DETROIT, MI — Handball is a sport you probably only hear about once every four years when the Olympics rolls around. However, the non-profit group MotorCity Handball, is working to help grow the game, and make it more accessible for kids looking to pick up a fun activity this summer.
Well I started when I was a kid when I was growing up in Germany until I moved to the United States," said Richard Hesketh the Chair of MotorCity Handball.
When Hesketh moved to Detroit, handball had no real traction within the city, but with the Olympic Games coming to Los Angeles in two years, he sees this moment as an opportunity.
“Often times what happens is that Olympics happen, people get really interested in the sport and then they realize there’s no opportunities anywhere to participate. We’re trying to over the next couple of years to at least have something in place that is recognizable, that people can come and participate in the sport,” said Hesketh.
This summer the Clark Park Coalition and MotorCity Handball teamed up to provide a free camp for kids, giving them a chance to try out the sport.
“Southwest Detroit as a neighborhood and a community has evolved over the last 15-20 years. Now we want to help to elevate the kids, right?” Said Beto Gallegos the Program Manager for the Clark Park Coalition.
With youth sports becoming much more professionalized and expensive in recent years, this camp aims to do the opposite, with accessibility at the top of mind.
“Growing up in Germany sports were always accessible. There was a small fee, but it was always community supported so if you wanted to play no matter what sport you could go play it. Clark Park is great because they have a similar mission of providing something to the community, we want to lean into that,” said Hesketh.
“I was here playing baseball originally, but then I heard that there was going to be handball and that go me really interested,” said Joseph Venzuela.
While these kids probably won’t become Olympians from this camp only, for Richard, he just hopes they’re just enjoying their time
“I don’t want them to worry about, will this get me a scholarship or am I going to make the team? For me the idea is you pursue this because it’s fun and interesting. It’s about building a community, doing it with your friends. Kind of establishing that as a foundation I think will help carry it forward in ways other sports can’t as easily,” said Hesketh.
The camp is held every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m in Clark Park. For more information visit clarkparkdetroit.org
