The IHF Beach Handball Working Group hosted a Master course in Oceania, for all interested members of the New Zealand and Australian Handball Federation. Purpose of this course was to further develop beach handball in these countries. The Master course was part of the IHF Beach Handball Working Group 3-year’s plan and was carried out by the IHF Beach Handball lecturers George Bebetsos and Sinisa Ostoic who covered aspects of the sport, including coaching, refereeing, officiating, bench duties and event management. All 67 participants attended the course successfully and received a national certification. Both NZHF and AHF are proud to announce that these are the first ever graduates of such a programme held in Oceania. The IHF wishes for those people to progress to continental and international certification within the next couple of years.

In New Zealand the Course was held in conjunction with the 6th Annual Wellington Open Beach Handball Championships, which took place from 20 to 24 January 2011. In Australia, the Master course was held at the North Kirra Surf Lifesaving Club, Gold Coast, Queensland, before and during the 2011 Australian National Beach Handball Championships from 26 to 30 January 2011.

The IHF envisages returning to Oceania to do the international level certification in the nearest future.