USA Team Handball is hosting an open tryout on January 6, 2018, in Auburn, AL and on January 7, 2018, in Birmingham, AL to recruit female athletes to join the Women’s National Team and Junior National Team.

“Right now we are preparing for the 2019 World Championships and the 2020 Olympics,” said USATH Women’s Coach Christian Latulippe. “We are looking for high-quality female athletes from soccer, basketball, softball, and volleyball backgrounds to join our residency program in Auburn to train and learn the sport.”

Since many Americans are unfamiliar with the sport of handball and have little or no playing experience, the National Team coaches look for athletes with running, jumping, throwing and catching skills. Tenacity, agility, fitness, and aggressiveness are also helpful qualities to become a successful handball player, because handball is a physical, contact sport.

“We are also looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles,” said Latulippe. “Being the host country we have an automatic bid and want to put forth our strongest team to show the world we are a medal contender. We are identifying younger athletes now who we can develop over the next 10 years to become Olympians.”

The Junior National Team tryouts are for girls born in 1998 – 2002, while the Senior National Team tryouts are for women born in 1997 or before. Registration is $30 for Juniors and $50 for Seniors. Below is the Tryout schedule.

Saturday, January 6, 2018 (Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum – Auburn, AL)

9:00 – 10:30 am Junior tryout session I
10:30 am – 12:00 pm Senior tryout session I
2:00 – 3:30 pm Junior tryout session II
3:30 – 5:00 pm Senior tryout session II

Register at http://usateamhandball.usetopscore.com/e/womens-national-team-january-2018-tryout

Sunday, January 7, 2018 (Greystone YMCA, 5414 US-280, Birmingham, AL)

4:00 – 6:00 pm Junior tryout

Register at http://usateamhandball.usetopscore.com/e/womens-junior-national-team-tryout