Handball Futures Iowa Camps Draw 50+ Athletes, Earn Regional Media Coverage Alongside USA Team Handball Open Championships

National team evaluations, Olympian coaching, and three media features mark a milestone weekend for women’s handball development in the United States.

BETTENDORF, Iowa — Handball Futures successfully hosted two Development & Skills Camps on May 14 and May 16, 2026, at TBK Bank Sports Complex in Bettendorf, Iowa, drawing more than 50 female athletes across both sessions. Held in conjunction with the USA Team Handball Open Championships — which featured 23 clubs and 34 competing teams — the camps were sanctioned by USA Team Handball and marked a significant milestone in the growth of women’s team handball development across the United States.

At the heart of Handball Futures’ mission is expanding the pool of female athletes for Olympic team handball and building a lasting collaboration with USA Team Handball in support of the Women’s National Team. This weekend delivered on both fronts.

“This is about creating access. We want athletes from all backgrounds to see handball as a real opportunity — whether they’re discovering it for the first time or continuing their development. The sport is growing, the community is supportive, and now is the perfect time to get involved.”

— Michael D. Cavanaugh, Tournament Director, Handball Futures

Athletes from basketball, soccer, volleyball, softball, and other sports participated across both sessions — many experiencing team handball for the very first time. The dual-session format was designed to meet athletes at every level, offering hands-on fundamental instruction for newcomers and advanced training for returning players.

◆ Coaching Staff

The camps were led by an accomplished coaching staff with deep ties to the national team program. Athletes had the rare opportunity to train under and be evaluated by coaches with direct national team connections — including two 1996 Olympians and the full Handball Futures Festival coaching slate:

• Lisa Eagen — Iowa native, 1996 Olympian, Handball Futures Board Member, and upcoming Assistant Coach for the Handball Futures Festival
• Dawn Lewis — 1996 Olympian and Handball Futures Head Coach, bringing decades of high-level handball experience to every session
• Wade Sutton — Head Coach, Handball Futures Festival
• Chris Cappelmann — Head Coach, Handball Futures Festival
• Martin Bilello — Head Coach, Handball Futures Festival
• Stephanie Moreno — Assistant Coach, Handball Futures Festival
• Kristen Torpey — Past National Team Player
• Chick Lillis — Past National Team Player
• Allegra Collins — Past National Team Player

Each athlete received a personal evaluation from Handball Futures coaches, with results shared directly with the USA Women’s National Team coaching staff. Top performers will be considered for the Handball Futures Festival — the next step on the national team development pathway.

◆ USA Team Handball Collaboration

The Iowa camps reflect the deepening collaboration between Handball Futures and USA Team Handball. Mike King, CEO of USA Team Handball, and Sarah Gascon, Head Coach of the USA Women’s National Team, were both actively engaged with the event — a powerful signal of organizational alignment around growing the female athlete pipeline for the national program.

With the Open National Championships running concurrently at TBK Bank Sports Complex, athletes had the extraordinary opportunity to watch — and in some cases compete alongside — the top club teams in the country, fully immersing themselves in the sport across a single weekend.

◆ Media Coverage

The weekend generated significant earned media coverage across the Quad Cities region, reaching tens of thousands of potential athletes and sports fans:

◆ What’s Next

Athletes who participated in the Iowa camps will receive individual evaluations reviewed by Handball Futures coaches and shared with the USA Women’s National Team coaching staff. Outstanding performers will be invited to the Handball Futures Festival, where they will train under a nationally assembled coaching staff representing East, South, North, and West regional teams.

Handball Futures continues to develop camp opportunities across the country as part of its long-term mission to build the national athlete pipeline and support the growth of women’s handball ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.