Handball academy to be set up in Hyderabad

Handball Federation of India president A. Jaganmohan Rao has said an international-standard handball academy will be set up in Hyderabad soon, in coordination with the International Handball Association, the Asian body and the State Government.

“The game has been stuck for long without proper infrastructure. So, besides the proposed academy here, we are also planning feeder centres in main cities across the country,” he told The Hindu after successfully conducting the Asian Club men’s handball league championship here.

Systematic approach to handball coaching

The Asian Handball Federation has suggested the venture be split into putting in place required infrastructure and ensuring a skilled and well-trained coaching system, he said.

“The programme to strengthen the coaching system will start before the construction work. Next month we will conduct online and offline training programmes with international experts,” he said. “Yes, we want Hyderabad to be the hub of handball in the country.

Next on the agenda is a Premier Handball League at the national level and later similar leagues at the State level.

The HFI had strived to see that the best talent got the opportunity to represent India. The Indian women winning the Asia junior championship was a huge achievement, he said.

Special handball camp in Himachal Pradesh

“We are organising a special handball camp in Himachal Pradesh where about 200 girls are being trained under veteran international Sachin. That academy is exclusively funded by the Sports Authority of India and the HFI,” he said.

On the status of handball in Telangana, he said HFI would expand activities like organising events and camps in cities like Karimnagar, Warangal and Siddipet.