One month in to 2018, there have already been many notable handball events around the world to mark the start of another exciting year on court.

 

In Costa Rica, the IHF conducted a refereeing course on January 22 and 26, featuring both theoretical and practical components. The course was run by IHF expert Javier Moure, who commended the enthusiasm shown by participants and the assistance received from the Costa Rican Handball Federation:

 

“The national referee chairman [Gerardo Valverde] has participated as a special collaborator, and he consistently supported my work,” said Moure in his report.

 

20 participants attended the refereeing course, along with three coaches as special guests. The referees ranged in age from 17 to 49 years old. “Most of them are players in different teams, but they also want to be referees in the immediate future,” said Moure.

 

The level of experience differed significantly, from those who whistled their first match during the course to others who count several years on the court as referees. Among the young participants, Moure identified some pairs with potential to progress towards a future in refereeing at an international level.

 

Topics covered during the course included a general introduction to refereeing, the changes to the Rules of the Game in 2016, progressive punishments, wing situations, equipment, body language and signals, line player situations, and the IHF Education Centre as an important learning tool. In addition, two matches were played per day, allowing the referees to gain game experience.

 

Moure concluded his report with the hope that the Costa Rican Federation can continue to receive the support they need to move forward: “They are working so hard to develop handball and try to grow day by day.”