Handball Catching on at Pioneer
Club sport gaining recognition in student body, does well this season.
By Dan Von Brzeski
Club sport gaining recognition in student body, does well this season.
By Dan Von Brzeski
A mix between basketball and soccer, handball is the second most popular sport across the European continent, but is barely even noticed here in the U.S. In fact, most Americans are totally unaware the sport even exists, and most Pioneer students don’t even realize there is a team here.
A month ago, the Pioneer handball team placed second in the Handball Youth Cup Tournament to the Leland blue team after a productive and successful season.
According to Martin Bilello, the handball coach, Director of Youth Development, and a board member for the San Fransisco CalHeat Team Handball Club, after a victory against the Leland gold team, they just needed to win two more games to be where they want to be.
“I think the season went pretty well, I think we could’ve had a little more luck on some of the games but I think it went as well as expected,” said Billelo. “I think we’re in a good place, we have a full roster, we’re winning games, we just beat the team we need to beat to get to second place.”
With five years experience under his belt, captain Samuel Custer, 11, sees the effort the team has put in to improve and thinks that, unlike other sports, handball is an all-around fun sport.
“Everybody here improved a lot. My coach said it’s night and day, when we started we were all pretty bad and we really improved over the season,” said Custer. “Baseball is a sport that people say is more fun to play than it is to watch, handball is also more fun to play than it is to watch, but it’s also fun to watch so it makes it like a super-sport.”
Having played for four years before high school, right-back player Aaron Wolf-Bloom, 9, knows the strategies to winning in handball.
“My favorite moment of the season was the final goal of the entire tournament when our goalie actually got to shoot a penalty shot and scored,” said Wolf-Bloom. “Defense is a very important role in the game because defense directly translates to fast breaks and offense.”
Ezekiel McClintock, 11, the goalie of the team, encouraged people at Pioneer to try handball as he believes the sport is for anyone and everyone.
“Don’t knock it till you try it. It’s incredible, it’s like no other sport I’ve ever played, just try it,” said McClintock. “We’re gonna be having pickup games, as soon as this season is over behind the weight room, so if anyone wants to come try handball tell them to come after school.”
A month ago, the Pioneer handball team placed second in the Handball Youth Cup Tournament to the Leland blue team after a productive and successful season.
According to Martin Bilello, the handball coach, Director of Youth Development, and a board member for the San Fransisco CalHeat Team Handball Club, after a victory against the Leland gold team, they just needed to win two more games to be where they want to be.
“I think the season went pretty well, I think we could’ve had a little more luck on some of the games but I think it went as well as expected,” said Billelo. “I think we’re in a good place, we have a full roster, we’re winning games, we just beat the team we need to beat to get to second place.”
With five years experience under his belt, captain Samuel Custer, 11, sees the effort the team has put in to improve and thinks that, unlike other sports, handball is an all-around fun sport.
“Everybody here improved a lot. My coach said it’s night and day, when we started we were all pretty bad and we really improved over the season,” said Custer. “Baseball is a sport that people say is more fun to play than it is to watch, handball is also more fun to play than it is to watch, but it’s also fun to watch so it makes it like a super-sport.”
Having played for four years before high school, right-back player Aaron Wolf-Bloom, 9, knows the strategies to winning in handball.
“My favorite moment of the season was the final goal of the entire tournament when our goalie actually got to shoot a penalty shot and scored,” said Wolf-Bloom. “Defense is a very important role in the game because defense directly translates to fast breaks and offense.”
Ezekiel McClintock, 11, the goalie of the team, encouraged people at Pioneer to try handball as he believes the sport is for anyone and everyone.
“Don’t knock it till you try it. It’s incredible, it’s like no other sport I’ve ever played, just try it,” said McClintock. “We’re gonna be having pickup games, as soon as this season is over behind the weight room, so if anyone wants to come try handball tell them to come after school.”