Czechia target an enjoyable, motivating handball experience for kids

For some national federations, the decision to apply to be part of the Master Plan project revolves around entirely around new ideas to be introduced. For others, it means building on concepts that have already been implemented but that the federation in question wants to grow.

The latter is the case for the Czech Handball Federation (Český svaz házené; CSH), who joined the Master Plan project at the end of 2024, aiming to significantly expand a school league programme for primary school children.

Key facts

• the Czech Master Plan project is still within its first year, with the agreement signed in December 2024 and the project beginning in January 2025; it will conclude in December 2027
• the focus is on mini handball in schools and involves the continued growth of a school league, the education of teachers, the creation and distribution of methodological material and promotion on a dedicated website
• the base of the Master Plan project is a CSH project, the Mini Handball School League, which has been running for several years; the EHF Master Plan was engaged in order to accelerate growth of the programme and increase visibility
• the Mini Handball School League project is coordinated by the CSH in cooperation with 14 regional federations and targets students aged six to 11

Creation of the concept

The Mini Handball School League project was introduced some years ago and has grown to include 350 schools, reaching approximately 8,000 children. The original idea was to compensate for the fact that handball is not a regular part of physical education classes by reintroducing the sport for primary students and making it a part of school life.

The School League concept sees primary schools gathering with others in their region for mini handball events. Local clubs lend their support as well.

“The main issue was that kids aged six to 11 had a small chance to play handball at school and teachers did not know much about the sport,” says project coordinator Matěj Oąkera.

“To fix this, we began training about 150 teachers every year through seminars. Teachers learned fun but enthusiastic ways to teach handball and the schools taking part in the project also received equipment like balls and goals so they could use it in PE classes right away.”

Simultaneously with those activities, the CSH built a new website offering information and connecting all the relevant parties including schools and clubs.

“As the project keeps getting bigger, we felt it was time to take further steps, since we believe it can be vital in attracting new kids into handball,” says Oąkera of why the CSH decided to apply for collaboration with the EHF, which means they receive assistance such as teaching resources, expert advice and equipment.

“Since handball has been missing from PE classes for many years, for many children this is their first chance to try the sport. We hope that by giving them a positive first experience in school, they will continue in clubs and help build the sport’s future.”

Alongside the core aim of expanding the Mini Handball School League and with a broad understanding that the value of the project lies in supporting children’s physical and social development, the original CSH Master Plan project goals outlined included:

• training 400–450 primary school teachers through accredited seminars;
• creating a methodical website with teaching materials, club and school databases, and support tools;
• producing and distributing methodical materials;
• recruiting new players and teachers; and
• strengthening the links between schools and clubs.

Together with the activities, promotion and visibility are key. “Our main communication goal in the project will be to raise awareness of the School League project, of handball in general, and also to connect the youth category — the very youngest — with the senior level,” says head of media and marketing at CSH, Kryštof Rossmann.

• The core targets defined on the communication side were to:
• maximise the reach and multiply the impact of outputs connected to the School League;
• attract new schools to the project; and
• increase the number of children who stay in handball after the School League.

“Our task will be to turn as many good ideas and concepts into reality as possible”

The CSA submitted the first interim report in June, six months into the Master Plan project. At that point, regular regional tournaments and school competitions were being organised, over 50 teachers had been trained through accredited seminars held in two regions, and distribution of equipment to schools and clubs had begun.

“The teacher seminars have been very successful, and the feedback has been positive. The new website is now being launched, and it is much more than a basic webpage. It connects schools, clubs, and families, and offers useful resources,” says Oąkera.

An initial part of the plan was to create a dedicated app for the Mini Handball School League, but it was ultimately decided that a specific app would not offer additional value compared to a standalone website capable of reaching all the target users with no need for installation. The decision was based on this logic as well as broader experience on the part of developers in the sports sphere.

“One challenge has been setting priorities. We originally thought about making a mobile app, but instead we focused all our energy on improving the website. The next test will be to see how teachers and league managers use the system in practice.”

Regarding the promotional side, visual identity updates including a new logo were completed in the first six months, and communication with schools and via social media increased.

“For a long time, we wanted to move the project forward, modernise it, and show a wide audience that handball is a fantastic sport worth trying,” says Rossmann.

“I think we are finding creative solutions that will appeal to the wider public. The range of possibilities is endless, and our task will be to turn as many good ideas and concepts into reality as possible. We believe that soon the feedback from children, parents, and teachers will show us that we are on the right path.

“We have already achieved significant media coverage, produced major reports, and, most importantly, created a brand-new communication platform designed specifically for children and their needs. We believe it will also attract parents and primary school teachers who are not yet involved in the project. And this is only the beginning.”

“We want every child’s first experience with handball to be enjoyable and motivating”

Overall, the CSA Master Plan project is well on track in all areas. The interest on the part of primary schools has been greater than anticipated and the CSA expect that the number of participating schools will exceed the initial estimates.

“Right now, we are in the rollout stage. The website is being introduced, ambassadors are preparing to join tournaments, and we are waiting for the first reactions. By the end of the first year, we want teachers, kids, and league managers to use the platform naturally, and we hope ambassadors will bring more energy and visibility,” says Oąkera.

“By the end of the project, we want the School League of mini handball to be a strong national programme with a clear identity and long-term stability. We also want more children to move from school leagues into handball clubs. Most importantly, we want every child’s first experience with handball to be enjoyable and motivating so they continue playing and help shape the sport’s future.”

Photos © Kolektiff Images