By Con Dennehy

Pupils attending Kerry Primary Schools are set to be top of the class when it comes to sporting and academic success and it’s all thanks to the development of a magnificent Handball Wall opened at Lissivigeen National School gymnasium this week.

Lissivigeen School in Killarney, offers the best and most modern sporting and academic facilities to enhance the development of students in a fully inclusive and holistic manner.

The Indoor Handball Wall initiative, the first of its kind in a Kerry primary school, has been spearheaded by the school community under the guidance of Tadhg O’Sullivan, a member of the Board of Management at the school and a founder member of Spa Killarney Handball Club.

“It will afford students the opportunity to sample one of Ireland’s oldest sports, handball, and provide a fun element as students are introduced to the sport,” said Tadhg, Kerry Handball Board Schools Liaison Officer.

Handball, thanks to the development of the Handball Wall, will now feature as one of the models in the School Recreational Programme and will also form part of the schools Physical Education Programme.

This week teachers from eleven Kerry Primary Schools attended a special handball introductory training programme at Lissivigeen National School hosted by Wexford native Marguerite Gore, Handball Ireland Regional Development Officer and Elaine Cahill from Kerry Recreational and Sports Partnership.

“Our role was to fund and present each of the participants with an information pack that will enable the teachers to coach the game of handball to the students. The afternoon in Lissivigeen was also a practical session where the teachers received hands on training from Marguerite on the rules and procedures involved in the sport.”

Brid Ryan, a teacher at Lissivigeen National School was one of the course participants and is looking forward to teaching the skills to her pupils.

“Playing handball dramatically improves the fine and gross motor skills of the participants. Concentration levels will soar and this will no doubt become evident in the classroom. There is also the added dimension of social interaction between the students and the added benefits that students will learn the skills and rules of a new sport.”

The Handball Wall developed at Lissivigeen School is expected to be the first of many in Kerry.

“From experience I was in a position to advise on the best materials and the correct construction and positioning of the wall which was skilfully built by Tom Hurley. A lot of work was also essential for correct and durable floor marking materials. However the most important element this week was training the teachers to run handball programmes in the school,” said Tadhg O’Sullivan who is now hoping to develop handball walls in other Kerry schools.