The Handball at School (H@S) Project took centre stage in the Netherlands during the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship, with the three courses bringing together more than 60 teachers across three cities. 

Held in Den Bosch and Rotterdam, the two venues of the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship, plus Zwolle, the project underlined the International Handball Federation’s commitment to using major events as platforms for sustainable development work. In total, 62 participants took part, with 57 of them successfully approved for the IHF D Licence, while around 50 children were involved in a mini festival linked to the course.

Led by IHF H@S Lecturer Helmut Martin, the course targeted school teachers and grassroots coaches working primarily with beginners and young players, in line with the profile of the H@S D-Licence level. Across the three venues, participants combined theoretical sessions with extensive practical work on court, testing and experiencing the exercises themselves. 

The Dutch Handball Federation supported the initiative by integrating it into the IHF Women’s World Championship framework, with the IHF granting all participants tickets to matches, allowing them to experience the world handball flagship competition first-hand. This connection to the top level of the sport boosted interest and motivation, with the experienced lecturer describing the course as being “on a high level” thanks to the strong playing background of many participants.

 

The successful course in the Netherlands reflects the broader objectives of the IHF Handball at School Project, which has been running globally since 2011 and is one of the federation’s flagship development tools. H@S is designed to introduce handball to children with adapted rules and a strong focus on fun, enjoyment and accessibility by providing teachers and beginners’ coaches with simple, age-appropriate methods. Through resources such as teaching booklets, guidelines, and online education weeks, the project aims to equip physical education teachers and grassroots coaches to deliver quality handball sessions to children from roughly 5 to 17 years old, building both basic skills and a lasting passion for the sport.

From the IHF perspective, Handball at School is strategically important because it broadens the base of the handball pyramid and creates new “epicentres” for growth around the world. By training school teachers and coaches and providing them with recognised qualifications such as the IHF D Licence, the federation helps ensure that children encounter handball in a structured, positive environment, where enjoyment of the first steps is prioritised over results. The programme has already contributed to significant progress in emerging handball nations, with examples such as Sierra Leone showing how H@S support and materials can help establish lasting school structures and increase participation.

 

In the Netherlands, the mini festival and tournament with around 50 children showcased, how quickly newly trained teachers and coaches can put their knowledge into practice, turning theory into lively, game-based learning.

By using the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship as a backdrop for the Handball at School D-Licence course, the IHF and the Dutch Handball Federation demonstrated how elite events can be leveraged to leave a tangible legacy at grassroots level. As the newly certified coaches and teachers return to their clubs and schools in and around the country, they take modern methods, a deeper understanding of children’s handball and a direct link to the global handball community with them.