Create the first professional women's hand ball club
- The first professional female handball club “Ados Pilota” has been presented in Leitza. The aim is to improve working conditions and increase the number of competitions that are played throughout the year. They've organized the first championship for June 4.
On Monday, the Women's Professional Hand Ball Club was presented: “Ados Pilota”. The club has created the project with the objective of improving the conditions of the pelotaris and starting the idea of Maite Ruiz Larramendi.
In addition to improving conditions, they want to play more championships. They have already organised the first, which will begin on 4 June in Leitza. The final of the Copa del Rey will end on 14 August and in addition to the towns of Navarre, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, they will also play in Barcelona.
In addition, the matches will be played outdoors, with the aim of increasing the "visibility" of the female ball. “The one who goes to the pediment is purposeful, but it may happen that the one who has no intention is on the road and looks,” they said.
The club consists of thirteen players: Andrea Aldaregia, Amaia Aldai, Eneritz Arrieta, Olatz Arrizabalaga, Ilantzu Etxebeste, Ainhoa Ruiz de Infante, Naroa Agirre, Gentzane Aldai, Naroa Elizalde, Oihana Orbegna, Maite Ruiz de Larramendi As coaches of "the Cathedral" will be the former pelotaris Juan Martínez de Irujo, Patxi Eugi, Fernando Goñi and Unai Arrizabalaga.
In the case of men, the professional ball is in the hands of private companies, but these pelotaris have chosen to form a club: “We think the solution was not to create a company. We wanted to form a club. In other sports they work like this, and we want to do it as well. We will have better means to compete in high level sport: better trainers and coaches, better working conditions... And that will help make our performance better. It’s not about living in a ball, because we have our jobs, but it’s about doing it in better conditions.”
Training also as an objective
In addition to its professionalism objective, it has also committed itself to working in the field of vocational training. They want to help 12-13-year-old girls in workouts. In fact, at these ages, many are forced to abandon the ball because of the difficulties in being able to compete with the boys and because of the lack of continuity in the female championships.
