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Utah awarded preliminary NGB Status
Late breaking news has been reported on TeamHandallNews that the Utah Handball group led by Dieter Esch and Amir Haskic have been awarded the NGB status. An official USOC press release is expected with the next week (which, in the USOC dialect, means within the next month).
As with all handball news, this is not without controversy as well. Some people that were involved with Chicago's bid for the NGB status are not thrilled with the decision, as can be expected. However, we will see where the sport will go from here.
Mr. Dieter Esch has personally guaranteed the creation of a board of directors with 7 members that must contribute $50,000 each for the privilege of sitting on the board of director's. He has guaranteed those funds (i.e. in case he cannot find suitable members).
Amir Haskic was a member of the USATH Constitutional Review committee that was charged with the difficult task of rewriting the constitution. He, and the entire committee, did a fantastic job which was evidenced by the overwhelming majority (90%) vote to adopt the new constitution.
The PATHF has pulled the 2008 Men's Pan American Championships from being hosted by the USA in Atlanta, GA. The tournament was supposed to be hosted by the infamous Dekalb International Training Center (DITC) June 24-28, 2008. Only speculation abounds as to the reason and if it was pulled by the PATHF or if the DITC withdrew as the host.
The DITC was unavailable for comment, but that in and of itself is not surprising.
For more information of what is available at this time, please visit Team Handball News.
Practice has been set for Saturday from 2-4 pm and Sunday from 10am - Noon at the NFL YET center in Atlanta. We look forward to seeing everyone there. We will discuss the upcoming tournament schedule at this time.
Welcome to the first Condor Newsletter. As the season progresses, these newsletters will become more organized and better supported through the website.
Opening practice weekend will be August 25-26. Please make yourself available for these practices. Exact times and location will be sent to those desiring to play handball for the Condors this season. We need to get back into the swing of things and begin to start training for the upcoming year. There is no federation and the USOC has cut all funding for handball. However, we just need to be prepared to win whatever tournaments exist and that we are invited to so that we leave no doubt come May who the U.S. National Champion is. In addition, the Condors will no longer be attending the tournament in N.C. - there are more cost effective tournaments that we need to attend that are more valuable to our development.
Upcoming tournaments - Sep 1-3: Galveston Shootout (Beach Tournament) Oct: Tournament in Chicago Nov: Tournament in Salt Lake City Jan: Tournament in Brazil
I need to know everyone's availability and desire to attend these tournaments.
If anyone has the following email addresses (or contact info), please forward them to me: Patrick McClellum, Derek Brown, Darijon Sutton, Shawn Grady and Damir Radoncic.
Darrick and I will be announcing the Condor Blackshirts at the opening weekend practices along with qualification metrics and voting privileges. For those of you who paid the $150 yearly membership fee in full - we are resetting the beginning of the membership to coincid with the beginning of the kickoff weekend and run through the full handball season.
Please contact Mike Hurdle if you have any questions.
During the decertification of USA Team Handball (USATH), the handball community was continually guaranteed open and transparent communication from the representatives of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), Mike Cavanaugh and Jay Warrick. Since the decertification, we have received nothing remotely similar to transparency.
While the lack of transparency shown by the USOC does not surprise me, that is only because I had first hand knowledge of the tactics and deceit used by the USOC and some of its employees. For an organization that self-righteously claims a higher ethical standard, the hypocrisy of those now involved deciding the direction of handball would comical if it weren't so disgusting.
In the extended post (USOC comments in blue), read the most recent statement from the USOC Director of NGB Development, Eric Parthen, and his reasoning that the USOC won't divulge the details of the contract signed with the Dekalb International Training Center. Also, are comments from Peter Siskind (in red) and Mike Hurdle.
Ever since the USOC decertified USA Team Handball as the recognized NGB (February, 2006) the USOC has continued to support the Women’s National Team (WNT) and the Men’s National Team (MNT) for domestic training and competition opportunities within a limited budget. During this time period the USOC also continued to support the vast majority of regional club tournaments and Open and College Nationals, also within a limited budget. The USOC accepted the position that the clubs were the backbone of Team Handball development in the USA, that club events were seen as pipeline events for athletes who aspire for the WNT & MNT and because most club tournaments were documented as selection events for the 2007 Pan American Games (PAG).
The MNT failed to qualify for the 2007 PAG in competitions with CAN and CHI. The WNT failed to qualify for the 2007 PAG in competition against CAN and MEX. With both National Teams out of competition for the PAG (and in turn the 2008 Olympic Games) the USOC will now redirect resources to those athletes and sports that are qualified for the 2007 PAG and the 2008 Olympic Games.
As mentioned, the USOC is currently engaged in the RFP process that may lead to a new NGB. This process includes a submission of an application, public hearings and internal review/recommendation and ultimately this must pass a USOC Board approval.
In the meantime, this is notice that in order to not flavor or bias the RFP process, the USOC does not plan to fund club tournaments for the remainder of 2007 and possibly 2008. Clubs that desire to continue to host events must do so without the USOC support of administration, referee expenses and insurance coverage.
The desired outcome will be that clubs will somehow find a way to continue to host tournaments and that clubs will recognize the current situation that exists and that they will support one another’s efforts to remain active through mutual participation.
Recently the USOC signed an agreement with the DeKalb International Training Center, (DITC) located in DeKalb County, GA. This agreement will support a full time resident training center designated for the Men’s National Team. Since the execution of this agreement, officials representing DITC have also expressed a willingness to support a Women’s National Team training center. We are making plans to implementing this program at the earliest opportunity. This relationship with the DITC creates an excellent opportunity to establish a foundation for the respective national team programs.
This agreement has been in negotiations since late 2004 and the USOC saw this as a short term opportunity to establish a building foundation for the respective national team programs with the potential for significant long term growth as well both at the elite level and on the developmental level.
Thinking optimistically, with the recognition of a new NGB, it is hoped that the sport of Team Handball can emerge into a well governed organization with a deeply shared focus on common goals for growth and achievement domestically and internationally.
As always, if you have questions for either of us, you can reach us directly at the contact information listed below.
It appears that some change may be eminent. Teamhandball News has some interesting commentary. However, what the short-term vs. long-term impact is remains to be seen.
The American Team Handball Association has already received support from some of the top clubs in the country. To date, Chicago Inter, Miami Sharks, West Point, Santa Clarita, Cal Heat, UNC, and the beloved Atlanta Condors have pledged their support. Condor representative to the ATHA, Ray Rene, will provide updates as they become available.
Any word on whether the program has gone dark as well?
There has been no official word from the DITC about their MNT program starting even after they have received the approval of the Dekalb County Board of Commissioners over two months ago. Why has the program not begun? The Men's Pan Am Championships are less than a year away and are to be hosted in Atlanta, GA by the new yet-to-be named federation. Perhaps team training should be a priority so as to avoid similar previous results?
Mike Cavanaugh from the USOC is still at the helm, along with Dennis Berkholts, Jan O'Shea, Dawn Lewis, the brilliant Jim Thome, and the integreous Mark Daniel Gutekunst of the DITC. It appears nothing has changed. Will anything change?
The Bird League will shift its focus to controlled scrimmages. The lack of turnout has hindered our ability to establish a formalized league. The Bird League will be used to practice for upcoming summer handball trips to Miami (June 2-3), Chicago (July 21-22), and Houston (Sep 1-3).
This weekend scrimmages are scheduled for Saturday morning at 10 am.
The Chatbox and Forum are open to all who register on the Condor website, and this includes ALL our fans around the world. However, the opinions in the chatbox DO NOT necessarily reflect those of the Condor Handball Organization or its executives. Also, all non-handball related posts, particularly comments about race, sex, religion and/or advertising will be deleted.
Chatbox
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Whats good Condors this Lucius aka Liddy king of the cities and Mac-a-Don taking things slow family not related and playa hating I told them i'm getting money niggas top dog still and my lady not around left me for the next its ight though im still a G ya heard and Rice you aint nice hommie i passed you the ball you took my points step your passing up baby mike anyway OG world of handball the real gangsta sport ima holla at yall aint sleep in 2days balling in the projects nah mean and this on the net Free Bizzy Free Bobby Free G.O Free Teft C Murder free and my niggs aint do nothing ither peace up A Town down yall made this city nigga a dirty dirty dirty [censored] it dirty ass nigga im rich bitch and for other sports personalls if you aint playing team handball you [censored] step and yall have nice day i aint mad at yall
Hey. Can anybody show my the way to fing a club to play in your league??? Y am from europe and y play team handball for 10 years. Y am 19 years old. Thanks!
Mike - Sorry, I just got your voicemail. I am very interested in playing this fall. Can you give me the specific dates of the tournaments. And please send me your phone number again, I apparently have the wrong one.
Hmmm...that would have occurred while you have mysteriously vanished from participating in the club. There are many Condors that participate in this club since you have withdrawn. )
It's all good though. You are welcome back anytime you desire to return!
Hey all - it's good to see that the road goes on forever and the party never ends.
Hope everyone is doing well - I saw something about the Pan Am games and decided to check out my old mates - regardless of the political intrigue of the day, my hat goes off to those of you who gave it a go in the qualifiers. I don't know all the ins and outs, but having been a part of the infamous team that got crushed in France, I know what it's like to be undeprepared and then have your efforts used as a political soapbox. Anyway - good effort.
Hope everyone is doing well - I'm on the other side of the road chasing down Taliban in Afghanistan in the Army now. Drop me a line - not sure when I'll get back to you, but I will eventually. Take it easy - hope to play a scrimmage with you guys in a year or so.
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