Rob Sherman tells us why handball is the "jack-of-all-trades" when it comes to sports. He tells us that handball is easy to learn, and that the Beijing team goes out of their way to teach newcomers how to play.

How did you get into handball? When I was studying at Bei Da, Marcus, the captain and coach of handball team here, told me about the sport. After going out to try it, I was hooked. Why not football? I played football in the U.S., and I am aware of the flag football league here. But handball, it’s great because it encompasses a lot of sports I’ve played before: basketball, baseball, even parts of American football. It combines the sports, and the way the practices are handled is a lot of fun. Everyone gets to do the exercises and play the games, no matter if it’s somebody like me who started just a year ago, or people who’ve been playing their whole lives. You don’t get the feeling that people who are new to the sport are left out. Not too many people are out there on the field, so it’s a great opportunity to always be running around. Everyone’s always in motion. It’s sort of like water polo without the water.

Can you get injured? No, actually, although it might seem like there’s a lot of bumping, there’s even less contact than in basketball. People are really vigilant about fouls, and they’re really cautious.

What’s your greatest handball moment? We recently had a game, and we won against people who have been playing a long time. It showed how people can pick up the sport very quickly, and that experienced players can work well together with newcomers. People go out of their way to show newcomers how to play the game. There are also social outings with the team, so it’s great for people who have just come to Beijing as a way to meet people.

DETAILS

What: Handball in China

Where: Beijing City International School, 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Road , 百子湾南二路77号北京乐成国际学校

Web: www.handballinchina.org