PULSE
In every edition of ‘Pulse’ we aim to showcase sports which are really taking off in Kent’s primary schools at the moment. In this edition, we are showcasing two sports which you may not have tried yet….
First up is primary school Handball…..
What exactly is primary school Handball?
Handball is an Olympic team sport which can be played by both boys and girls. As well as being played at the highest level, this globally popular sport is inclusive, adaptable, and affordable and can be played in a variety of safe and secure conditions (indoors, outdoors, beach).
England Handball has created adaptable versions of the game which are an excellent tool for children to discover, establish and enjoy athletic movement, which
in turn increases their motor and cognitive development.
They have also created a comprehensive and affordable resource package for primary schools titled The Box that Rocks. The resource contains everything you need to get you started (balls, rules, mini games etc).
What’s happening in Kent?
There are a number of ‘Introduction to Handball’ courses (CPD) happening around the county and a number of locally led Inter and Intra school
Finger on the PULSE…….
Coach of the Year and in 2012 I was voted Sports Coach UK’s Children’s Coach of The Year.
Who are your Sporting Idols?
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Tom Middleton and as a youngster I boxed, both as junior and a senior and am still a qualified ABA club coach. I continued my interest in sport whilst serving as a London firefighter by taking up volleyball. In 1991 I was awarded the MBE for operational fire service and after completing thirty one years’ service, I retired and continued to work in sport mainly as a development officer and I was manager and assistant coach to England Junior Men Volleyball for ten years. For the last twelve years I have also been involved with Sitting Volleyball.
Although working mainly with amputees at an elite Paralympic level, I have coached across the ability spectrum. In 2007 and 2011 I was voted Volleyball England
Fanny Blankers-Koen and Louis Zamperini. To those of you who do not know these names, Francina “Fanny” Elsje Blankers-Koen was a Dutch athlete, best known for winning four gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. She accomplished this as a 30-year-old mother of two, during a time when many disregarded women’s athletics. Louis Silvie “Louie” Zamperini was an American prisoner of war survivor in World War II, a Christian inspirational speaker, and an Olympic distance runner. Zamperini is the subject of two biographies and the 2014 Angelina Jolie directed film ‘Unbroken’.
How long have you been involved in Handball?
I have been working for England Handball for around five years now. Why did you choose Handball and what do you love about the sport?
I had ‘discovered’ Handball when with England Volleyball in France, Germany and Denmark (where the game is huge). Upon my return I decided to implement some of the movement for volleyball warm-ups. What I love about the sport is it’s very much a team sport, it’s dynamic, fast, high scoring, physical but with a high
6 The Kent & Medway School Sports Magazine
regard to fairness and integrity and all of the players are equally involved in both attack and defence.
Why should we try Handball?
Its easily adaptable, can be played indoors, outdoors, on the beach and also in confined spaces, there is also Wheelchair and ‘Sitting Handball’ to make it even more inclusive! There are various size balls available so the game can be used to enable the very young to play. Handball can also be played non-competitively as a physical education lesson and with a little imagination every student can be active and have a raised heart rate for the whole lesson.
Where can we get equipment from and how much training do we need?
Equipment (plus advice) can be purchased from England Handball shop’s and training will only take about 5 minutes!!
How would my school get involved?
Just drop me an email and I’ll get back to you!!
tom.middleton@england
handball.com
Lower Halstow Handball
competitions. On-going support is also available from your Kent based
development officer and the sport is really starting to become big.
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