Like all of us, Coach Hogan loves handball and shares his passion for the game with hundreds of high school students each day at Phoenix’s Carl Hayden High School’s 3-Wall handball courts. Coach Hogan changes lives by providing Carl Hayden High School students with the opportunity to travel, compete, and meet people from all over the world through handball. We are so grateful for Coach Hogan.”
Thank you to Coach Hogan for driving the Carl Hayden bus from Phoenix and for inspiring high school handball players every day. Thank you to coaches David Fink, Sam Esser, and Jesse Aranda for volunteering their time on Saturday afternoon to give back to the game and inspire the Phoenix high school players. Thank you to the Tucson Racquet Club for always graciously opening their doors to JR WPH to inspire junior handball players.
Danos Inspires at the University of Texas (November)
Five-time Race 4 Eight champion and new Austin resident Danos Cordova coached a JR WPH Clinic for fifteen University of Texas handball team members on the first Wednesday in November at UT’s Gregory Gym.
The fan favorite known for his hops, touch, and power, Danos shared his knowledge with the group that ranged from beginners to open players.
“I gave them some tips on how to consistently hit a good power serve,” stated Danos. “We worked on power and control and did a drill to calibrate overhand shots. I spoke to them about the importance of timing and using body movement to improve their power. Worked on some back wall drills as well and gave them tips on how to improve their fly kills. I opened it up to questions at the end and I was surprised with how many people asked questions. A beginner asked what would be a good second serve, so I dove into that a bit. Someone else asked about ways to improve their offhand. I also showed them a good way to warm up and narrow in on their kill shots.”
Danos played games against several of UT’s top players after the clinic.
“Great time!” exclaimed University of Texas handball team coach and ambassador Noel Aguilar. “Daniel touched on the importance of stepping into the kill shot, shots off the back wall, and shared some warm up tips and drills. He discussed his mindset during close games and the revolving door (kill). Everyone definitely enjoyed it.”
Thank you to Daniel Cordova for coaching and Noel Aguilar for organizing an outstanding JR WPH clinic for the University of Texas handball players.
Each member of the Race 4 Eight Elite 8 has coached a JR WPH clinic in 2024. Wow! Thank you to the elite players in the sport for spending their time and sharing their expertise with the next generation of players.
JR WPH Singles and Clinic at the 2024 R48 Icebreaker (December)
Eight players from Phoenix’s Carl Hayden High School competed in the junior big ball singles at the mid-December R48 Icebreaker at Clark Park in Tucson, playing one-game matches on Saturday afternoon, as well as taking a JR WPH clinic from WPH Outdoor legend Samzon Hernandez.
Hernandez discussed his “serve-and-kill” strategy to the Carl Hayden High School junior players. “I try to serve deep to the off-hand and always look to kill the next shot,” explained Hernandez, who has won north of four-hundred pro tournaments in his illustrious career.
“Everything worked out well for our kids,” stated Carl Hayden Coach Chris Hogan. “They enjoyed the games and the atmosphere. It was a great day to be outside and play handball! Thank you to David Fink and the WPH. We appreciate how you really look out for our program to get better!”
Congratulations to Kevin Leon for taking the JR WPH Singles at the R48 Icebreaker.
Thank you to the WPH board of directors, sponsors and donors for providing JR WPH with the resources and donations to inspire youngsters in 2024. Thank you to all of the Race 4 Eight and WPH Outdoor pros for inspiring the next generation of players by setting an example on and off the court.
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 david.fink@wphlive.tv
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 (HERE) or by mailing checks to: WPH, 3602 E. Ft. Lowell Rd., Tucson, AZ 85716
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David Fink
WPH Development Director