PLAY THE GAME
What is Handball?
Handball has been described as football with hands, water-polo without the water, and basketball with nets.
What it is, is the most exciting, high scoring, action packed team sport that can be played anywhere by anyone.
Shots can reach the speed of a car on the motorway and players can run 5-6 kilometres in a match.
You can play this multi-skilled sport for fun or competitively.
Be part of the excitement.
Great news!
You are looking at starting a new Handball Club!
There are some important steps that you will need to take in order to provide the best possible environment for your potential new members. England Handball has a set of Fit for Purpose criteria that all clubs must meet before affiliating with us as an emerging club. Don’t worry, the team at England Handball are here to help you along the way.
England Handball run various development tournaments throughout the season for new clubs to be able to experience some competitive handball. Keep your eyes peeled on our competitions pages for more information.
You will need to consider the following elements of your club:
- Coaching qualifications
- Club safeguarding standards
- Club first aid provision
Evidence of requirements must be uploaded to the England Handball membership
system
Once you have everything in place to meet our Fit for Purpose criteria, you can affiliate to England Handball as an emerging club.
Emerging clubs are our group of handball clubs that are just starting their journey of development. As an emerging club you are an affiliated to England Handball, this affiliation provides you with Public Liability insurance cover, which is often required when hiring sports centres for training.
To affiliate as an emerging club, clubs must first meet our Fit for Purpose criteria as follows:
Club Coaching
Every club must have a minimum of one named and trained club coach identified on the England Handball membership system
Anyone coaching independently or leading a session must have:
- Minimum level 1 Coaching Handball qualification
- DBS Check (for relevant age group e.g. Children/Minors/Adults)
- UK Coaching: Safeguarding and Protecting Children qualification
and should have a:
- First Aid Certificate
Club Welfare
All clubs must have a named and trained Club Welfare Officer identified on the England Handball membership system, with the following qualifications:
- CPSU: Time to listen course
- UK Coaching: Safeguarding and Protecting Children qualification
Club First Aid
All clubs must have a named and trained Club First Aider identified on the England Handball membership system with an appropriate qualification. Clubs must have a First Aider at training and matches.
Once you think you are ready to affiliate with us, please click here You will then be sent login details for our affiliation system. If you need any help with the affiliation process please contact angela.deakin@englandhandball.com
A one stop shop for our affiliated clubs that play regularly in England Handball competition.
England Handball is committed to supporting clubs and aims to provide the best possible environment for your members, in order to support the growth of handball in England. As part of this commitment England Handball have compiled our Fit for Purpose criteria that all affiliated clubs must meet to enable affiliation.
Evidence of requirements should be uploaded to the England Handball membership system as part of your affiliation journey.
The full fit for purpose criteria document can be found in the rules and regulations and covers the following:
- Club Coaches
- Club Welfare
- Club First Aid
- Club Governance and communication
- Team kit/Uniform
- International Transfer Certificate
Requirements
- Venue Requirements
- Match Scoreboard/Timing
- Referees
- Table officials
- Youth Development
You can access the England Handball affiliation system here
The England Handball Club Handbook (coming soon) will consolidate all of the information related to competition in one place.
It will include the following:
England Handball competition Rules & Regulations
- Senior
- Junior
- Universities (BUCS)
- National Cup
- England Handball affiliated club contacts and playing colours
- England Handball Scoresheet
- Matchday protocol
- Youth age group dispensation form
- Referee request form
- How to guide: Organising a league
fixture - How to guide: Submitting results
- How to guide: How to register players
- How to guide: How to register your teams
- How to guide: International Transfer
Certificates - Disciplinary procedures
- Referee report
- Club report
Funding opportunities will be placed here for clubs.
Our next round of funding will open soon and you will be able to find all the details here.
English