Pacific Index

Handball has been active at Pacific for decades, yet this isn’t a team that is well known–but this is the year the Boxers plan to turn that around

Pacific University’s handball club is an extraordinary example of a team that battles behind closed doors—literally. 

The season starts around November, and really picks up in preparation for the months before the United States Handball Association (USHA) Collegiate National Handball Championships in late February. “The Collegiate National is the big tournament we spend all of our time really preparing for,” explains Pacific handball player Reigan Komagata. 

Pacific’s handball club team was founded back in 1977 and began its involvement with the Collegiate Nationals in 1981. Still competing today, Pacific’s handball team consists of about 13 players combined of both men and women. 

In handball you can play either singles or doubles. Singles entail two players from opposing teams out on the court competing against one another. Doubles is a match of two players on each team going against each other, a total of four on the court. The points system depends on what bracket you are placed in. The top six players from each gender are counted towards each team’s points during the collegiate tournament. 

“Even if players don’t win they are gaining points for just filling out the spots,” Komagata expounds. “We have more players this year, so we will hopefully be adding more points for just having them there and that will really help us out.”

Last season, the Boxers competed at the Collegiate Nationals, and had impressive results. Jordyn Mollet-Dozier and Rachel Haas placed second in the Women’s B doubles division at the tournament. Rachel Haas also won the Spirit of Handball award from the tournament. As a team, Pacific placed third in both the Combined A and Women’s A divisions. This year they hope to compete even better and continue to make a name for themselves. 

“I think this year we are going to be a pretty good team,” Komagata shares. Adding numbers to the team adds the progression for this season, and they are hopeful for solid results. The team environment, as described by Komagata, is said to be “calm and positive.” Practices are different from most sports and consist of a highly competitive environment, but also a relaxed feel. “We get along as a team and group really well and create a laid back environment for all of us to enjoy and get better in,” says Komagata. Despite the positive team environment and solid results the teams bring there is little acknowledgement or recognition to follow.

“No one really knows about us,” Komagata mentions with a frown. “We bring home trophies and no one acknowledges anything about it.” He has heard negative comments surrounding the sport not really being a ‘real sport.’ “For those who don’t understand or respect the sport, I would tell them to just try it. Try it out and see what you think. It’s a lot harder than it seems, but it is also a lot more fun than anything.” Komagata came to Pacific planning to participate in a different sport, but when that ended up not working out decided to try handball instead. Once he joined the team his freshman year he fell in love and has played ever since. 

“Competitive, sportsmanship, and fun,” is how Komagata describes the sport in three words.