FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Handball Futures announced the inaugural 2026 Handball Futures Festival, an Olympic-style showcase designed to bring together the women’s handball athletes in the United States. The Festival competition will take place July 22–25, 2026, at Fountain Valley School, a boarding and day school in Colorado Springs, Colorado — a stunning 1,100-acre campus at the base of the Rocky Mountains. The Opening Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, July 22, and all are welcome to attend.
Modeled after the original Olympic Sports Festival, the Handball Futures Festival combines elite competition, community, and national-team exposure in one immersive experience. The event will also serve as a key talent identification opportunity, with athletes evaluated and scouted by the Women’s National Team Coach.
More than just a tournament, the Festival is a celebration of women’s team handball in the United States — strengthening the national pipeline, fostering connections across regions, and helping define the future of the sport with LA 2028 on the horizon.
Approximately 48 female athletes will be invited to participate, selected by the Handball Futures Festival Selection Committee.
The 2026 Handball Futures Festival will feature four regional teams, each led by an experienced head coach and assistant coach. Handball Futures is proud to announce the coaching staff for the 2026 Festival—a standout group of leaders guiding each region:
| Head Coach | Assistant Coach |
| Wade Sutton | Stephanie Moreno |
| Chris Cappelmann | Meg Sanders |
| Dawn Lewis | Lisa Eagen |
| Martin Bilello | NamSoo Lee |
“This Festival is the culmination of everything we have been building. It is a world-class stage for elite women athletes — a real opportunity to be seen, developed, and connected to the national team pipeline. We are proud to bring this moment to Colorado Springs.” — Mike Cavanaugh, Handball Futures Tournament Director
About the Venue. Fountain Valley School provides an extraordinary setting for the Festival. Located on a 1,100-acre prairie campus at the base of the Rocky Mountains, this boarding and day school in the heart of the American West offers world-class facilities befitting an event of national significance.
Known as “Olympic City USA,” Colorado Springs is home to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee headquarters and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center — making it the most fitting backdrop in the country for a Festival designed to elevate the next generation of elite women’s handball athletes.
Acknowledgments. Handball Futures extends its sincere gratitude to our founding supporters, Circle of Champions and partners whose belief in this vision has made the Handball Futures Festival possible.
El Pomar
USTHFoundation
Colorado Springs Sports Corp
FuseSport
Increnevo
Jose Muldoon’s
Hummel
USA Team Handball
Circle of Champions
Fountain Valley School
UCHealth
Gatorade
Trader Joe’s
Save a Lot
Sam’s Club
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: Karen Rosolowski, Executive Director, Handball Futures, winningperf@gmail.com.
About Handball Futures
Handball Futures, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth and development of women’s team handball in the United States. Through sanctioned events, athlete development programs, and national partnerships, Handball Futures is building the pipeline that will carry American women’s handball into the future.
Handball Futures Festival
For competition schedule and Festival updates, visit: https://www.handballfutures.org/handball-futures-festival/
MEDIA CONTACT
Lindalisa Severo
Communications Director, Handball Futures
lindalisa@handballfutures.org
SPONSORSHIP INQUIRIES
Karen Rosolowski
Executive Director, Handball Futures
winningperf@gmail.com
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