Handball may not be a high profile sport in this country, but a Scotswoman is leading the way as Britain’s women bid to change that image and go for Olympic glory in 2012.

Lynn McCafferty is captain of the newly formed Great Britain women’s handball team based in Aarhus, Denmark, and the squad, who are already making an impact on the sport, are hoping to bring handball to the masses in London in four years time.

“I first started playing handball when I was 11.  I was friends with some girls in primary school and one of the girls' sister played handball in our local sports centre and so I gave it a try.  I was playing netball at the time for the school and also for the local team and inevitably had to make a choice as they were clashing.”

Eighteen years later and McCafferty has given up everyday life in Cumbernauld where she worked a fitness instructor for the rigours of life a full-time athlete in Denmark.

At 29 she is one of the most experienced of the group made up of seasoned handball players and newcomers to the squad through the sport’s talent identification programme and is relishing the challenge ahead of her.

“It can be hard and initially stressful to integrate with new players on court, but we are a developing squad and we are learning as a team to manage it,” she explains.

“The inexperienced girls have developed so much now and have improved so quickly I don’t think anyone would be able to tell the difference from the new and old players anymore.  If anything they have brought a new freshness to the squad and a new drive and of course that little bit of competitiveness as well.

“We have lots of fully qualified and trained support staff from the World Class Handball Programme who help us to understand and manage any problems which may arise.  We have a Sports Psychologist and a Personal Lifestyle Manager who meet with us individually and as a team, and we approach this subject pretty often. 

“We have set up our own Athlete Forum where we sit together and chat openly and honestly about issues which may arise.”

Apart from the challenges of integrating into a new team and juggling full-time training for the Great Britain team and Danish club Grenaa with a part-time job and Danish lessons, McCafferty has had to deal with living away from friends, family and her husband Gary while she lives at the handball academy in Aarhus.

“I thought it was going to be hard this term with Gary being home. He started the programme with me in August 2006 and then was deselected last December but it has actually been ok,” she says. 

“When we were first here we lived in different parts of Denmark and we only saw each other every four to six weeks.  But now he is living in our house back in Cumbernauld with our dog Stella.

“I have been home twice since January and Gary has been out here to visit once so I see him every 4 weeks and that is what it’s been like really for the past 2 years, so I’m actually used to it.  But now it’s easier mentally, less stress and I’m busier.”

The sacrifices that she and the squad have made are already beginning to bear fruit. The team recently travelled to the Challenge Trophy tournament in Cyprus and finished in a strong fourth place.

“I think that in Cyprus we showed ourselves how far we have come and how we are managing to play together and also what we have to do to get even better together. Now it’s just about putting it into practice.

“We didn’t expect to finish top of our table or beat the team that eventually finished in second place.  That said we were disappointed not to come home with a medal but what we gained was enough to satisfy us and now we know where we are and what we can and will do to beat the two teams that beat us in the tournament next time.  I know we have surprised a few people.”

And Lynn has no doubt that the British handball teams will be able to show those who have criticised the level of funding their sport has given that they have been worth every penny.

“When it comes to 2012 I know that British Handball will play competitively in the competition and show how much hard work we have done thanks to the funding, make Great Britain proud and leave a legacy for the sport in Great Britain. 

“Minority sports in Britain need to be given a chance to show that our sport is also just as good as football.  Handball is a fantastic spectator sport and it just needs to be given a chance. 

“I have played handball for 18 years, travelled all over the world, seen some fantastic countries and this I did by raising the money myself.  The situation we are in just now is a once in a lifetime opportunity and it’s thanks to UK Sport and the National Lottery that we are able to do this. 

“I would unfortunately never have been able to finance this by myself so if UK Sport and the National Lottery are going to fund sports to help them be more competitive in the Olympics and win medals for Great Britain, then I am going to take this opportunity with open hands and do everything I can to fulfil our targets that we need to receive the funding.”

AW
© Copyright In The Winning Zone, MMVIII, All Rights Reserved