Wednesday, April 6, 2016 Story and photos by Stephanie Zacharias
Students at Saratoga Springs High School gathered in teams on March 24th, 2016 to battle in the handball tournament. Players came for many reasons having fun in an enjoyable, competitive atmosphere.
“Work as a team and together you’re the strongest,” said Jasmin Kostka. This helps balance the team’s differences. The goalie is extremely focused to block incoming shots, while the team defenders rush to get the ball in the other direction.
“Athletic big bodies and good chemistry” are the keys to a good team, said Billy Hinckley. The teams who have little to no experience focused more on developing their strategies than the more experienced players who focused on muscle and agility.
“It’s usually pretty competitive and more fun when organized, and you can choose your team,” said Max Yelverton.
Good communication skills during and before the game make a big difference in how a team will perform.
“Listen to each other and work well with everyone,” said Jonah Kauffman. When a team knows each others’ plans for the movement of the ball throughout the game, it increases their shot at winning, he added.
Some teams went in cold, discovering the strengths of their players as the games progressed, while others knew the game and were ready for action.
It seemed that the best part of handball for the players was the action-packed atmosphere and the enjoyment of socializing with teammates and others.
“It’s a fun thing to play with friends and enjoy, not just to win,” said Jasmin Kostka.
People warmed up for the tournament in a number of different ways. Some like Kauffman’s team didn’t do much to prepare but loosened up with some leg swings, while other teams like Billy Hinckley’s were in the parking lot jamming out to some of their favorite music. Others such as Max Yelverton’s team stretched out as a group and gamed up with a strategic plan.
The East Coast Outliers team won the 2016 handball tournament. They worked hard to get to the final round facing off with the Sock Monkeys.
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Great article and photos! Tournament was a lot of fun.