The 25th anniversary edition of the Liverpool International Handball Tournament will run across two venues on May 24-25.
The Club
Liverpool Handball Club was established in 1968 by people looking to grow the sport in England.
This makes it one of the oldest handball clubs in the country.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the club and handball grew in popularity in England with the team making several cup finals in the 1980s.
The Tournament’s History
The biggest step the club took in growing the handball community in England was establishing the Liverpool International Handball Tournament (LIHT).
Across two days teams from throughout the UK and abroad compete to come out on top.
Throughout its history the tournament has had several formats with teams playing through two groups before coming together in the playoffs.
The 2000s and 2010s saw the LIHT reach its peak popularity with teams coming from all over Europe to play in Liverpool.
Teams have travelled to Merseyside from 11 countries to compete over the years, including from Spain, Norway, Latvia and the United Arab Emirates.
In total more than 45 teams have competed in the 25 editions of the tournament.
Some have become regular fixtures whilst others have made a statement in a single year.
Inclusive Atmosphere
Speaking about the impact the tournament has had over the years, former Liverpool player and current Liverpool women’s head coach Andy Clark said the tournament creates a friendly atmosphere and is a great opportunity for players in England to interact with each other.
Clark praised the inclusivity, with teams making sure all their players receive playing time, as well as giving those without teams a chance to play with them.
In the past, the LIHT has also included a wheelchair handball section to give those with a disability a chance to participate.
Wheelchair handball has struggled to gain large scale support in the UK and its inclusion in the tournament was a great way to help bring attention to the sport.
COVID Struggles
The COVID pandemic was a big setback for the LIHT and handball in England, much like other, lesser played sports in the UK.
The restrictions meant that the tournament could not take place for two years and also lead to the dissolution of a various clubs across the UK.
Over the two years of lockdown, a lot of the European teams also lost contact with Liverpool Handball Club.
By the time restrictions lifted and the tournament could be held again, the number of teams participating had shrunk.
25th Anniversary
2025 is the 25th anniversary of the tournament and Liverpool Handball Club are making every effort to make it the best tournament it can be.
Club chair Hannah Kempster said: ”We’ve got 14 men’s teams and eight women’s teams competing this year across two venues so should be a very good weekend.
“We should have a good atmosphere where all the games are going on.”
The number of teams means there will be a return to the two-venue format for the first time since before COVID.
While the tournament was previously played at Greenbank Sports Academy and the I.M. Marsh Campus, this year it will be played at Greenbank Sports Academy and the LJMU Sports building.
Teams will start in a group format on the Saturday before the crossover for the finals on the Sunday.
As much as teams will be competing to come out on top, the tournament is also a social event that many players look forward to; and this year is no different.
The club will host a social at the Arts Bar on the Saturday night before the playoff games take place on Sunday.
Both club teams will be looking to improve on their placement from last year with Liverpool’s men finishing joint third and Liverpool’s women placing second.
Liverpool’s men are currently in series of relegation playoff games and Captain Jakub Kolodziejczak thinks the International Tournament will be a good way for his team to relax after these games.
He is optimistic the team can do well after last year’s strong performance however he acknowledges that there will be some tough competition.
Kolodziejczak said: “It’s going to be interesting and very competitive. I’m really looking forward [to it]”
As part of the build-up to the weekend of the tournament, Liverpool Handball Club are doing a “25 posts in 25 days” social media campaign to showcase some of the tournament’s history.
