The “Fonacab Golden Gloves GAA Handball” tournament is in its 30th year. Players are preparing having impatiently waited for the 40x20 season to come around again, trained hard and competed in the 1 wall season or 60x30 softball season. Come the 27th-28th & 29th of October seven Belfast handball courts will have the constant swoosh of a handball off the wall at a pace no other code competes with.
As one line read recently from an icon of our sport, "there are many codes but this one is mine". One other fabulous description from a former district attorney in New York, "handball! Tennis for savages" referring to the psychology stakes only of course, as we know the handball fraternity is one like no other within the GAA. Parish rivalry, team protection, county disparity don’t enter the fray in handball- player v player, doubles team v doubles team, family and friends supporting and all neutrals highly respective of good shots and unbelievable displays of skill, speed, reflex, stamina, strategy and most of all, a will to win!
This game is personal!
Before the tournament details, we must reflect on what is devastating news within the handball world when confirmation came through that the legend David Chapman from Missouri State had sadly passed away. For all handballers, Chapman is in the pantheon of legends and further still, with his style of strategic play and philosophy to dismantle his opponents game, he stands alone at the top of that particular list by a considerable distance.
As referenced by the top ladies handballer in world handball Catriona Casey, "safe to say he was a game changer" yes he was....and yes, very safe to say.
As a testament to David, the Golden Gloves will have players as young as 13yr old Kyle Jordan, a seriously gifted player from Kilfane in Kilkenny who has endlessly studied and replicated David amongst his other heroes, right up to players of 70+ who play two and three times a week who have watched in disbelief at the talents of Chapman from 14 yrs old to three weeks before his passing when he made a return to the crossover outdoor games in Las Vegas where he came overall second in a field of top outdoor players in their prime and Chapman at 42.
No doubt though, the biggest local influence David had was on Irelands own Tony Healy who learnt and replicated and added the thinking attitudes of David to his own masterful game, and Paul Brady who saw David as an idol and the man to surpass which gave Paul a burning desire to reach levels of self drive the sport has never witnessed before.
May TGO “The Great One' rest in peace.....
Tournament and St Pauls GAC club sponsor FonaCab have contributed highly to this tournament and see this as a showpiece to be involved in and for that, handball is truly grateful.
Our category sponsors have graced us with their good will and have been only too glad to help and support this Nationwide ranking tournament hosted by St Pauls, a community club, supported and backed in every way by Rossa GAC, Gort na Mona GAC and Coláiste Feirste. Without their courts Belfast could not host such tournaments.
The Golden Gloves 40x20 GAA handball tournament is the traditional launch for the incoming '4 wall' season.
In its 30th year, it provides a full ranking tournament that hosts the elite open players in both mens and ladies handball.
In addition, it also runs golden masters 50+, masters 40+, mens A, mens B, mens C, boys & girls under 19, under 17 & under 15 showing it really is a game for life!
Most grades start at the round of 16 producing some 150+ players and running off up to 190 games over one weekend across seven courts in Belfast.
Players from Kerry to Antrim and Dublin to Galway come and push to their limits but always enjoying the friendly social aspect also.
This year, a big effort has been made to get the under age handball players observed by young hurlers and footballers in the local clubs to further develop handball in the city again.
Many thanks go to the volunteers working behind the scenes to put this tournament together as well as all the officials who have committed their time to administer and referee the games and ensure a great weekend is had by all.
Updates can be found as the tournament unfolds via GAA handball live on Facebook and Twitter, goldengloves on Twitter and St Pauls, Gort na Mona and Rossa's media feeds.
Finals day is Sunday all day in St Pauls GAC on the Shaws Road, as sporting fans, GAA fans or if you simply like the idea of seeing what 'tennis for savages' may look like, you're very welcome free of charge.
Another quote from the famous Joe Durso of NewYork
“I was never interested in winning, it’s secondary,” he said. “I was interested in going back to creating the perfect volley. It goes back to the Platonic ideal, the realm of ideas that only philosophers can reach. I’m trying to create perfect volleys even if I have to sacrifice the point. That’s what gets me excited, creating beauty.”
An idealistic romantic quote. Having read many interviews and watched many of his games, I beg to differ.
Winning was very much in his interest!
We hope you can attend and look forward to your support.
