Latvia’s ambitious plan: Increasing the number of players tenfold by focusing on children

The International Handball Week (IHW), held between 12 and 18 July throughout the whole world, was the perfect setting for the Latvian Handball Federation (LHF) to introduce handball to children, through a special programme, named “Get to know sports”.

This was only the first step to promote the sport throughout the country, which has big ambitions and is aiming high, trying to multiply the number of players in Latvia tenfold, from 3,600 to 36,000 over the next few years.

The programme, which was held in Latvia’s capital Riga over five days last week, helped the children to have a more active lifestyle, try their talent in different sports, learn to work in teams and get to know about the lifestyle of a professional athlete.

They also met Dainis Kristopans, PSG’s right back and the top Latvian handball player over the last few years, and Latvia’s men’s national team goalkeeper, Raitis Purins, who took their time to introduce the participants to handball, explain why the sport brings benefits and encouraged them to take up handball.

“One of the main strategic long-term objectives is to promote overall handball development, especially in the children sector and in the younger-age categories. We need to increase the number of children who play handball to be able to have large enough base to grow talents and future national team players at all ages.

“The action plan for 2022 was organising summer camps for any child, but primarily the ones who do not yet train in handball, to promote the sport and grow the interest in children. Also, talent camps have been organised for the talented children who are already familiar with handball and creating the opportunity to meet our best national team players,” says Ivita Asare, the president of the Latvian Handball Federation.

Another training camp has been held in Ogre, as children participated in various creative workshops and mind games, and learned the basics of mini handball, with two members of the Latvia junior men’s team, Ričards Juzups and Kārlis Krūmiņš, also visiting the camp and sharing their stories.

New beginnings for Latvian handball

Asare, a former player herself, who grew up into the Latvian system, knows a thing or two about how the system is organised and is sure that focusing on children is the future, both from the point of view of the professional part of handball, but also in trying to help children explore a healthier lifestyle.

But how can children learn about handball in a country that has, traditionally, not been a powerhouse, winning titles and creating a conveyor belt of role models, like other countries in Europe and the whole world? 

“The key words are to play together with children, organise festivals for children so that they can enjoy the game and enjoy meeting each other, show them how attractive is handball by creating free admittance at the national team matches.

“Meeting the best players in the country is also huge for children, it brings them closer to handball and it proves to them that everything can be possible, provided you want to work hard,” adds Asare.

The future is definitely high on Asare’s agenda and, therefore, plans have been made to try and grow handball as much as possible in a country whose population is just under 2 million people.

The Latvia men’s national team have finished second at the IHF Emerging Nations Championship in 2015 and even qualified for the first time ever for an EHF EURO in 2020, where they finished last, in 24th place – however, that experience has been priceless for players, as it proved to them that everything is possible.

And after Asare was elected as the new president in September 2021, the focus has shifted even more to the future, as plans were slowly laid to create the perfect setting for children to take up handball.

“Since 1 September 2022, we will be throwing off the activities at the Riga Handball Academy, where we will finally be able to boast a dedicated place where we can teach handball in our capital. From September, we will also start a new project, in kindergartens throughout the country, ushering children to see and try handball, improving the interest in the sport.

“There are also plans in place to increase the link between the LHF and the schools, promoting mini handball. Sport teachers are the closest to children in this case and are the ones who promote sport. We, as the LHF, want to ensure that they speak about and teach handball – this means, ensuring they have the required sport equipment in schools and they know how to teach handball – during their sport lessons,” says the President of the LHF.

However, Asare’s task is definitely difficult, as Latvia need improvement in all areas. For the senior team, the LHF appointed a foreign coach for the first time, Davor Cutura, a former player from Serbia, who plied his trade at Granollers and Benfica during his career.

“We are thinking about the future, promoting handball development in the children and in the YAC [younger-age category] sectors, as a sport available to everyone. But we are also focusing on the top of the pyramid. We are aiming to increase the number of players tenfold, so this is why we are doing everything we can for the children sector,” concludes Asare.

Photos: Latvian Handball Federation