Documents

7 June 2007, European Handball- the new sport you have to give a go.
Join the craze of dozens of WA residents and check out the newest hit in sport. Handball caters for all types of people. In Europe , it is the second most popular sport after soccer. It is in fact an Olympic sport which Australia competed in for the first time in the Sydney 2000 Olympics. The handball team consists of seven players. It is played on a court slightly larger than a basketball court with indoor soccer goals. A six metre line around the goals is the line of defence and attack inside which only the goalkeeper has access. It shares rules with basketball, but the ball is smaller, more steps can be taken and some physical contact is part of the game. It is a unique and well-loved sport. Mrs. Natalie Turner, one of the many new players who have taken handball to heart, said it is a great and fun sport which can both be social and competitive. She encouraged all interested players to come down and join in the fun. “Experienced or new to the game, we want you to join us,” she said. The opportunity exists for anyone interested to come and participate in social games on weekends at the cost of $5 per game. Teams are made up on the day. The next game will be Saturday June 23 at Murdoch University Sports and Recreation Centre from 1-3 pm. The following Sunday July 1, the game will be at Joondalup Arena from 1-3 pm. See www.handballwest.org.au for game dates. People are also welcome to join training sessions at the two WA handball clubs, Northern Sharks and Murdoch Pumas.With an eye on the Nationals held in Canberra on October 19, 2007, the clubs are hoping to find good and motivated people to join the state teams. Female goal keepers are, in particular, needed.
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5 June 2007, Murdoch Pumas wins European handball tournament.
Murdoch Pumas has won the first seasonal handball tournament of the year after a big increase in player numbers. With five wins and two losses, Murdoch Pumas finished one game ahead of Northern Sharks who had four wins and three losses. The two clubs are archrivals and the games leading up to the end of the season were fuelled with tension as the two teams were playing out the final results. A joy for spectators who could witness a fast game take even further speed. Murdoch Pumas Coach, Ralph Bourn said the win was largely due to a big increase in player numbers which had helped put a really good and competitive team together. For the first time in Murdoch Pumas history, the club was able to field two men's team in addition to a women's team with an emphasis on a highly competitive men's A team. It is hoped that this will bear fruit when many of the best players later this year joins the best players from Northern Sharks in a Western Australian State Team set to play other states and New Zealand in the Handball Australian Open Championships in Canberra . For those unknown to the sport, handball is an Olympic sport which is played worldwide and is as popular as soccer in many countries. It consists of seven players. It is played on a court slightly larger than a basketball court with indoor soccer goals. A six metre line around the goals is the line of defence and attack inside which only the goalkeeper has access. It shares rules with basket ball, but the ball is smaller, more steps can be taken and some physical contact is part of the game. It is a unique, physical and very fast paced sport played by both males and females.
The Australian Open Championships will be held from October 19 to October 21, 2007 .
The Western Australian Women's team is still looking for players, in particular goal keepers.
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24 January 2007, New Sport a Great Success at Cottesloe Beach- Beach Handball
European Handball, a sport well-known worldwide, attracted an unexpected large number of players as it was played for the first time on Cottesloe Beach on Saturday January 20, 2007.
Five teams showed up on the day to compete against each other in what is an internationally recognised team sport.
Murdoch Pumas took home the first prize after some close games.
Handball consists of an indoor and a beach version. In the beach version four players from each team are on the court. A six metre line around the goals is the line of defence and attack inside which only the goalkeeper has access. It shares rules with basket ball, but the ball is smaller, more steps can be taken and strong physical contact is part of the game. It is a unique, physical and very fast paced and spectator friendly sport with extra points awarded for creative/spectacular goals.
The sport is popular overseas, but is yet to reach the same status in Australia , although there has been a recent increase in its popularity.
Murdoch Pumas Handball Club in cooperation with the state body of Handball, Handball West organised the beach handball event which will be followed up by another competition on February 24, 2007 for any interested players.
The organisers are hoping that even more people will take the opportunity to try out this new sport.
"Handball is a great sport and we want people to come along and be part of it and enjoy the fun that it is to learn and play a new sport,” Handball West President Martin de Graaf said.
"Experienced players are of course also welcome".
“The game is fun and good for your fitness and really social,” said Andree Vernholz who played beach handball for the first time.
Two clubs, Murdoch Pumas and Revolution Sharks, have been created in WA over the last couple of years.
In 2006 WA also sent a men's state team to the Nationals in indoor handball in Shepparton , Victoria at which the team came fourth.
In addition, the event resulted in two Murdoch Pumas players, Davor Timkov and Dragan Jerkov, being selected for a training camp with the Australian National team.
While most of the handball season is played indoor, Murdoch Pumas and Handball West has taken the sport outside this summer for some funfilled activity on the beach in an attempt to get more players involved.
The next event takes place on Saturday February 24 from 8.30am to 12.30pm on Cottesloe Main Beach in front of Indiana 's.
Players can register as teams of 4-8 players (males and females) or as individual players who will be allocated a team on the day.
They can register by emailing murdoch_pumas@yahoo.com.au or phoning 0414 289 559.
For more information go to www.handballwest.org.au or www.handballaustralia.org.au .
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21 December 2006, Murdoch Pumas Handball Club goes Beach
Murdoch Pumas is in cooperation with the state body of Handball, Handball West organising two beach handball events on Cottesloe Main Beach for interested players.
This is done in an attempt to get Australian players involved in the sport which is already played on a large scale world wide.
Handball has become popular in the Eastern states but WA is still lacking behind.
However, handball is on the rise in WA with the creation of two clubs, Murdoch Pumas and Revolution Sharks within the last couple of years.
This year WA has also sent a men's state team to the Nationals in Shepparton , Victoria at which they came fourth.
In addition, the event resulted in two Murdoch Pumas players, Davor Timkov and Dragan Jerkov, being selected for a training camp for the Australian National team. If succesful, the Men's World Championship in Germany early 2007 will be on the menu for the two players.
While most of the handball season is played indoor, Murdoch Pumas and Handball West is taking the sport outside this summer for some fun filled activity on the beach.
Beach handball is an internationally recognised sport with the last world championships being held in Rio this year. It is fun, fast-paced and spectator friendly with extra points awarded for creative/spectacular goals.
"We want anybody who is interested to come and participate," Handball West President Ben Birkenhake said.
"Whether you're an experienced player or a beginner."
The events take place on Saturday January 20 from 8.30am to 12.30pm and Saturday February 24 from 8.30am to 12.30pm on Cottesloe Main Beach in front of Indiana 's.
Players can register as teams of 4-8 players (males and females) or as individual players who will be allocated a team on the day.
They can register by emailing murdoch_pumas@yahoo.com.au or phoning 0414 289 559.
For more information go to www.handballwest.org.au or www.handballaustralia.org.au .
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18 December 2006, Two WA players selected for the Australian National Team in Handball
Two players, Dragan Jerkov and Davor Timkov, from WA have been selected to attend a training camp in Denmark in preparation for the Men's World Championship in Handball.
If successful, the two players will be competing at the World Championship.
A total of 19 players will attend the camp. Of these, three will be eliminated before the team continues on to Germany to compete at the World Championship.
The two WA players were selected after WA for the first time sent a men's state team to the Nationals held in Shepparton, Victoria this year, at which they came fourth after loosing to Queensland, the defending champions, 18-24 in the final play-off for third place.
The Australian Handball Federation had complimented the WA state team on their technically sound and fair-minded play.
Handball West President, Ben Birkenhake was very pleased with the result.
“ Western Australia has demonstrated that they are capable of competing in this sport,” he said.
“WA is finally placing itself on the map in the world of handball.”
Mr Jerkov and Mr Timkov were both very excited about the opportunity they had been given.
“I feel very honoured to have been given this chance,” Mr Timkov said.
“I am definitely gonna make the most of it.”
Mr Jerkov similarly stated that he will do his best to show that Western Australians are worthy of a spot on the National team.
The two will fly to Denmark early January to meet up with fellow players who have been training in Denmark over a longer period.
The Men's World Championship in Handball is held in Germany on January 19, 2007.
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17 December 2006, New Invigorating Sport goes Beach in Perth- Beach Handball
European Handball, a sport well-known worldwide, has made it to Cottesloe Beach .
Handball is an internationally recognised team sport and consists of an indoor and beach version. In the beach version four players from each team are on the court. A six metre line around the goals is the line of defence and attack inside which only the goalkeeper has access. It shares rules with basket ball, but the ball is smaller, more steps can be taken and strong physical contact is part of the game. It is a unique, physical and very fast paced and spectator friendly sport with extra points awarded for creative/spectacular goals.
Murdoch Pumas Handball Club is in cooperation with the state body of Handball, Handball West organising two beach handball events on Cottesloe Main Beach for interested players.
The events are held in an attempt to get Australian players involved in the sport which is already played on a large scale world wide.
Handball has become popular in the Eastern states but WA is still lacking behind.
However, handball is on the rise in WA with the creation of two clubs, Murdoch Pumas and Revolution Sharks in the last couple of years.
In 2006 WA also sent a men's state team to the Nationals in indoor handball in Shepparton , Victoria at which the team came fourth.
In addition, the event resulted in two Murdoch Pumas players, Davor Timkov and Dragan Jerkov, being selected for a training camp with the Australian National team. If succesful, the Men's World Championship in Germany early 2007 will be on the menu for the two players.
While most of the handball season is played indoor, Murdoch Pumas and Handball West is taking the sport outside this summer for some fun filled activity on the beach.
"We want anybody who is interested to come and participate," Handball West President Ben Birkenhake said.
"Whether you're an experienced player or a beginner."
The events take place on Saturday January 20 from 8.30am to 12.30pm and Saturday February 24 from 8.30am to 12.30pm on Cottesloe Main Beach in front of Indiana 's.
Players can register as teams of 4-8 players (males and females) or as individual players who will be allocated a team on the day.
They can register by emailing murdoch_pumas@yahoo.com.au or phoning 0414 289 559.
For more information go to www.handballwest.org.au or www.handballaustralia.org.au .
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30 October 2006, Western Australia narrowly missing out on third place at the Nationals in European Handball after competing for the first time.
Western Australia missed out on the third prize at the Nationals in European Handball after losing to Queensland , the defending champions, 18-24 in the final play-off for third place.
A remarkable result as this is the first time Western Australia is competing since European handball reached Australian shores.
European handball is, after soccer, the largest team-sport worldwide played by more than 160 million people. The sport has been an Olympic event since Berlin , 1936. It is increasingly popular in Australia .
At this year's Australian Open held in Shepparton , Victoria , eight men's teams and five women's teams from all over Australia as well as New Zealand competed.
New South Wales won both the women's and men's competitions.
The Australian Handball Federation has called it ‘the biggest Australian handball event since the Olympic Games in 2000'.
The Federation congratulated Western Australia for their success and complimented them for their technically sound and fair-minded play.
Handball West President, Ben Birkenhake, said he was pleased with the result.
“ Western Australia has demonstrated that they are capable of competing in this sport,” he said.
“This has already attracted attention from interstate players of which some are now wanting to come to WA to play”.
In recent years two Western Australian clubs have been formed, Revolution Sharks Handball Club and Murdoch Pumas Handball Club.
Mr Birkenhake is hoping that more people will become involved with the sport.
“We have people available to attend schools to teach the game and anybody is welcome to come and train at the clubs which are open to both new and experienced players,” he said.
Training for the Revolution Sharks Handball Club is on Fridays from 7-8.30 pm at Revolution Sports, 37 Lemnos Street , Shenton Park while the Murdoch Pumas
Handball Club trains on Thursdays from 8.30 to 10 pm at Murdoch University Sports and Recreation Centre, South Street , Murdoch.
The handball team consists of seven players. It is played on a court slightly larger than a basketball court with indoor soccer goals. A six metre line around the goals is the line of defence and attack inside which only the goalkeeper has access.
It shares rules with basket ball, but the ball is smaller, more steps can be taken and strong physical contact is part of the game. It is a unique, physical and very fast paced sport.
Although Australia competed in the sport for the first time in the Sydney 2000 Olympics, the game is not well known in Western Australia and is often confused with its Irish counterpart played by slapping a ball against a wall.
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18 October 2006 , Western Australia to compete at the Nationals in European Handball.
For the first time since European handball reached Australian shores, Western Australia will compete in the Australian Open Handball National Championships held in Shepparton , Victoria on October 27, 2006 .
European handball is, after soccer, the largest team-sport worldwide played by more than 160 million people. The sport has been an Olympic event since Berlin , 1936.
The handball team consists of seven players. It is played on a court slightly larger than a basketball court with indoor soccer goals. A six metre line around the goals is the line of defence and attack inside which only the goalkeeper has access. It shares rules with basket ball, but the ball is smaller, more steps can be taken and strong physical contact is part of the game. It is a unique, physical and very fast paced sport.
Although Australia competed in the sport for the first time in the Sydney 2000 Olympics, the game is not well known in Western Australia and is often confused with its Irish counterpart played by slapping a ball against a wall.
In recent years two Western Australian clubs have been formed, Revolution Sharks Handball Club and Murdoch Pumas Handball Club, and a state team has this year been put together for the National Championships.
“We're very excited to finally have a Western Australian state team going to the Nationals,” Handball West President Ben Birkenhake said. “This is a new and exciting direction for handball in WA.”
Mr Birkenhake is hoping that more people will become involved with the sport.
“We have people available to attend high schools to teach the game and anybody is welcome to come and train at the clubs which are open to both new and experienced players,” he said.
Training for the Revolution Sharks Handball Club is on Fridays from 7-8.30 pm at Revolution Sports, 37 Lemnos Street , Shenton Park while the Murdoch Pumas Handball Club trains on Thursdays from 8.30 to 10 pm at Murdoch University Sports and Recreation Centre, South Street , Murdoch.
More information can be found at www.handballwest.org.au.

The state team:
Back Row: Andree Vernholz, Etienne Meyer, Florian Lamprecht, Michael Sigrist, Dragan Jerkov, Ben Birkenhake Front Row: Davor Timkov, Tobias Angermueller, Christian Bitz, Boris Mensing, Fernando Da Cruz, Patrik Weiss
Not present: Brent Henwood, Jan Pleser