Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, 8/9/15-Junior WPH completed its third summer of junior handball coaching at the Tucson Racquet Club All Sports Camp, coaching 25 junior handball lessons per week for more than 600 kids between the ages of 7-16 throughout the 10-week summer camp. After teaching handball as a bonus class in 2013, handball is now recognized as one of the mandatory sports at one of Arizona’s most highly rated summer camps.
“A lot of the kids that have never played handball before are initially resistant to play,” revealed TRC All Sports Court Sports Camp Director and legendary Tucson referee Coach Anderson. “However, after I explain the benefits of playing handball and how much better the kids will be able to play their other sports because of handball, the kids start to really take to it. By the end of the camp most kids will say handball is their favorite activity in the camp.”
Junior WPH coaches place the emphasis on having fun throughout the summer handball lessons, with the younger groups focusing on team games to improve hand-eye coordination and to develop a sense of the court, while the older campers advance to handball drills and point-play.
“It’s so exciting to see how much so many of the kids improve throughout the summer,” boasted TRC All Sports Camp Head Handball Coach Tanner Cleveland. “A lot of the younger kids that couldn’t catch the ball at the beginning of the summer are able to catch, throw and hit the ball by the end of the summer, and many of the older kids are able to play 20-shot rallies.”
Junior WPH is proud to announce the junior handball fall session at the Tucson Racquet Club starting on Thursday, August 27th. Coach Cleveland will lead the group of experienced and new players on a team that featured five players competing in the 2014 USHA Junior Four Wall Nationals last December.
“We are excited with the strides we have made in the past two-and-a-half years in Tucson with our junior handball initiatives,” stated WPH Youth Donor and Development Director David Fink. “Junior WPH hosts nearly 400 junior handball clinics per year at the Tucson Racquet Club and local schools, as well as hosting several junior handball tournaments to inspire junior players throughout the year.”
Junior WPH’s next junior handball tournament takes place on Saturday, August 15th, pitting Junior WPH Juarez against Tucson’s Fred Lewis Foundation in an exciting Ryder Cup style junior handball team competition dubbed the Battle of the Border. In the pro singles showdown, Junior WPH Juarez will be represented by Race 4 Eight Rookie of the Year Daniel Cordova, while the Fred Lewis Foundation will be represented by their head coach and top 20 WPH R48 pro Abraham Montijo in a match that will count towards the overall standings.
“We are very fortunate to have the support of the local handball community in Tucson,” boasted WPH Executive Director David Vincent. “The local guys love seeing junior handball and have been buzzing about this team competition for weeks. We juniors and pros playing the game and they can’t wait for it!”
For more information on upcoming WPH junior initiatives and how you can become a part of helping the World Players of Handball grow the game, please visit wphlive.tv, juniorhandball.org or contact David Fink at Fink@juniorhandball.org.