Celebrating the 10th anniversary of their IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship debut appearance at Hungary 2016, the United States of America are at Croatia 2026 for their fifth, consecutive global handball celebration having qualified for every edition since that first time back on the sand in Budapest 10 years ago.

Despite losing all three of their preliminary group games at Croatia 2026, against Spain, Portugal and Iran 2-0, America then won their next three games in the consolation round 2-0, against Puerto Rico, Italy and Australia, before a tight shoot-out loss to African champions Tunisia in the 9-16 placement round.

“After playing in such a tough group to begin with, with Spain, Portugal and then Iran just having a hell of a tournament and being competitive in every single set they're playing, there was a lot of positives to take, knowing we have the confidence to keep building one game at a time, and extra confidence knowing that we can compete at such a high level, regardless of who we're playing,” said USA’s Bryan Cook to ihf.info ahead of that Tunisia clash.

“We absolutely have the confidence going into this, believing that we are going to be able to perform against whoever comes up against us. We built off of last year at the IHF Beach Handball Global Tour in Spain, where we beat Portugal and Poland in the same day, two wins against European teams which was a huge step up for us as a programme.

“To come out here and beat a high-quality Italian team that has worked their asses off themselves to be here, and to beat all of these high-level players, many of whom are professional handball players in their own right, having played their whole lives, many of us have only been playing a couple of years.”

Beach handball is a sport which does not rest and once the USA were confirmed as exiting the race to the main round after that Iran defeat, Cook, as one of the more experienced players, revealed that there was some introspection following their exit into the consolation round.

“Honestly, all of us weren't in a great place mentally especially after that tough game against Iran,” said Cook about the squad feeling of going out at the first stage.

 

“We had to dig deep. We had to find ourselves and realising why we're here; they we earned our spot. We had a player-led meeting afterwards, giving our two cents’ worth and realising that we all have a piece in this – nobody wins or loses on their own, it's a team effort whether we win or lose. 

“We have built on so many years to be where we are and it was just having the gratitude to not be at work for the week, being able to have a little bit of time away and getting to play the game we love and being so happy doing it. We're all happy guys and we're all the best in our own minds, just having a blast so it’s just knowing that we have this positive mentality. That we can bring so much more happiness to this game from our own personalities and knowing how high-quality athletes we all are.”

As Cook makes clear throughout the interview, the consolation round and subsequent 9-16 placement round are important tools for the USA as they look to progress in the sport back home.

“In Spain’s Arena1000 tournaments if you don't give a good showing in two or three games, you're out for the weekend,” says the 36-year-old about the consolation and 9-16 placement round providing extra, competitive games for the lower-ranked teams. “Here, at Croatia 2026, these rounds just allow for the game to continue to be played in so many great match-ups against different countries, just showing how the game is truly such a global sport.”

The USA has sent a team to Croatia featuring world championship debutants Grant Marocchi, Jake Johnson, Collin Liberty and Zuwed Akuro, plus Ebiye Jeremy (retired) and Drew Donlin (unavailable for selection) both missing.

“Granted, this is my 10th year now playing for the USA, but I mean it is so much validation for us to have these new players arrive, and knowing that all the work we put in, day-in, day-out, means we truly are building something special,” said Cook about the team gelling together.

“At Croatia 2026, as a team, as a country, we want to just show what we can do, and no matter who we are bringing into the programme, not having some of the big names that we're used to like Drew or Ebiye who we miss so much but just knowing that what they've built and what we've all built together: the culture and the community, knowing what we're putting forth is so much more important.”

That community has rapidly expanded back home, with Cook and his side now reaping the rewards.

“We've been committed to growing the game at home and we've got so many club teams being formed across the country. We’ve got guys in the Midwest, in Kentucky with Jacobo Garcia Roberts out there running the only league right now that they have going,” said the 36-year-old.

 

“We're just growing organically by playing on the weekends; we've got teams in Los Angeles, in San Francisco. For example, I transport our metal goals in the back or on the surf racks of my car [to practice] but it's a labour of love every weekend, while Jake (Johnson) drives up from San Diego regularly for training, two-and-a-half/three hours every weekend, just to play and to grow themselves.

“Just being able to bring all these people together – people who have put in all this time, combined with building off the little things that Drew, and especially Ebiye – who has been investing so much in teaching us – have done; they've worked so hard and as each year that we play, we keep establishing ourselves higher and higher.”

As the interview approaches its end, Cook took chance to assess his world championship experience so far.

“This is my fourth world championship and beach handball changed my life,” explained Cook. “At my first world championship, Russia 2018, I played defence, now I am the goalie but I believe the game can change the world. It really can. Aside from politics, aside from everything else, it is about human connection; it truly shows what we all are capable as human beings of.

“I realised that I can impact the world little-by-little. I may not have a say in my day-to-day life back home in Los Angeles, but I can sit here and be able to practice what I preach and what we all should be on a day-to-day basis. It’s about being able to show that the outside stuff doesn't matter, it really doesn't. 

“Beach handball is bigger than anything else that's going on, there's no animosity anywhere. Truly, beach handball can change the world but let’s take it one day at a time.”

Photo Credit: Bandana Studios / Vito Horvat