Former Norwegian women’s national beach handball team player Katinka Haltvik Tvilde has named her first training squad as senior head coach after stepping up to take over from Eskil Berg Andreassen earlier this month.

As a player, Haltvik was a vocal leader on court and is a multiple medal winner at international level, claiming EHF European Championship gold with Norway in 2017, plus silver in 2015 as well as 2018 IHF World Championship silver and bronze in both 2014 and 2016.

Following her retirement as a player and the birth of her first child, Haltvik moved into coaching in 2021, starting with the Norwegian women’s youth beach team and working as an assistant coach at Aker Topphåndball’s recruit team. 

Now, she has stepped up to the senior level taking over from Andreassen, who had been in the job since 2004.

 

Speaking to ihf.info after her new role was announced, Haltvik was quick to praise the legacy of her predecessor, under whom she played all her national team games and collected those medals.

“I am incredibly grateful for everything Eskil has done. He was the one who brought me into the national team as a player and believed in me from the start. Later on he encouraged me to develop as a coach, which eventually led to me taking over the junior national team - and now the senior team,” explained the 34-year-old to ihf.info.

“Eskil built Norwegian beach handball from almost nothing into a nation that has consistently competed at the top for many years. His passion for the sport has been contagious, and he created a foundation and growth that I am determined to continue. Beach handball in Norway is still small, and we need to grow and become more visible - and that journey started with him.”

Describing her new role as an “honour”, Haltvik’s opening task was to select her first training squad ahead of a busy upcoming European summer, which includes the 2026 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship in Zagreb, Croatia this June.

“We are gathering 18 players, a mix of former senior players, new talents, and players from the junior national team,” explained the coach about the first camp which will be held from 5 to 8 March on the indoor sand courts at the Abox Greverud Multisportsenter and at the Olympiatoppen in Oslo.

 

“Since most of them haven’t played beach handball since last summer, the focus will be on individual technical training, building cooperation and understanding and internal matches to reintroduce game flow and decision-making. The camp will be about getting everyone back into the rhythm of beach handball and establishing our foundation for the season.”

Kaltvik’s first training squad includes players well known to fans of indoor handball in Norway and beyond.

These include Ine Erlandsen  who played in the Champions League this season for Sola HK, Fjellhammer IL’s Sarah Deari Solheim, who was Norway’s division one player of the year last season and who is current top-scorer in Norway’s top-flight, the REMA 1000-ligaen, on 144 goals, and Marielle Martinsen, who has scored 47 times for Viborg HK in the EHF European League this season with the centre back looking forward to a quarter-final clash against CS Rapid București next month. Martinsen was also a former national teammate of Haltvik, winning European gold with her in 2017.

“Yes, that will definitely be the case,” says Haltvik with regards to switching from teammate to coach for some of her new squad.

“The positive side is that they know me well - they know what I stand for, how I work, and what qualities I bring as a coach. At the same time, I know them, their strengths, and what they expect. That mutual understanding creates trust and makes the transition into my role much smoother.”

So what can the players expect from Haltvik as she picks up the whistle in a senior capacity for the first time?

“I would describe myself as an engaged and inclusive coach. I want to develop players who think for themselves, take responsibility, and show leadership on the court. I value a culture where players feel comfortable sharing their perspectives, because they are the ones experiencing the game directly,” said Haltvik, who was born in Trondheim.

“It’s difficult to define one fixed playing style, as it depends on the players we have and the opponents we face. But I want us to be recognised as a smart team, both offensively and defensively - a team that makes good tactical decisions and plays with high tempo and intention.”

With her feet under the table for just a matter of weeks, Haltvik took time to reflect on the growth of the sport, her experience in it and what her long-term goals are with the senior side.

 

“Beach handball has developed enormously since I first joined. Early in my career, the game changed from 8 to 10 players per match squad, which significantly influenced the tactical and technical evolution of the sport and the overall level internationally has risen dramatically,” she explained.

“In Norway, beach handball is still finding its place. All our players are high-level indoor handball players with long seasons, so beach handball will always be an addition rather than the main focus. Our season is short due to both climate and indoor commitments, but the sport is growing and becoming more recognised.

“My main goal in this role is to increase interest and broaden the base of beach handball in Norway,” she added. “We need stronger recruitment from the junior national team and more players who specialise in beach handball to maintain a high international level. In the long term, I want Norway to once again be a nation that consistently fights for medals at major championships - just as we have done in the past.”

Sport has a habit of history repeating, and with those positive memories of Croatia from 2017, maybe 2026 will provide more positive memories on the sand surrounding Jarun Lake in Zagreb?

“Winning gold in Zagreb in 2017 was an unforgettable experience. We had an incredibly strong team that year with exceptional chemistry and unity,” said Haltvik, who was supported in her beach playing career by her indoor teams in Norway; Byåsen, Selbu, Oppsal, Gjerpen and Aker.

“Croatia was a well-organised event with great facilities, and an arena that created a fantastic atmosphere. Jarun has always been a special place for beach handball, and I have only positive memories from competing there.

“For the upcoming world championship I expect a well-organised event with good facilities and a great atmosphere. Our goal is to be thoroughly prepared and to perform at our highest level. We aim to be competitive among the top teams and fight for strong results.”

Photos: Svein André Svendsen / Kolektiff