At the start of the year I knew I wanted to start playing a new sport.
After going round the bunfight during Freshers’ Week, I eventually decided to
take up handball. It’s a sport that I’ve always wanted to try and convinced by
their ‘sales pitch’, I went along to their taster session.
Handball has quickly become something that I love to play and in all honestly
I wish I had taken it up sooner whilst at university. As a complete beginner, I
joined the university’s development team, and subsequently have gone along to
training every week on a Sunday evening.
After two months of learning the basics, including passing, wing shots,
defence and much more, I finally got an opportunity to put together all I had
learnt into a proper handball game. On Saturday, Southampton, Solent and
Bournemouth Universities collaborated together to organise a handball development
team tournament hosted at Bitterne Park School.
After arriving and getting warmed up, the tournament was quickly
underway with Solent playing Bournemouth A first. We got off to a great start
in our first match, managing to gain a lead against Bournemouth B early on in
the game which we sustained until the end to win 9 – 6. Our next game was a
daunting prospect; playing against Southampton Solent University who had
fielded their best team. Although we were well and truly beaten 4 – 11, we
played some great handball and showed some promising signs.
Solent take on Bournemouth B
Our last match was against Bournemouth A. If we won this game we would
be guaranteed to make the final, anything less and we would have to hope for
the unlikely outcome that Bournemouth B won against Bournemouth A and pray that
goal difference went in our favour. This match was by far the most closely
contested, with both teams nervously playing out the final few minutes stuck at
6 – 6. Miraculously Bournemouth B managed to beat Bournemouth A, meaning we
were through to the final along with the undefeated Solent.
Unfortunately we lost 5 – 9 to Solent in the final, but we showed how
much progress we had made by reducing the losing margin, through tightening up
our defence and making better use of the ball in our attacks. Overall the
tournament was a fantastic experience and really helped to piece together all
the skills I have learnt in training drills into real match situations – it just
goes to show what you can achieve in just one term!
Over the weekend I also got the chance to see a production of Alana
Ayckbourn’s Confusions by the University’s Theatre Group. I have always
been impressed with previous shows put on by the society and this one was no
different. The acting and directing was done to such a professional standard
and it had me actually laughing out loud.
To celebrate the concluding end of the (very busy) winter term, I was
invited along to the Humanities and Social Sciences Winter ball. Unfortunately,
the Physics ball was on the same night, but seeing as I have been to a Physics
ball before, I chose to attempt to mingle with people who don’t find jokes
about Heisenberg or Schrödinger funny!
From fancy dress to formal dress
The ball was hosted at Oceana, situated down by the docks, and they put
on a great night with a champagne reception, mulled wine and even an
opportunity to take a photo with Santa (I’m still dubious to whether he was the
real Father Christmas) and receive an early Christmas present: a little bag of
pick ‘n’ mix.
Merry Christmas
James
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