Although there is a small amount of experience with team handball on campus, Auburn has grabbed the attention of USA Team Handball.
After a multi-day visit to The Plains that ended with an open tryout for the men's Olympic training squad, representatives from both the University and the national team were optimistic about the partnership that could make Auburn the home for team handball in the United States.
"I am pleasantly surprised with the offer we have received from Auburn," said Javier Garcia Cuesta, head coach of the U.S. men's national team. "After seeing the facilities and the connections we could have with the School of Kinesiology, I am very positive about the possibility of us being here."
Auburn's connection to Team USA Handball is Reita Clanton, director of the School of Kinesiology's new Performance Optimization Center. Clanton played on the first women's U.S. handball team at the Olympics and has several years of experience on its coaching staff.
"From our perspective, we think the visit from USA Team Handball has gone very well," Clanton said. "We are very, very optimistic about the residency programs coming here. There are still a few details left to hammer out, but we all think this would be a win-win setup for the national team and Auburn."
Clanton said the amount of feedback and participation for Saturday's open tryout for the Olympic training squad was highly beneficial for Auburn's bid to become the home of the national teams.
"With the short time frame we had to get the word out and get people to say that they were interested--not even knowing what the game was--I'm thrilled and (Cuesta) is thrilled," Clanton said. "The enthusiasm was what was so impressive to me. Everyone was so eager and open to learning the game."
Twenty-nine people, from recent high school graduates to University students to local professional athletes, came to Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum Saturday for a chance to be a part of a potential Olympic squad. After a lesson on the rules and fundamentals, participants went through almost two hours of drills and scrimmages.
The national team's coaches said they were impressed with what they saw on the court.
"First of all, the number of people we had and the amount of enthusiasm for the sport was encouraging," Cuesta said. "Second, we found three or four players that are the type of athlete we are looking for, so I'm very excited."
Because team handball has similarities to more popular sports like basketball, soccer, water polo and ultimate Frisbee, tryout participants had a grasp on the skills needed to succeed.
However, there were some transitions that had to be made.
"This tryout was very eye-opening," said Ryan Norman, Auburn senior and tryout participant. "There was a lot of raw talent out there. A lot of us had the muscle memory from playing other sports, so it was weird to adjust to a new but similar sport in a short amount of time."
Clanton knew some of the area's best young athletes were going to be a part of the tryout, but said she was impressed with more than just the physical skills of those on the court.
"A lot of these great athletes we had out here also had a great amount of court sense and tactical awareness," Clanton said. "Overall, this was better than the average open tryout."
Cuesta said there was not a set date for a decision on the future of USA Team Handball in Auburn, but the staff had an "as soon as possible" mindset.
The final meetings between the School of Kinesiology and the national team were held after the tryout. Auburn's proposal will be presented to the sport's national board in the coming weeks.
Even if USA Team Handball decides to choose another location for its residency program, the response from Auburn showed team handball could easily become a part of the athletic setup on campus.
"I'd love to keep playing team handball," Norman said. "You know, a club team, intramurals--anything to get it going here."
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