2026 Handball Futures Festival Recap

2026 Handball Futures Festival Recap: Find Out the Winners

From July 22–25, Colorado Springs became the center of American Team Handball — and it was everything we hoped it would be.

Handball Futures exists to give the next generation of Team Handball athletes a stage of their own. We built this festival to grow the athlete pipeline feeding USA Team Handball, giving emerging players a real platform to compete, be seen, and take their next step toward the national team.

Bringing the Community Together

The Handball Futures Festival is rooted in the spirit of the original Olympic Festival — bringing athletes, coaches, Olympians, National Team Members and the handball community together in one place to celebrate the sport and forge connections that outlast the final whistle. From the Opening Ceremony to the last medal awarded, the festival was about building the kind of community that helps Team Handball grow in the United States. We had over 23 Olympians and National Team players who came not just to watch, but to share their insight with the next generation of athletes. They were instrumental in providing the link between our sport’s legacy and its present.

Your 2026 Handball Futures Festival Champions — The West Region

West takes home the gold, topping East 23–13 in the Championship Medal Match. South claims bronze in a nail-biter, edging North 23–22.

Final Results

Gold: West Region

Silver: East Region

Bronze: South Region

4th Place: North Region

Award Winners

MVG: Amber Kaufman

MVP: Katie Timmerman

High Scorer: Katie Timmerman

All Tournament Team

August Raskie

Bryn Bozanski

Jessica Kuster

Sydney Gratz

Jacqueline Sandoval

Congratulations to every athlete who competed in Colorado Springs. This is what Team Handball’s future looks like.

A Successful Start

By every measure, the inaugural Handball Futures Festival was a success. Athletes competed with heart, coaches poured their experience into every huddle, and the community showed up to support them. It was the kind of week we set out to create, and it’s only the beginning.

Voices from the Festival

“The Handball Futures Festival (HFF) represents a massive milestone for USA Team Handball. It is the most significant development initiative for emerging women’s talent since the U.S. Olympic Festival program concluded in 1995. By bringing together 48 elite athletes, legendary Olympians, dedicated coaches, and passionate volunteers, the event successfully revived a vital pipeline. It establishes a foundation for long-term growth and scouting ahead of the LA 2028 Olympic Games. I am honored and grateful to have taken part.” — Dawn Allinger Lewis, Olympian & North Region Coach

“The Handball Futures Festival was truly an unforgettable experience from start to finish. What stood out to me most was getting to learn from Olympian coaches who were so genuinely invested in our growth. Opportunities like this—where you can completely submerge yourself in an all-handball environment with that level of heart, competition, and support—are so rare in this sport. It’s amazing that handballers now have an annual space to connect, level up, and leave forever changed. I know I did!” — Janell Williams, Athlete

“From the first day of competition to the last day, you could definitely see an improvement across the board — every team and every player, not only played better themselves, but made their teams play better. The general message you heard was that everyone was learning new things, trying new things on the court, and surprising themselves and their teammates with their accomplishments. Some even say there was too much information being thrown at them! The camaraderie and sportsmanship was palpable and celebrated — everyone cheered for their friends in other teams, and every successful play was applauded, no matter who was making it. It was truly a celebration for playing and learning the sport of Handball.” — Martin Billelo, West Team Coach, Gold Medal Winner