Introduction to Handball: Learn to Play!

Relevance of the Theme: Handball, a passionate game!

"In handball, we are true artists, painting our path with passes, jumps, feints, and celebrations!" - Handball Professor

Handball, a genuinely modern sport born in Germany in the early 20th century, is a global passion. It is the most practiced team sport after soccer and is also among the most popular of all sports games. Considered a complete sport, it substantially contributes to the physical, technical, tactical, and psychological development of players.

Its fast-paced dynamics, the need for constant decision-making, the creativity involved in plays, and the interaction among players make it an intriguing and exciting sport. Moreover, it is a game that fosters important values such as teamwork, respect, cooperation, and fair play.

Contextualization: Fitting Handball into Physical Education Classes

"The ball is a means of sharing joy, and handball is the great master of this dance!" - Handball Professor

In the context of school Physical Education, handball is highly relevant. It provides students with the opportunity to experience a team sport with specific rules while having fun and promoting teamwork.

Learning to play handball also contributes to the physical fitness development of students, working on aspects such as strength, endurance, speed, coordination, and agility. Additionally, it stimulates cognitive skills such as quick thinking, strategy, and decision-making.

Specifically in the 7th grade, students already have a solid foundation in terms of knowledge and motor and cognitive skills, which allows them to fully explore and enjoy handball as a sport. Furthermore, learning new sports like handball helps diversify students' experience in Physical Education, making classes richer and more interesting.

Theoretical Development:

Game Components:

• Playing Field: Handball is played on a 40m x 20m rectangle, with two goal areas (semicircles) at each end. It is a shared field, with the center and goal lines used by both teams.

• Objective of the Game: The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opponent by throwing the ball into the opponent's goal. Each goal scores one point.

• Team and Players: Each team has seven players, with six on the field and one on the bench. The goalkeeper is a specialized player whose goal is to prevent the ball from entering the goal. The positions of the other players are not fixed, but commonly include attackers, defenders, and wings.

• Game Duration: A handball game is divided into two halves of 30 minutes each, separated by a 10-minute break. If there is a tie after regular time, there may be overtime or penalty shootouts.

• Game Rules: There are several rules in handball that determine how to play, such as the way to pass and hold the ball, the number of steps allowed without dribbling the ball, the prohibition of touching the ball with the foot, and the prohibition of pushing or holding the opponent.

Vocabulary and Important Terms:

• Pivot: The pivot position is near the goal area. This player is specialized in receiving and finishing plays close to the goal, as well as making blocks and creating space for teammates.

• Counterattack: It is a quick transition play from defense to offense, taking advantage of opponents' carelessness. It is a strategy widely used in handball to surprise the opponent and score easy goals.

• Feint: A feint is a move made with the aim of deceiving the opponent. In handball, it is common to use feints of passes or shots to confuse defenders and open spaces in the defense.

• Throw: The action of throwing the ball towards the opponent's goal. It can be done in different ways, such as jump shot (jumping and throwing the ball) or grip shot (throwing the ball while holding it sideways).

Examples and Cases:

• Brazil versus Germany Game at the 2016 Olympics: In this game, the Brazilian men's handball team defeated Germany 33-30 in an exciting match that demonstrated the intensity and strategy involved in handball.

• Kempa Throw: This is a type of throw in handball named after its inventor, the German Willi Kempa. It is a throw made when the player is in the air, passing the ball over the defense to a teammate, who then throws it towards the goal. This spectacular move is an example of the creativity and strategic thinking that are fundamental parts of handball. The Kempa throw is often used as an example of intelligent and innovative play in handball.

• 3-2-1 Strategy: This is a common defensive strategy in handball. In it, three players position themselves on the six-meter line, blocking close-range shots. Two players stand in front of them, trying to intercept or block passes. And one player stands in front of the defense, trying to deny space for the shot. This strategy exemplifies the tactical importance in decision-making in a handball match.

Detailed Summary:

Key Points:

• Origin of Handball: Originating in Germany, handball is a modern, dynamic sport and one of the most practiced team sports in the world.

• Importance of Handball in Physical Education: Handball contributes to the physical, technical, tactical, and psychological development of players, while fostering values such as teamwork, respect, and cooperation.

• Game Components: Understanding the playing field, game objectives, teams and players, game duration, and rules, elements that are essential for the practice and experience of handball.

• Vocabulary and Important Terms: Introduction to specific handball terms, such as the pivot position, counterattack, feint, and throw, which describe various actions that occur during the game.

• Examples and Cases: Analysis of a game between Brazil and Germany at the 2016 Olympics, a spectacular Kempa throw, and the 3-2-1 defense strategy, for a better understanding of handball practice.

Conclusions:

• Collective and Complex Game: Understanding that handball is a team game that requires physical, technical, and tactical skills, as well as a solid strategy.

• Innovation and Creativity: Identifying the crucial role of innovation and creativity in handball, as demonstrated by innovative plays, such as the Kempa throw.

• Practice and Continuous Learning: Reiteration that proficiency in handball, as in any other sport, is only achieved through continuous practice and learning.

Exercises:

1. Drawing of a Handball Field: Draw a complete handball field, with all its lines and marked areas, identifying each of them.

2. Identification of Terms: Explain in your own words the meaning of key handball terms: pivot, counterattack, feint, and throw.

3. Game Analysis: Watch a handball game and identify three tactical strategies used by the teams during the match. Describe how these strategies influenced the game.