A big thank you to everyone who took part in the Term 4 2024 Sydney School Handball Competition West Conference!

It was an amazing event with over 43 students from the West Conference showing incredible skill and sportsmanship. Congratulations to all the players for their hard work and dedication!

Special shout-out to this term's West Conference Champion: Santa Maria Del Monte!

Thank you to everyone for making this event a success. We can’t wait for more handball action next year!

#sydneyhandball
#schoolcompetition
#handballaustralia
#teamspirit
#playhandball
#sydneyschools

We had an incredible turnout, with over 150 schools invited and 139 students joining us for this year’s competition. The energy and enthusiasm were amazing, and it was great to see such skill and sportsmanship from all players!

A massive congratulations to all the students who gave their best on the court. A total of 131 awards were presented, recognizing the hard work and determination displayed by everyone involved.

Special mention to this term’s North & East School Champion:
North - Willoughby Public
East - Emanuel School

But the fun doesn’t stop here! The school competition for the West Conference is happening this Sunday 1st of December. We can't wait to see even more amazing matches and celebrate the growing handball community in Sydney!

We hope to see all on our next competition!

#sydneyhandball
#schoolcompetition
#handballaustralia
#teamspirit
#playhandball
#sydneyschools

We were thrilled to welcome over 150 schools and 125 students to this term's event. It was an incredible venue, and we couldn't be more proud of the talent and sportsmanship displayed by all the players – you truly made this competition one to remember!

A massive congratulations to all the kids who participated! A total of 100 awards were presented, celebrating the hard work and dedication of all involved.

Special mention to this term's school champion - Moreton Bay Boys' College

We can't wait to see you all at the next competition! Keep practicing, keep playing, and let’s keep growing the handball community in Brisbane!

#brisbanehandball
#schoolcompetition
#handballaustralia
#teamspirit
#playhandball
#brisbaneschools
#handballfamily
#sportforlife

We hope you learned new skills, made great memories, and forged lasting friendships. A big shoutout to everyone's work and dedication in making this camp a success!

We can’t wait to see you all on the court again soon! 🏐💪

#HandballCamp
#SpringFun
#TeamSpirit
#springcamp
#handballaustralia

But wait, there's more! We’re thrilled to invite you to join us for Day 3 tomorrow!

Enrollment is still open for October 10th—don’t miss your chance to be part of this fantastic experience!

Can’t wait to see all of you on the court!

#HandballCamp
#SpringFun
#TeamSpirit
#springcamp
#handballaustralia

But the fun isn't over yet! We're excited to invite you to join us for more action tomorrow and Thursday. Whether you're looking to sharpen your skills or just have a blast with friends, there's something for everyone!

9th and 10th Oct registration is still open - Holiday Camps

Don’t miss out on the chance to improve your game and make new memories. Tag your friends and let’s make these last two days unforgettable!

See you on the court!

#HandballCamp
#SpringFun
#TeamSpirit
#springcamp
#handballaustralia

It was our pleasure to invite over 150 schools to participate!

West Conference Results:

Champions: Orange Grove
2nd Place: Concord West
3rd Place: Haberfield Public

South Conference Results:

Champions: Emanuel School
2nd Place: Northside Montessori
3rd Place: Parramatta East Public

A big thank you to all participants! We can't wait to reunite with everyone at our Term 4 Sydney school competition!

We invited over 150 schools to join us!

East Conference Results:

Champions: Emanuel School
2nd Place: Rose Bay Public
3rd Place: Cranbrook School

North Conference Results:

Champions: Willoughby Public School P&C Association
2nd Place: Balgowlah Heights
3rd Place: Handball Hounds

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated. There are two more competitions left this term: the West & South Conference tournaments, both happening on Sunday, the 15th.

Congratulations to our champions:

• 1st Place: Wellers Hill State School
• 2nd Place: Moreton Bay Boys' College
• 3rd Place: Good News Lutheran School

We sincerely thank everyone who participated and look forward to seeing you again for Term 4 on Sunday, 17th November!

#brisbanecompetition
#brisbaneschools
#handballaustralia
#HandBallCompetition
#handballsuccess

I arrived at the handball competition and I immediately got started playing some handball as a warmup with my friends.

The handball courts were set up on the ground with 4 squares marked with K (for kings), Q (for queens), J (for jacks) and D (for dunce). There were about 14 courts for this competition.

There were lots of kids from different schools, age groups and genders. They were all playing and having fun, smiling and laughing. The coaches were kind and cheery, welcoming the new players and monitoring the courts and answering questions

After 10 mins of handball , the coaches brought my friends and I to the table at the front of the courts with the rest of the handballers. The head coach, Dan, told us what was going to happen very thoroughly and simply - so it was really easy to understand and follow.

All the handballers talked and had a group vote on some special rules played that day. We decided to keep some rules; including kings goes to dunce, footsies is not allowed and lines is a replay. That’s what makes the game unique and special compared to other sports.

To start the competition off we had pre-assigned/pre seeded courts, which were viewable online or you could view a printed sheet at the front desk. The competition schedule was to play competition for an hour and then have an awards presentation.

I started on Court 1 the best court with high level state ranked players. The object of the game is to get up into the highest court and stay there as long as possible. If you win a point whilst you are in the King court, you get a peg (which is a point). After a few minutes of handball, the coaches come and count how many pegs (points) you have and then you continue. I only got 1 peg, so I was moved down to Group 2 which had more people that were my level of handball and I won a lot more pegs. The more pegs you won, the more likely you were to receive an award.

A big black speaker box was playing music with a pumping beat for the competition. The lively beat was so snappy I nearly danced along, but if I lost focus I would have been a target and got out!

Some adults were standing by the courts watching their children play, sometimes cheering, sometimes helping hold pegs and water bottles, refereeing some close calls and things like that.

After about an hour of handball, the coaches brought us back to the table for the final presentation where many prizes were given out. Some of the prizes included the “Most Improved Player”, “Best Individual Player” and “Winning School”. But throughout the competition, you could get awards for MANY other reasons, other than winning. For example, you may have been in one of the lower courts, with few pegs. You could still win prizes or pegs for other things, such as persistence, having good sportsmanship, listening and engagement, or even cheering super loudly or being curious with questions!

"You don’t need to be good to win an award”, Dan was saying, “You just need to have fun, and you might get an award!”

At the presentation, where we laughed and cheered all the lucky winners and maybe won a few more points for our team because we cheered loudly, the anticipation was high. We were all excited to see who got the awards and were ready to cheer as loud as we could to win the awards. The winners looked so happy and gleeful.

The prizes you could win include certificates, handballs gold and silver medals and massive trophies (and a secret surprise Prime drink) I played a few more fun rounds of handball with my friends while waiting for my parents to pick me up and one of the coaches asked us to help them pack up. After we helped pack up, we were given a free handball!

It was an exciting day. Meet new friends and understood sportsmanship values. Few people complained in the competition. Lots of smiles and laughter echoed through every court. It was tiring, but every minute of it was fun. The coaches stayed fair and happy for the whole day. The kids were thrilled and welcomed to any new people on the courts to play and join in.

To summarise, the handball competition was really fun and enjoyable. I would definitely recommend it to other children, and I hope they had as much fun as I did (which is impossible, as I’m sure nobody’s fun could compare to mine)

-Giles Tran (from the Handball hounds team)

Throughout the camp, we awarded a total of 78 prizes and awards (13 balls, 13 certificates, 12 silver medallions, 17 gold medallions, and 23 trophies).

We can't wait to see everyone again at our next holiday camp!

#handballaustralia
#holidaycamp
#SydneyCompetition
#handballcamp
#wintercamp

We invited over 150 schools to join us!

East Conference Results:

Champions: Willoughby Public
2nd Place: Emanuel School
3rd Place: Rose Bay

North Conference Results:

Champions: Balgowlah Heights
2nd Place: Castle Cove
3rd Place: Willoughby Public

We sincerely thank everyone who participated. We have one more competition this term: the upcoming West Conference tournament on Sunday, the 23rd.

#SydneySchools
#HandballAustralia
#SydneyCompetition
#HandballComp
#HandballSuccess

Champions - Moreton Bay Boys' College
2nd Place - Wellers Hill State School
3rd Place - Good News Lutheran School

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated, and we look forward to seeing you again for Term 3 on Sunday, 1st September!

#brisbaneschool
#brisbaneschools
#handballaustralia
#handballcomp
#handballsuccess

We enjoyed plenty of games, tournaments, and awarded numerous prizes.

We handed out total of 68 prizes and awards (13 balls, 15 certificates, 21 silver medallions, 5 gold medallions and 14 trophies).

We can't wait to reunite with everyone at our next holiday camp!

We had an abundance of kids participating, engaging in tournaments and competing for trophies.

Everyone was pumped and so well behaved and had smiles all day.

We handed out total of 44 prizes and awards (20 balls, 20 gold medallions and 4 trophies).

This event undoubtedly stands as one of the highlights of Sydney's handball community program thus far!

Invited over 150+ schools!

Results for the North Conference:

Champions: Our Lady Of Good Counsel Forestville
2nd Place: Willoughby Public School
3rd Place: Mosman Public School

We express our sincere gratitude to all those who took part, and we eagerly anticipate our upcoming West & South conference tournament on Sunday, the 24th.

Lots of tournaments, trophies, games and waterfights!

We handed out total of 41 prizes and awards (5 balls, 13 certificates, 6 silver medallions, 12 gold medallions and 5 trophies).

Looking forward to seeing everyone at our next holiday camp!

Lots of tournaments, trophies, games and waterfights!

We handed out total of 34 prizes and awards (5 balls, 13 certificates, 4 silver medallions, 11 gold medallions and 1 trophy).

Excited for day two tomorrow!

Handball, a beloved recess activity in schoolyards across Australia, has been capturing the hearts of students for generations. This simple yet exhilarating game has become a staple in the daily routines of Australian school children, fostering not only physical activity but also social bonds and essential life skills. In this blog, we'll explore the vibrant handball culture in Australian schoolyards, from its origins and rules to its enduring popularity and the benefits it brings to young players.

The Origins of Handball in Australia:

Handball, often referred to as "four square," "downball," or simply "handball," has a rich history in Australia. While the exact origins of the game are unclear, it is believed to have been introduced to Australian schoolyards by immigrants and has since evolved into a uniquely Australian pastime. Over the years, handball has grown in popularity, with generations of students passing down their knowledge and passion for the game.

The Game Rules: Handball in Australian schoolyards typically follows a set of simple but engaging rules:

Court Setup: A rectangular playing area is divided into four squares (hence the name "four square"). Each square is labeled with a letter from A to D, starting with "A" in the top left corner and continuing clockwise.

Players: Anywhere from two to four players can participate in a game, with each player occupying one of the squares.

Gameplay: The game starts with a player in the "A" square serving the ball by bouncing it once in their square and then hitting it towards another player's square. The receiving player must hit the ball into another square without letting it bounce twice in their square or letting it land outside the boundaries. If a player fails to do so, they are "out," and the remaining players continue playing until one player remains.

Scoring: Players aim to advance to the "A" square by eliminating opponents. The goal is to reach the "A" square and stay there as long as possible. Points are often tallied based on the number of rounds won.

Benefits of handball in Schoolyards: Handball offers a range of benefits to young players, including:

Physical Activity: Handball promotes physical fitness and coordination, helping students stay active during breaks.

Social Interaction: The game encourages social interaction, teamwork, and communication among players, helping to build essential social skills.

Healthy Competition: Handball teaches fair play, sportsmanship, and healthy competition, as players learn to win and lose graciously.

Mental Agility: Quick thinking and strategy are essential to excel in handball, enhancing cognitive skills.

Stress Relief: Handball provides a brief but effective break from academic pressures, allowing students to relax and recharge.

Handball remains a beloved and enduring tradition in Australian schoolyards, offering a host of benefits to young players. Its simplicity, inclusivity, and capacity to foster physical activity, social bonds, and essential life skills make it a valuable addition to any school's recess activities. As the game continues to captivate the hearts of students, handball remains an important part of Australian school culture, connecting generations of players through the joy of sport.

Highlights of the event:

• Hosted at 2 locations
• Invited over 150+ schools
• 143 students participated

Results for the North/West Sydney Conference:

• Champions: Our Lady Of Good Counsel Forestville
• 2nd Place: Willoughby Public School
• 3rd Place: Mosman Public School

Results for the South/East Sydney Conference::

• Champions: Orange Grove Public School
• 2nd Place: Rose Bay Public School
• 3rd Place: Greystanes High School - Official