Rising Stars of Women’s Team Handball Come to Colorado Springs
Olympians, National Team players, and representatives of USA Team Handball on hand to meet fans, youth, and media.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Handball Futures is proud to bring the excitement of Team Handball to Colorado Springs this July with the Handball Futures Festival, a multi-day celebration of the sport, community, and athletic excellence. Running July 22–25 at Fountain Valley School — a stunning 1,100-acre campus at the base of the Rocky Mountains — the festival will showcase rising stars and emerging athletes on a world-class competitive stage, offering them a platform to build pathways toward international competition, including the Olympic Games.
The centerpiece of Opening Day is an exclusive Meet & Greet bringing together festival athletes, local youth, and the community with Olympians, National Team players, and representatives of USA Team Handball — all available to media, fans, and the next generation of players throughout the day.
Wednesday, July 22
- 12:30pm — Meet & Greet with Olympians, National Team Players, Team Handball Ambassadors, Representatives of USA Team Handball, Board Members, Sponsors, and Dignitaries — open to media
- Opening Ceremonies — a formal welcome to the Handball Futures Festival
- Competitive Match Play begins immediately following Opening Ceremonies
- “Try-It” Clinic for local youth between matches, plus an Olympian autograph signing session
Four Days of Competition & Community
The Handball Futures Festival is rooted in the tradition of the original Olympic Festival — and the story begins right here in Colorado Springs. In 1978, Bill and Frankie Tutt created the National Sports Festival (later renamed the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival) with a clear mission: give American athletes consistent, high-level competition between Olympic cycles, and spotlight sports that deserved a bigger stage — including team handball. Colorado Springs hosted those first two festivals in 1978 and 1979, and the Tutts’ vision of connecting emerging competitors with the legends who paved the way remains the beating heart of what Handball Futures is building today.
The event will also serve as a key talent identification opportunity, with athletes evaluated and scouted by the USA Team Handball Women’s National Team Coach.
48 Confirmed Athletes. Four Olympian Coaches.
The festival will feature 48 elite female athletes competing across four regional teams — East, North, West, and South — coached by a staff that includes four U.S. Olympians. Headlining the coaching ranks is Dawn Allinger Lewis, a 1996 Olympian, 1995 Pan American Games gold medalist, and five-time NBC Olympic analyst, alongside fellow Olympians Meg Sanders, Lisa Eagen, and NamSoo Lee.
View Full Coaching Staff & Athlete Roster →“We are thrilled to welcome Olympians and National Team players to connect with the next generation of Team Handball athletes right here in Colorado Springs.”Karen Rosolowski — Executive Director, Handball Futures
“This event is about building community, honoring the history of our sport, and inspiring the athletes who will carry it forward.”Mike Cavanaugh — Tournament Director, Handball Futures
Media are invited to attend Opening Day on Wednesday, July 22 and will have access to Olympians and National Team players during the Meet & Greet and throughout match play. For media credentials and scheduling, contact Director of Communications, Lindalisa Severo at lindalisa@handballfutures.org.
About Handball Futures
Handball Futures is dedicated to fostering the growth of handball in the United States by organizing world-class competitive events and development programs. Through the Handball Futures Festival, we aim to inspire and train a new generation of athletes, offering them a platform to showcase their talent and build pathways toward international competition, including the Olympic Games. For more information, visit handballfutures.org or contact Executive Director Karen Rosolowski at winningperf@gmail.com.
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.
Media Contact
Lindalisa Severo
Communications Director, Handball Futures
lindalisa@handballfutures.org
Sponsorship Contact
Karen Rosolowski
Executive Director, Handball Futures
winningperf@gmail.com
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
El Pomar
USTHFoundation
Colorado Springs Sports Corp
FuseSport
Jose Muldoon’s
