By Mike Jenkins
For most young children across the United States, handball seems to be a foreign sport. The fast-paced, action-packed game is passed over by children for more well-known sports like soccer, football and basketball.
However, a few young children in South Tucson are taking advantage of free handball lessons offered by the Arizona Youth Handball Association.
The lessons are being offered at the El Pueblo Regional Center, 101 W. Irvington Road, and are open to children of all ages. With the United States Handball Association's corporate offices and Hall of Fame located in Tucson, the sport has picked up, especially among children.
"At first, we had only a few kids in the program," coach John Ross said. "Now we have 12 kids that come regularly and at times, as many as 16."
Ross donates much of his time to these children and teaches them the fundamentals of handball.
The program started at Pueblo Gardens Elementary School and recently moved to the Center.
Ross has played and taught the game for many years and wants to teach the game to children who seem perplexed by its action.
"These kids do not know about handball," Ross said. "It is like racquetball, only played with the hands."
The game is played with a small circular ball that players propel into the wall using their hands.
The opponent must hit the ball back at the wall before it bounces twice. If the ball bounces twice, the player who struck the ball gets a point.
There are two different forms of the game: one wall or three wall. These games are different due to strategy changes one must use with more walls. The game can be played either in singles or doubles. Ross starts the children off with bigger balls and less-stringent rules until they grasp the game.
"We have to keep the kids interested at first," Ross said. "After they grasp it, we move them into more competitive matches."
A few of the children have participated in matches across the state. Victor Espinoza, 12, has won tournaments in Phoenix and Flagstaff in his age group. Others, such as 11 year-old Angel Castañeda, play for the joy of the game.
"I like the action,' Castañeda said. "It is very fun, and I hope to get better soon."
The children that play at the Center are from the surrounding neighborhood. Most walk to the Center to take advantage of Ross' coaching. Ross said that a lack of transportation to and from El Pueblo is what keeps more children from attending.
"A bunch of the kids don't have transportation," Ross said. "The kids that are here really want to be here."
Vern Roberts, executive director of the USHA, said Ross, the program, and the AYHA are providing a great service to the children of South Tucson and to the game itself.
"These guys (AYHA and Ross), are keeping the kids off the streets and giving them a chance to play a great game," Roberts said. "They are spreading the word about handball, and for that we are grateful."
The program runs on Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Ross hopes that more children will attend and spread the word about the program.
"These kids have a tremendous opportunity to use a great facility for handball at no cost," Ross said. "I will take all comers, no matter what age they are."