Houette joined Chambray Touraine in 2022 and when she did, the club’s goal was clear. With her experience and the experiences of players such as Laura Van der Heijden and Nadia Mielke-Offendal, Chambray are aiming to place themselves firmly on the European map. “The team is building itself piece by piece. It really feels like, this season, we were ready for this group phase. Now, in a way, we want to show that Chambray and Europe can be used in the same sentence,” smiles Houette, before adding, “It’s not only about us, though, it is about French handball as well. It’s great that we have two teams in the group phase.”
After defeating Banik Most in qualification round 3 (60:47 on aggregate), the French side is now ready to take on some of the best teams in Europe during this group phase. “Thüringer and Braila are among the favourites and Zagreb are always dangerous. But we want to look those teams in the eyes” says Houette. “Playing in Braila, against their fans is really exciting, and it’s a nice sign of fate that we play against Thüringer again.”
Houette’s role will be key for Chambray Touraine if they want to progress in the competition. Thanks to her knowledge of European competitions and to her long career, she has been telling the young players around her that they would better enjoy the opportunity to play the EHF European League. “It’s a great opportunity to show yourself as a player and to help your club progress. We worked like hell last season to play in the EHF European League, so this group phase is kind of a reward for that,” says the 31-year-old, before concluding, “We are going to make the most of these six games, while trying to get some more and working to come back next year at this level. And if it means a lot of work, so be it!”
