UNC club handball will play for a national title in Fetzer

The Carolina Team Handball Club has the home court advantage in the USA Team Handball College National Championship that begins today in Fetzer Hall.

And while Myles Bacon, the men’s team coach, said UNC has some weaknesses, he said he is confident in his team’s strengths.

“We aren’t as physically intimidating as teams before,” he said.

“But we are probably one of the better-skilled overall teams that will be in the tournament.”

Bacon said West Point is UNC’s main rival in the sport because both schools have long-established programs.

Senior Stephen Hampton, captain of the men’s team, compared the game to water polo, saying there are six players on the court at a time playing both offense and defense.

Their objective is to score in the opponent’s goal, which is surrounded on all sides by a six-meter perimeter.

When a player gets the ball, he or she can take up to three steps and then must either pass or shoot.

Jason Halsey, UNC’s director of sport clubs, said the tournament has a men’s bracket with nine teams and a women’s bracket with four teams.

The tournament will begin today at 4 p.m., and the championship matches will be held on Sunday — the men’s final at 9 a.m. and the women’s final at 1 p.m.

Hampton said the men’s team has two groups competing — the A-squad, “Carolina,” and the B-squad, “Tar Heels.”

Hampton said even though the sport isn’t well known in America, he thinks it should be.
“It’s full-contact and fast-paced,” he said.

“It’s probably the most American sport that Americans don’t know of.”

Bacon said UNC is the only North Carolina school competing.

Senior Liz Sims, captain of the women’s team, said in practice, the team mostly focuses on perfecting the team dynamic.

“Instead of working to be a player one-on-one, we just emphasize working together a lot and moving as a team,” she said.

She said almost all of the players had no experience before coming to UNC, but their older teammates helped train them.

The captains both said that having the tournament in Chapel Hill will give their teams an edge.

Hampton said he is looking forward to having a full crowd of friends and family. He said the team invited 1,300 people through Facebook.

“We would love to see the gym packed — it would definitely make a difference,” he said.

Contact the desk editor at university@dailytarheel.com.