Coming out of a 4-2 record season, the Wildcats handball team has high hopes. This season veteran coaches, Kimberly Reif and Tobias Meier will lead the team.They are hoping to finalize the roster consisting of around 15-20 players by September 20. This will be the sport’s fifth year as an official team at WJ. Reif is optimistic about this year’s season.

“We had a great season last year going 4-2, just barely missing playoffs,” Reif said. However, she knows that they may be at fault.“We lost several students last year due to graduation and moving.”

Handball is a part of the MCPS corollary sports program. Corollary sports serve to increase athletic participation for all students, specifically students with disabilities. One of the most important goals with corollary sports is to have an even ratio of kids with and without disabilities.  

Being a varsity sport, handball games have two 30-minute halves and a 10 minute halftime period. Each team submits seven players, six on the court and one in goal where they pass around a medium-sized ball with their hands. The team who scores the most goals, wins. Some different rules exist in handball due to its corollary status, as two female players must be on the court at all times. The rules of handball in Montgomery County are based off of the rules established by The International Handball Federation (IHF).

All things considered, Reif is still confident.

“This year looks like it will be a rebuilding year for us but I believe we have the potential to be just as good as last year,” Reif said.

So keep an eye out for handball this year; it’s going to be a great season.