Handball European Championship: Why the Swiss women’s national team is so young

The start of the European Handball Championship was somewhat turbulent for the Swiss. In the first game They almost gave up a 10-goal lead. And Denmark was clearly stronger on Sunday.

Neither is entirely surprising. The Swiss team is still extremely young and lacks routine. The average age against Denmark was not even 23 years. Left winger Era Baumann and goalie Seraina Kuratli are only 17 years old. Both made their European Championship debut against the Danes. “Two years ago I would never have dreamed of this,” says Era Baumann.

At that time she made her debut in the highest Swiss league – and started at the handball academy together with Kuratli OYM in Cham their training. The OYM is one of the newest and most professional training facilities in Switzerland and has existed for four years. This is also one reason why Switzerland has one of the youngest teams at the European Championships.

Four years ago, the association began to set up an academy based on the Netherlands model. “The association asked itself whether it wanted to invest in women’s sports,” says Simona Furger, head of the academy. The answer to this was yes, and the “Ferrari” was chosen with the OYM, which is slowly paying off.

Seven of the 18 players in the European Championship squad were at the academy. Not one of them the only 19-year-old top performer Mia Emmenegger. Nevertheless, she is a fan of the academy. “She shows the young players that handball can be a career,” she says.

From Sunday evening to Thursday lunchtime, Kuratli and Baumann live at the academy and train twice a day. The players go to school between the two training sessions. Closing time is at 6 p.m. “Then the regeneration time begins,” says Furger. This is often not given enough importance in a semi-professional environment. Baumann says: “Life in the academy is the preliminary stage to professional life.”

Clubs have to make compromises

But a good training facility alone is not enough, says Furger. The clubs also have to do their part. They are without their best young players during the week.

On Thursday evening and Friday they train with their club GC Amicitia Zurich, with whom they will contest the championship at the weekend. “So we see each other six days a week – and when I say six days, I mean whole days,” says Baumann. Of course a friendship develops. She describes Kuratli as a “very loving” person. However, they do not share a room with the national team or on campus at the OYM. “But that wasn’t an active decision, it just happened that way,” says Kuratli. The goalkeeper will complete the KV in two years, and Baumann will then graduate. The Handball Academy offers these two options – but the primary goal is different. “The graduates should aim for a professional career,” says Furger.

Baumann and Kuratli want to take the first step at the home European Championships. “I think this will connect us forever,” says Baumann. With a win against Croatia, the Swiss team can qualify for the main round on Tuesday evening.

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