Key insights on grassroots development at Women's Handball Conference
The preparations for the biggest edition of the Women’s EHF EURO so far are ramping up and excitement levels are higher than ever, as the main show will take place between 28 November and 15 December in Austria, Hungary and Switzerland. Apart from the long-awaited championship, one of the highlights of the season is the second edition of the Women’s Handball Conference in Vienna. On 10 and 11 December at the Flemings Hotel, renowned experts will take the stage to share insights on the continuous development of women’s handball.
The European Handball Federation (EHF) has released the third part of the event’s programme, offering participants a packed schedule with must-see presentations.
Efforts in improving the sports environment for female athletes need to start from an early stage, also ensuring the evolution of strategies aimed at the grassroots level. Speakers from handball and outside the sport will present best practices and various strategies on how to overcome challenges and build sustainable grassroots growth. This subject has gained more and more attention lately, as it is essential to grow the foundation of sports, to offer opportunities to everyone – including players with impairment or special needs – and to play and enjoy the sport in a safe, fun and fair environment. The Women’s Handball Conference is a great moment to listen to examples within grassroots development, as fostering a lifelong interest in sports will reinforce the community by generating more fans, players, referees, coaches and other essential specialists.
One of the first unmissable sessions of the conference is Elisabeth Cebrian-Scheurer’s presentation titled “Her World, Her Rules” – Welcome to my Playground. Elisabeth boasts an impressive background, having participated as an athlete at major international events in basketball – such as the Olympic Games, as well as European and World Championships – and now working as Head of Women in Basketball and Special Projects at FIBA. Her wide experience serves as an important pillar for her presentation, as she is set to deliver insights on “one of FIBA's most recognized initiatives in women's basketball”, which aims to promote women's and girls' basketball across the globe.
Elisabeth Cebrian-Scheurer’s presentation on 10 December will be followed by two other experts in women’s sports: Balázs Tóth and Anne-Laure Michel. Coming from the world of taekwondo, the former Hungarian athlete and current head coach of the German female senior national team, Balázs Tóth, will offer the participants a presentation on “Managing the different age groups and improving skills of female athletes”. The session is meant to offer tips on how to manage various age groups and pave the way to the Olympic Games, while highlighting the similarities between handball and taekwondo.
The conference’s programme dives even deeper into the challenges regarding women’s sports, with Anne-Laure Michel’s lecture drawing attention to “Female health in handball and how to avoid dropout of teenage girls”. As a Project Manager at Athletes Inspire Children (NGO), Anne has experience in tackling the main risks of girls’ exclusion from sports and finding the right solutions to improve female players’ experiences in professional sports. Her presentation aims to provide an understanding of why teen girls stop doing sports at a certain age, identify warning signs, implement suitable strategies and offer support for girls to engage in sports.
The next day, on 11 December, the schedule is enriched with two more insightful sessions from elite handball referees Maike Merz and Tanja Kuttler and EHF Expert Carlos Prieto. The German sisters’ duo have rich experience in refereeing in the Bundesliga, but also at major international events such as the EHF Champions League Women 2021/22 final and the Men’s EHF EURO 2024. Having worked together since 2008 and joining EHF events in 2014, Maike Merz and Tanja Kuttler are set to deliver a presentation on “The world of refereeing – The path and challenges for elite female referees”.
Former Spanish handball player, expert evaluator for the European Commission, EHF Expert and Respect Yout Talent Ambassador Carlos Prieto will complete the programme with a session aimed at highlighting “Importance of gender in Share & Play”. The main subject of his talk is centred around gender as a main element in the Share and Play methodology, while also explaining how the development of sports in the early ages can benefit from an adequate approach.
Make sure you won't miss out on the opportunity to take part in the Women's Handball Conference and register now!
