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Podcast (Episode 81e): USA Team Handball Board Member, Ebiye Jeremy Udo-Udoma (AKA: The Handball Ninja)

At the Southern California Beach Handball Championships I interviewed National Team athlete and USA Team Handball Board Member, Ebiye, Udo-Udoma. Ebiye, who has adopted the moniker, the Handball Ninja is well known in the beach community, both domestically and internationally.

We discussed the tournament, the state of beach handball and the challenges of getting beach handball on the Olympic Program given the IOC’s athlete quota that limits a summer games to no more than 10,500 athletes. I then throw him a bit of a curveball question, in that given this quota and the greater chances a USA beach team would have to medal: Should USA Team Handball consider the possibility of taking actions that could lead to an IOC/LA 2028/USOPC/IHF decision to swap beach for the traditional indoor game at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles?

The Handball Ninja on social media: IG FB Twitter TikTok

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Podcast (Episode 81a): Alex Browne of the San Diego Sea Dragons Beach Handball Club

I attended the 2023 Southern California Beach Handball Championships this past weekend and while there I had the opportunity to interview several athletes and coaches. In this interview I caught up with Alex Browne. Alex has played for the U.S. Men’s National team and he and wife Missy (a Women’s National Team athlete) have led the effort to start the Sea Dragons Beach Handball Club in San Diego. And, arguably the Sea Dragons are a model club that other newcomers might be wise to emulate. We discuss how the club got started and, of course, also talk a little Quidditch (urr… Quadball) (And, FYI, he’s represented the U.S. in Quadball, too)

San Diego Sea Dragons: Website Instagram Facebook

Interview with Alex from 2019: Link


Don’t miss an episode:

  • Subscribe on YouTube: Link (Earliest Availability)
  • Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
  • Follow the Team Handball News podcast on Spotify: Link
  • Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link

Podcast (Episode 79): Colton Strickler of Colorado XO Rugby (Part 1): Has this Rugby Club Cracked the Code for Successful Talent Transfer?

Colton Strickler is a media representative for DNVR Rugby. The Colorado XO Rugby Club is a rugby club located in Glendale, Colorado that is focused on rugby training for crossover or “talent transfer” athletes from other sports. In just 2 years time this program has had 6 athletes sign pro rugby contracts with Major League Rugby, the relatively new pro rugby competition started in the U.S.

On the podcast we discuss:

  • Why Rugby’s experience is applicable to handball
    • The XO athlete that triggered this whole podcast: Link
  • Colton’s rugby background
  • Rugby talent transfer: Rugby 7s vs Rugby 15s
  • How the Colorado XOs got started
  • Colorado XO Recruiting Strategies
  • Sports the XOs target
  • The limited post collegiate options for American athletes
  • Colorado XO finances (generalities, not specifics)
  • How the Colorado XO schedule is a bit like Notre Dame football
  • The program’s connection with USA Rugby
  • Coaching and training regimen

  • Colorado XO Website: Link
  • Colorado XO Rugby on Social Media
  • DNVR Rugby Website: Link
  • DNVR Twitter: Link
  • Colton Strickler on Twitter: Link

Don’t miss an episode:

  • Subscribe on YouTube: Link (Earliest Availability)
  • Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
  • Follow the Team Handball News podcast on Spotify: Link
  • Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link

Podcast (Episode 78): Detroit Handball’s Joey Williams (Part 2)


Joey Williams is the President of the Detroit Handball Club. In Part 2 of our two part conversation we cover several topics to include:

  • European vs American club naming conventions
  • Handball social media: Attention for attention’s sake? (3:30)
    • Rodger Sherman of the Ringer hyping Mvumbi on Twitter: Link (an earlier more viral tweet got taken down)
    • The need to back up the social media image
    • Detroit’s 3 on 3 handball league: Link (Clearly, not handball, but there was a point to it)
  • Detroit Handball Club’s future in 1 year… 5 years (21:00)
  • Mercenary club teams in the U.S. (26:30)
  • Detroit Handball Club training with Sporting Handball in Portugal (38:00): Link
  • Josh Forsthoefel questions sent in on Twitter (47:00): Link
  • What does success look like for handball in the U.S.? (52:30)
  • Detroit Handball Documentary (1:01:50) : Link
  • Detroit Handball Club on Social Media

Part 1 of our interview: Link


Don’t miss an episode:

  • Subscribe on YouTube: Link (Earliest Availability)
  • Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
  • Follow the Team Handball News podcast on Spotify: Link
  • Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link

Podcast (Episode 77): Detroit Handball’s Joey Williams (Part 1)

Joey Williams is the President of the Detroit Handball Club. In Part 1 of our two part conversation we discuss the trials and tribulations of his efforts to start the Detroit Club. For the most part he’s been very successful getting the Detroit Club started in the middle of a pandemic, no less.

Here are some links related to our discussion

  • Joey’s 2016 experience at a European GK Camp: Link
  • Joey’s 2019 experience at the ISI Sports Academy in Denmark: Link
  • 2019 Commentary which discussed the hurdles of starting a new club: Link
  • Detroit Masonic Temple (Where Detroit practices): Official Site Wikipedia
  • Detroit Handball Club on Social Media

In Part 2 will delve into a pot pourri of topics including Detroit’s effective use of social media.


Don’t miss an episode:

  • Subscribe on YouTube: Link (Earliest Availability)
  • Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
  • Follow the Team Handball News podcast on Spotify: Link
  • Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link

Podcast (Episode 76): Team USA and AS Cannes Mandelieu’s, Nicole Andersen (Part 2)

Nicole Andersen, has been playing for the U.S. Women’s National Team since 2015. She has Danish and American citizenship and currently plays her club handball for AS Cannes Mandelieu in the French 2nd Division.

In Part 2 of our interview we first discuss Cannes Mandelieu’s current relegation battle and her adjustment to a new role as defensive specialist. We then look back at the U.S. Women’s National Team competitions in 2019 and look ahead to the 2021 North American & Caribbean Championship which will take place this August in Elgin, Illinois.


Don’t miss an episode:

  • Subscribe on YouTube: Link (Earliest Availability)
  • Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
  • Follow the Team Handball News podcast on Spotify: Link
  • Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link

Podcast (Episode 75): Team USA and AS Cannes Mandelieu’s, Nicole Andersen (Part 1)

Nicole Andersen, has been playing for the U.S. Women’s National Team since 2015. She has Danish and American citizenship and currently plays her club handball for AS Cannes Mandelieu in the French 2nd Division. In Part 1 of our interview we discuss how she started playing handball, became a member of the U.S. National Team and her experience this season playing during the pandemic.


Don’t miss an episode:

  • Subscribe on YouTube: Link (Earliest Availability)
  • Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
  • Follow the Team Handball News podcast on Spotify: Link
  • Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link

Podcast (Episode 74): 2021 World Championships Betting Preview

Did I really think that the USA could beat Austria? Yeah, I did (with caveats)

Toma Rimac, joins the podcast and we take a deep dive into the betting odds for the upcoming Handball World Championships. This is a little bit different from your typical preview show as what might be a good bet is often different from predicting who will win. (Important Note: This podcast was recorded prior to all the COVID related developments on 12 January)

  • Toma Rimac on Twitter: Link
  • Oddsen.nu: Link (Betting tips site where Toma is the primary handball writer)
  • Unibet handball odds: Link (We accessed odds on 11 January)


Don’t miss an episode:

  • Subscribe on YouTube: Link (Earliest Availability)
  • Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
  • Follow the Team Handball News podcast on Spotify: Link
  • Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link

Podcast (Episode 73): Team USA and TSV Bayer Dormagen’s, Ian and Patrick Hueter

The Hueter brothers (Ian (center bottom) and (Patrick (left corner) are key members of the USA Men’s National Team.

There’s a long line of handball brothers playing for their country in international handball competition. France’s Bertrand and Guillaume Gille, Spain’s Alex and Daniel Dujshebaev, Poland’s Krzysztof and Marcin Lijewski, Argentina’s Diego, Pablo and Sebastian Simonet and Chile’s Emil, Erwin and Harald Feuchtmann to name a few. Why, even the U.S. had the Fitzgerald brothers (Joe and Tom) representing at the 1996 Olympics. Now added to this long line are Team USA’s Hueter brothers, Ian and Patrick.

Ian and Patrick join the podcast to discuss several topics to include their handball origins, connections to the U.S. despite mostly growing up in Germany, playing for TSV Bayer Dormagen youth teams and transitioning to the pro club, playing in the super competitive HBL 2, their recent contract extensions with Dormagen, Team USA’s upcoming training camp in Denmark and, of course, the upcoming 2021 World Championships.


Don’t miss an episode:

  • Subscribe on YouTube: Link (Earliest Availability)
  • Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
  • Follow the Team Handball News podcast on Spotify: Link
  • Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link

Podcast (Episode 72): Greenlander, Marxwell Masauna Frederiksen and Canadian, Jackson Howden (Part 2): NORCA Cancellation, The IHF selection of the U.S. for the WC and More

A discussion on the new North America & Caribbean Handball Confederation

In Part 1, I chatted with Marxwell Masauna Frederiksen and Jackson Howden about their handball backgrounds.  In Part 2 we discuss the cancellation of the North American & Caribbean Championship and the IHF’s decision to give the U.S. the NACHC slot for the Men’s World Championships.  We also talk about the future of the NACHC including the possibility of the roommates playing against each other, the NACHC getting more spots for the WC, the possibility of Greenland playing in the PANAM Games/Olympic Games, expansion of the Forum Club Handball (FCH) program to help other NACHC nations and the development of beach handball in Greenland and Canada.  Beach Handball in Greenland?

Podcast Interview on the Team Handball News YouTube ChannelEpisode 72 Link (Audio only, mp3 file available at the top of the page)

Commentaries on the IHF Decision

  • The U.S. Gets a 2021 WC Slot while Greenland (and others) stay home (Part 1): The Business Case: Link
  • The U.S. Gets a 2021 WC Slot while Greenland (and others) stay home (Part 2): The Competitive Case: Link

Don’t miss an episode:

  • Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
  • Follow the Team Handball News podcast on Spotify: Link
  • Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link

Podcast (Episode 71): Greenlander, Marxwell Masauna Frederiksen and Canadian, Jackson Howden (Part 1): Roommates and Handball Players Living in Denmark

Marxwell Masauna Frederiksen and Jackson Howden

Greenlander, Marxwell Masauna Frederiksen and Canadian, Jackson Howden are roommates and play for Skjern Handball‘s 2nd team in Denmark. In Part 1 of this interview we discuss their respective handball journeys and playing in Denmark.

Podcast Interview on the Team Handball News YouTube Channel: Episode 71 Link (Audio only mp3 file available at the top of the page)

Previous Greenland Related Handball Podcasts
– 2007 World Championships: Link
– 2018 Minik Dahl Hoegh: Link

Social Media Links
Marxwell Masauna Fredricksen: Instagram
Jackson Howden: Instagram Twitter

In Part 2 we tackle a more controversial topic: The cancellation of the North American and Caribbean Championship and the IHF decision to select the U.S. for the 2021 IHF World Championships.


Don’t miss an episode:

  • Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
  • Follow the Team Handball News podcast on Spotify: Link
  • Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link

Podcast (Episode 70) Andreas Hertelt and his Efforts to Support USA Player Development in Europe

Andreas Hertelt (on the right) with USA Men’s Head Coach, Robert Hedin
(Photo: Markus Hausdorf)

Andreas Hertelt played 13 seasons in the German Bundesliga and represented his country in 10 international games. He has been a Team Leader for the U.S. Men’s National Team and he has been facilitating the placement of U.S. players with European clubs. On the podcast we discuss this program which is financially supported by the Forum Club Handball (FCH) and the U.S. players currently participating in it.

Podcast on YouTube: Link

Wikipedia (DE): Andreas Hertelt: Link


Don’t miss an episode:
– Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
– Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link

Podcast (Episode 69): African Americans and Team Handball in the USA

Watch on YouTube: Link (and subscribe to the Team Handball News YouTube Channel)

The death of George Floyd in Minnesota and the Black Lives Matter protests that have taken place all over the U.S., and even around the world have brought the issue of racial discrimination against African Americans in the U.S. to the forefront.

While for the most part overt racism has been practically nonexistent in USA Team Handball circles underneath the surface there have been issues at play that have likely kept African American participation numbers down.

Joining me to discuss this issue and more are 1996 Olympian, Derek Brown, former North Carolina coach and U.S. Jr National Team Asst Coach, Myles Bacon and NYAC/National Team player and USA Team Handball New York City Ambassador, Divine Jackson.

Here is some background information for some of the items that are discussed in the podcast:

USA Team Handball Diversity & Inclusion Data for Total Membership
USA Team Handball Diversity & Inclusion Data for National Team Athletes

Source for Diversity & Inclusion Data: Link

Excerpt from USA Team Handball Newsletter (8 Jun 2020)

Link to the recent USA Team Handball Newsletter: Link

USA Team Handball’s Current Diversity & Inclusion Plan: Link (Note this plan was actually approved in 2017 and called for the formation of a Diversity & Inclusion Committee back then. It would seem that recent events have provided an impetus for getting this work started.)


Don’t miss an episode:
– Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: Link
– Or use this RSS Feed to sign up for the podcast in your favorite podcast aggregator: Link

And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link