This camp is designed for athletes looking to develop their handball skills, learn from experienced coaches, and be part of the growing handball movement in the
U.S. Whether you’re new to the sport or already competing, this is your chance to take your game to the next level. Register today!
What We’re Looking For:
✔️ Passionate athletes who love the game and/or are eager to learn the game. ✔️ Team players who thrive in a collaborative environment. ✔️Skilled individuals committed to hard work, discipline, and continuous improvement. ✔️ Athletic ability; Potential; Character; Work Ethic, Mental Toughness and Leadership. ✔️ Recruiting female athletes (18+) from all sports—basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, and more.
Camp Takeaways: ✔️ An intro to Olympic handball ✔️ Skill benchmarking for new & experienced players ✔️ Evaluations will be shared with the USA WNT coaching staff ✔️ A pathway toward LA 2028 Olympics ✔️ The start of your journey to the 2026 Handball Futures Festival ✔️ A community of driven athletes from basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball & more
About the Sport
Handball is an electrifying indoor sport played between two teams of seven (six court players + a goalkeeper). The goal? To pass, dribble, and shoot your way to more goals than the other team, all while moving fast, thinking sharp, and working together. Think of the energy of soccer, the quick transitions of basketball, and the physicality of rugby — all rolled into one.
Know an athlete or a friend who would love this opportunity? Share this with them or send us an email at info@handballfutures.org
Recruitment event aims to build Team USA pipeline ahead of LA28 Olympics
CHICAGO, IL (September 2025) — Handball Futures (HF), the national nonprofit assisting USA Team Handball, will host its Handball Development & Skills Camp in the Chicago area on Friday, October 24, 2025, at The Oaks Fitness Center in Mokena, Illinois.
The camp will take place prior to the Chicago Inter Handball Tournament and is designed to recruit and develop the next generation of U.S. women’s handball athletes.
Although team handball is played by more than 30 million athletes across 165 countries, it remains a hidden gem in the United States. With Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Olympic Games—and Team USA automatically qualified—Handball Futures is expanding the national talent pool to ensure the U.S. fields competitive teams on the world stage.
“This is an exciting milestone for Handball Futures and for the future of the sport in the U.S.,” said Michael D. Cavanaugh, HFF Tournament Director. “Our goal is to provide athletes with the resources and pathways they need to succeed, while strengthening the overall pipeline for USA Team Handball.”
The camp is open to female athletes ages 18+, from beginners to seasoned players, with or without prior handball experience. Athletes from sports such as basketball, soccer, softball, and volleyball are encouraged to participate.
The camp also represents the first official step toward the 2026 Handball Futures Festival, a landmark event for the sport in the United States.
Event Details:
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: The Oaks Fitness Center, 10847 W. LaPorte Road, Mokena, IL 60448
Handball Futures extends a special thank you to Patrick Jalabert—Tournament Director, President of Chicago Inter, Chair of USA Team Handball Board, and leader of the Chicago Inter Handball Club—for hosting this event. His leadership exemplifies how partnerships with local clubs create opportunities for athletes and help grow the sport nationwide.
Handball Futures is a national nonprofit dedicated to developing the next generation of U.S. handball athletes, coaches, and referees. By creating opportunities for training, competition, and mentorship, Handball Futures strengthens the talent pipeline for USA Team Handball and helps grow the sport nationwide. Learn more at www.handballfutures.org.
About USA Team Handball
USA Team Handball (USATH) is the National Governing Body (NGB) for the Olympic discipline of Team Handball. USATH, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Colorado Springs, is a member of the International Handball Federation (IHF) and the North American and Caribbean Handball Confederation (NACHC).
Handball Futures Announces First-Ever Development & Skills Camp in Chicago
CHICAGO, IL — Handball Futures (HF), the pipeline for USA Team Handball is proud to announce one of four Development & Skills Camp, taking place prior to the start of the Chicago Inter Handball Tournament on Friday, October 24, 2025, at The Oaks Fitness Center in Mokena, Illinois.
Are you a talented female athlete looking to take your skills to the next level? Do you dream of competing in the Olympics? Since the United States is the host country for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the Handball teams receive an automatic bid to participate.
Although team handball is one of the world’s most popular sports—with more than 30 million players across 165 countries (11 million teams) —it remains a hidden gem in the United States. Limited exposure and funding have slowed its growth, but the talent is already here. Handball Futures is working to unlock that potential, helping USA Team Handball (National Governing Body) expand its talent pool and prepare athletes for the world stage. With the LA2028 Olympics on the horizon, our goal is to ensure a strong pipeline of elite female athletes ready to represent the red, white, and blue.
The Handball Futures Development & Skills Camp is a recruitment event designed to identify and develop the next generation of female handball talent offering skill development, and exposure to experienced coaching. The development camp is open to female athletes of all experience levels in any sport, from beginners to seasoned players. The target age range for athletes is 18 and up.
The camp represents the first official step in the build-up to the 2026 Handball Futures Festival, a landmark event for the sport in the United States.
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025 Location: The Oaks Fitness Center, 10847 W. LaPorte Road, Mokena, IL 60448 Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
“This is an exciting milestone for Handball Futures and for the future of the sport in the U.S.,” said Michael D. Cavanaugh, HFF Tournament Director. “Our goal is to provide athletes with the resources and pathways they need to succeed, while strengthening the overall pipeline for USA Team Handball.”
Handball Futures extends a special thank you to Patrick Jalabert—Tournament Director, President of Chicago Inter, Chair of USA Team Handball Board, and leader of the Chicago Inter Handball Club—for hosting this event. His leadership and collaboration exemplify how partnerships with local clubs create opportunities for athletes and help grow the sport nationwide.
For questions regarding participation, please contact:
Lindalisa Severo, HFF Communications Director – 678-362-4847
Michael D. Cavanaugh, HFF Tournament Director – 719-459-8126
About Handball Futures
Handball Futures is a national nonprofit dedicated to developing the next generation of U.S. handball athletes, coaches, and referees. By creating opportunities for training, competition, and mentorship, Handball Futures strengthens the talent pipeline for USA Team Handball and helps grow the sport nationwide.
USA Team Handball (USATH) is the National Governing Body (NGB) for the Olympic discipline of Team Handball. USATH, a member of the International Handball Federation (IHF) and the North American and Caribbean Handball Confederation (NACHC), is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The mission of USA Team Handball shall be to develop, promote, educate and grow the sport of Team Handball at all levels in the United States, and to enable United States athletes to achieve sustained competitive excellence to win medals in international and Olympic competition.
USA Team Handball is the only organization recognized by the USOPC and IHF to lead handball initiatives in the United States.
This past weekend, Handball Futures hosted an action-packed Regional Training Camp in Durham, NC, bringing together rising athletes for a full day of training, competition, and development on the court.
The day kicked off with introductions and a professional warm-up led by Lisa Barber, 3 time world champion sprinter and speed coach, and Dr. Harry Stafford Jr., MD, CSCS, MBA — associate director of the of Duke Sports Science Institute and director of sports performance. Their expertise set the tone for a high-energy, focused, and athlete-centered day of training.
Morning Session Highlights
Light team practice to get the players moving and connecting
Three 20-minute scrimmages with built-in timeouts for on-the-spot coaching and corrections
Coaches made use of instructional breaks to address positioning, transitions, and tactical decisions — a valuable opportunity for learning in real-time
Lunch Break
Athletes refueled with Gatorade and a healthy lunch (lots of fresh fruit — always a hit!) and had a chance to connect with new teammates and future opponents alike.
Afternoon Session Highlights
High performance warm up with Jalen Coleman and EJ Hicks from the Duke Sports Sciences Institute
Practice plan focused on team drills and a competitive 30-minute scrimmage
Half-court offense vs. defense reps (5 possessions each, then swap) — creating valuable situational play moments
Wrapped up with a penalty shootout to add pressure situations and fun to close out the day
Special shoutout to Allegra Collins, former Women’s National Team Player, who worked directly with the goalkeepers, including Mackenzie Dinelli (19) — recently named to the Junior National Team headed to Canada this July.
Elite Mentorship On Site
The camp was proud to welcome Olympians Lisa Eagen, 3-time Olympian Leora “Sam” Jones, and 2-time Olympian Chryssandra Watts Hires, alongside Allegra Collins, former Women’s National Team Player, and Handball Futures Board Member and former Women’s National Team Player, Tracey Williams-Johnson, providing mentorship, inspiration, and valuable feedback throughout the day.
LA 2028 is right around the corner and the time to chase your Olympic dream is NOW. Today in Durham, NC, the mission of Handball Futures was in full motion — to grow team handball across the U.S., partner with USA Team Handball to identify and elevate top talent, and provide a platform for these athletes to showcase their skills while chasing their Olympic dreams. The road to LA 2028 starts here!”
—— Tracey Williams-Johnson, Handball Futures Board Member and former Women’s National Team Player
And to wrap up the day, athletes and coaches gathered for dinner and some handball fellowship at Nana Morrison’s Soul Food — the perfect way to end a day filled with teamwork, competition, and community.
Athletes Share Their Experience
The athletes brought incredible energy and enthusiasm to the court — and their feedback said it all:
This weekend reminded me of why I enjoy playing team handball. Meeting new people and all coming together to practice this growing sport is something that will never get old! ——Jade Jones
The opportunity to play at a high level and learn from elite players would not have been possible without Handball Futures. I learned so much about the game and got to compete with players across the country. — Laila Viator
I only discovered handball last year and have quickly come to love the sport. I really appreciated the opportunity to further my training and play with/meet players across the country and the mentorship/coaching provided by the Futures staff! — Amanda Fields
This training opportunity was well-run and professional; it provided me with coaching and mentorship from subject matter experts I hadn’t had the privilege of meeting up until the Futures camp. — Maci Hodgins
The Handball Futures day was an excellent opportunity to have fun playing with an amazing group of handball talent that isn’t always readily available. I loved learning from knowledgeable coaches and trainers while also enjoying the camaraderie across both teams to put together a fantastic event! — Hannah Perkins, (Named MVP at College Nationals)
It’s moments like these that remind us why opportunities like this matter — giving athletes the chance to build skills, gain experience, and be part of a growing handball community.
Thank you to all the coaches, athletes, volunteers, and supporters who made this event a success. This is exactly what Handball Futures is all about — creating opportunities, growing the game, and building a pipeline for future national and Olympic-level talent.
A huge thank you to Coach Wade Sutton and Coach Chris Cappelmann for leading a productive, fast-paced, and supportive camp experience. Handball Futures Board Member and former National Team member Tracey Williams-Johnson for coordination and support of the Training Camp.
Special thank you to:
Athletic Director and Head Women’s Basketball Coach Ovester Grays (Hillside High School) who allowed us to host Handball Futures Training Camp and worked and was engaged from start to finish to make sure the event ran smoothly.
Ms. Harriet M. Poe and the Center for Leadership, Development and Research for sponsoring the printing for the t-shirts— they looked fantastic and helped create a true team atmosphere.
Georgina at Sassy Dame Designs for printing our camp shirts.
Nana Morrison’s Soul Food (Cary, NC), for accommodating our needs.
The Handball Club Coaches and organizers that work so hard every day to grow Handball. Special thanks to the Clubs for allowing your players to participate.
Thank you to USA Team Handball for their support of our Handball Futures Regional Training Camp. Their partnership helps create meaningful opportunities for athletes to train, compete, and continue developing within the national pathway.
