The Canadian Women’s national team will not be participating at the upcoming Pan American Team Handball Federation (PATHF) Championships next week in Chile. In email correspondence, Canadian Handball Federation President, Ward Hrabi, indicated that several factors played a role in this decision which was made by the Federation’s Board of Directors. Chief among these factors was the unanticipated retirement of several veteran players and an insufficient number of skilled junior players ready or willing to make the commitment for national team training and competition. In particular, the lack of an experienced goalie was seen as a major handicap to fielding a competitive team.

Hrabi, added that the decision with its impact on future qualification tournaments was not taken lightly. As a result of this decision Canada is automatically relegated from the PATHF’s Elite Division to Division I status. Assuming that the current PATHF World Championship qualification system is used again for 2011, Canada will now be required to participate in a Division 1 Championship in Fall 2010. Additionally, at about the same time, qualification for the 2011 Pan American (PANAM) Games should also take place. In 2006 Canada beat the U.S. in a best of 3 match series to qualify for the 2007 PANAM Game.

2009 Women’s PATHF Championship: http://www.panamhandball.org/images/doc/schedule_panam_women_2009.pdf