US Team Handball Women's National Team

by: Jennifer Farrell

While many of her teammates enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving with their families, Sunny Chen was hard at work in Cothen, Holland where she is training with the 1 st Division team GoConnectIt/Fortissimo.  

"Resuming the tradition of athletes playing overseas has been a part of the women's program long term plan for years," said Assistant Coach Dawn Lewis, a former WNT player and Olympian who also played abroad in Norway and Germany.   "The new squad of athletes aspires to learn as quickly and intelligently as possible, studying and discovering what it is like to train and compete internationally at the highest level."

On November 15, Sunny headed off to the Netherlands to spend several weeks training with the top division Dutch team who first forged connections with the US Team Handball Women's National Team (WNT) this summer when they came to Cortland for the USA Cup.

"We are fortunate to have such wonderful friends throughout the handball world," explained Lewis, who also serves as the Director of the USA Cup.   "Exchanges like this provide learning opportunities for everyone involved - new cultures, new languages, new styles and methods of training and coaching, etc.  Thanks to a friendship that blossomed during the 2006 USA Cup, Go Connect It/ Fortissimo will remain a partner of the US women's program for years to come."

Sunny first joined the WNT in 2002 when she trained with the team in Lake Placid and was selected to participate in both the 2003 Pan-American Championships and Pan-American Games.   After the competitions, Sunny- a West Point graduate and World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) participant- returned to her Army duties serving in both Afghanistan and Germany before re-joining the WNT in Cortland last year.  

"I'm looking forward to learning more about the relationship between a back court player and the wing," explained Sunny, who plays mostly at the left wing.   "And I am really looking forward to playing the Holland Junior National Team while I am here.  It will be a good test for how much I have learned so far."

As one of the more experienced players on the team, Sunny is looking forward to taking her game to the next level.

"Playing with the Fortissimo team is helping me to relax more on the court," commented Sunny after a few training sessions with the team.   "I hope to become a more experienced wing and learn a different style of play from what Team USA plays.  Learning to have a better flow with the back court and circle is going to be key for our upcoming competitions.

Sunny will continue to train with GoConnectIt/Fortissimo until December 1, when she will meet up with her teammates in Sweden for a ten-day preparation tour ahead of the North American Qualifiers in January. After the tour, Sunny will return to the US with the WNT for further team preparation in Cortland and Lake Placid.

"We want the athletes to get a feel or taste of what it is like to practice and play at a higher level every day," explained Lewis.   "Doing so, even if only for a short period, is the best opportunity we can offer.  Until we can develop stronger leagues domestically, unfortunately, our top players must play abroad."

For Sunny, this is an extraordinary opportunity for her to develop her skills, but also to gain something on a personal level.

"The women on the Fortissimo team have great solidarity and they really know how to have fun on and off the court," reflected Sunny.   "There is a lot to learn from them, and I hope that I not only become a better handball player, but make some new friends for life."

To read more about Sunny's experiences in Holland, please visit the WNT player blog: www.wnteuropeaninvasion.blogspot.com