Businesses Support British Handball

A HOST of businesses have come forward to support British Handball as they prepare for the 2012 Olympics in London next year, adding to the growing portfolio of sponsors getting behind the exciting sport.

Handball is one of the fastest growing sports in Britain and is set to prove one of the success stories of the Games, with schools, universities and adult clubs across the land seeing unprecedented demand for the sport.

The latest businesses to come forward and support British Handball are top footwear manufacturer Mizuno, Feet Fresh deodorant powder and Global Sports Jobs.

Representatives from all those firms and other interested parties last week attended a presentation event with the GB Women’s handball team at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, where the women’s team will shortly be based following an earlier partnership deal with GLL.

Mizuno are now the official partner and preferred footwear supplier to both the men’s and women’s handball teams for the next two years, a move which ensures the teams will be best-equipped for the Olympics.

Both teams will be using Mizuno’s new handball-specific shoe, the Wave Stealth, which has been developed from research carried out with elite handball players from across Europe.

Feet Fresh is a natural mineral deodorant powder intended for the protection and preservation of foot health, implementing and maintaining the desired climate in the footwear - something that is essential for top athletes to perform at their best.

And Global Sports Jobs is a web-based career advice portal supporting professionals working in the sports sector, helping them find their perfect job, build their network and get ahead in their careers.

Will Lloyd, Director of Global Sports Jobs, added: “We are delighted to partner with the British Handball Association and to welcome them to our global network.

“With GlobalSportsJobs, the BHA will take the lead in creating a global jobs board for the handball community around the world, ensuring that the sport and its partners have access to the best professional talent available.

“I have been extremely impressed by the professionalism and the progressive outlook of the BHA and its officials and look forward to working with them.”

A number of other businesses also came forward with offers of help for British Handball and the athletes as they prepare for the move to live, work and train in London.

A long-term partner of British Handball, specialist flooring company Gerflor were also present and helped make the event such a success.

“We are delighted to welcome all our new partners on board,” said British Handball CEO Paul Goodwin.
“They are all offering different services and products, but each one is playing an important part in helping to make the GB handball teams a success as we prepare for the London Olympics.

“But they are also helping create a lasting legacy for handball in this country, something they can rightly feel proud of.”

“We’re in it for the long-haul, not just London 2012,” said GLL Regional Manager Tony Wallace. “The GLL Sports Foundation support 850 athletes throughout London of which the GB athletes here are part of it.

“We see it is a natural progression for London 2012 and beyond, all these athletes are getting a real good grounding into sport and the opportunity to excel.”