{"id":6609,"date":"2018-07-16T12:08:16","date_gmt":"2018-07-16T19:08:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.calheat.com\/wp\/?p=6609"},"modified":"2018-07-16T12:08:31","modified_gmt":"2018-07-16T19:08:31","slug":"a-2017-18-season-to-remember","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/a-2017-18-season-to-remember","title":{"rendered":"2017\/18 &#8211; A season to remember"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12 months have passed and San Francisco CalHeat closed the 2017\/18 season like none in the past. A few years ago, our club envisioned a long and ambitious growing process and, with the arrival of a hardworking and talented core group, started to put it in effect.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last summer, one of our women team players, now board member, Michelle Mensing, took over a gigantic project to develop Beach Handball in the Bay Area. After numerous weekends of fun practices and notable events along the NorCal coast, we sent two teams (women\/men) to the annual SoCal Beach Handball Championship. History gave us the right to believe we had a shot to reach the medal round, but with the increasingly growing competition, and fast-growing development of the sport in the Los Angeles area, only fools would bet on SF CalHeat. But those fools seemed to have been right. While the men\u2019s team kicked-off the tournament with two convincing wins, it lacked energy (and talent) to challenge the US National Team athletes and ended-up at the 4th place. The women\u2019s team, led by Kathrine Agger and Michelle Mensing, and carried by brilliant goalkeeping performance from Helena Bondan, came from behind to defeat both US National Teams and the Mexican Team in the final. The Gold was ours! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The unexpected but deserved success of Beach Handball gave the entire club wings for the season that was about to start. On Sep 11 2017, we resumed our indoor practices and noted a record number of participants (nearly 60 women and men showed up)! Slowly but surely, teams were forming, practices became a religion and teams were eager to compete.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After a smooth start of the season in Chicago, the teams started preparing across the country to reach the 2018 USATH Nationals with the best preparation. Our women\u2019s team registered two teams at the California Cup with both teams meeting up in the fight for bronze. The men\u2019s team came close to win the first ever Texas Cup but was beaten by a strong Chicago Inter (22-20), but ended up winning the West Coast tourney in Phoenix (5 wins, 0 defeat). Months of preparation, commitment and sacrifices were now under test. In Myrtle Beach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This year\u2019s Nationals was like no other. With 56 athletes and staff members, SF CalHeat became the largest team handball delegation at the 2018 US Nationals with New York City Team Handball. The growing interest of the sport, and the relentless work of some helped us to bring the entire family to stage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our teams fought hard to challenge the best ones. Despite a tough loss against Team Rogue, our first women\u2019s team showed some excellent game phases and was close to an upset against Boston Team Handball (4th of the last Championship). Our ladies finished at the 7th place but demonstrated good teamwork. The second women\u2019s team was all about development. For many players, that was their first big Handball event. And surprisingly, they came in 9th beating the Houston Firehawks (winner of this year\u2019s CalCup). The men teams had a slightly different end-story. While our newly composed second team won their first two games of the tournament against LATHC and Minnesota TH, they came in short against some of the more experienced teams. End-result: 10th place. There\u2019s much to believe that this team will get better, more disciplined and seasoned as they grow together as a team.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our first men\u2019s team was, similarly to the Beach Handball ladies, the highlight of the year. The boys defeated Chicago and West Point to qualify for semis, and offered an epic semifinal matchup against NYAC. That game is still today in many players\u2019 memories. 38-37 after penalty shootout. Unfortunately, the team didn\u2019t have the resources to fight alongside NYC in the final. Like long-time referee Tugomir \u2018Butso\u2019 Anusic said, \u201cthe final was yesterday\u201d, referring to the team\u2019s lack of energy in the final. But the silver medal in the men\u2019s division was ours, 28 years later. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This season did deliver some very important lessons. Together, as a team, with work and commitment, we can achieve great things. And this is only the beginning. We\u2019re also very grateful towards those who believed in this project from the very beginning and supported us along the way. The players, first. But also the sponsors: Dish Dash, Rocktape, Blue Mango and Hummel, who became our exclusive partner on the youth development front. Finally, the SF CalHeat community, in the Bay Area and all around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some weeks have now passed, and the players are back on the beach for the fun, but also to raise up the adrenaline. We recently concluded our first Beach Handball Championship in Northern California. Another milestone for the club. In one month, we will be back to defend our first title and, who knows, maybe deliver another performance for the books\u2026 Until then, Go CalHeat!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>12 months have passed and San Francisco CalHeat closed the 2017\/18 season like none in the past. A few years ago, our club envisioned a long and ambitious growing process and, with the arrival of a hardworking and talented core group, started to put it in effect. Last summer, one of our women team players, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18269,"featured_media":6610,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Banner.png?fit=2016%2C840&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7INHg-1IB","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9619,"url":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/two-sf-calheat-mens-teams-travel-to-huntington-ca-for-the-xviii-socals-beach-championship","url_meta":{"origin":6609,"position":0},"title":"Two SF CalHeat Men\u2019s teams travel to Huntington, CA for the XVIII SoCals Beach Championship","author":"Constance Duvert","date":"July 27, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"An incredible weekend of beach handball has officially wrapped up as SoCals XVIII came to a close on August 25th. For nearly two decades, this tournament has held its ground as the largest and most vibrant handball event in the Americas, bringing the entire community together on the sand. This\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Web Links&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Web Links","link":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/category\/web-links"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/538867816_18288765013283163_4118836144277729705_n.jpg?fit=958%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/538867816_18288765013283163_4118836144277729705_n.jpg?fit=958%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/538867816_18288765013283163_4118836144277729705_n.jpg?fit=958%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/538867816_18288765013283163_4118836144277729705_n.jpg?fit=958%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9280,"url":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/sf-calheat-appoints-new-board-of-directors-member-2","url_meta":{"origin":6609,"position":1},"title":"SF CalHeat Appoints New Board of Directors Member","author":"Jean-marc Junique Froloff","date":"October 11, 2024","format":"image","excerpt":"After a long and focused search, San Francisco CalHeat is excited to announce the appointment of Nils Effertz to its Board of Directors. Nils Effertz is a German-American software business executive who spent most of his adult life in the Bay Area. Growing up in Germany, Nils fell in love\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/category\/blog"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/thumbnail_Nils-Effertz.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/thumbnail_Nils-Effertz.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/thumbnail_Nils-Effertz.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/thumbnail_Nils-Effertz.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3062,"url":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/youth-team-handball-growing-in-the-bay","url_meta":{"origin":6609,"position":2},"title":"Youth Team Handball Growing In The Bay","author":"Martin Bilello","date":"September 19, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"On Saturday September 17th SF CalHeat started the indoor season on a very promising note by hosting a Team Handball clinic for High Schools in the Bay Area. In what will be the inaugural season of the first Bay Area Youth Team Handball League, the clinic had\u00a0the participation of Lyc\u00e9e\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/category\/blog"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/YTHCarrousel.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/YTHCarrousel.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/YTHCarrousel.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7857,"url":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/interview-with-michelle-mensing","url_meta":{"origin":6609,"position":3},"title":"Interview with Michelle Mensing","author":"admin","date":"May 31, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Under normal circumstances, this time of the year would coincide with the start of our summer activities, including our small but growing beach handball program. To celebrate those initiatives, we've met with one of our key contributors and member of the club, Michelle Mensing. What\u2019s your name, age, position, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/category\/blog"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/45424922_1874401682676008_1217290407105265664_o.jpg?fit=1170%2C630&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/45424922_1874401682676008_1217290407105265664_o.jpg?fit=1170%2C630&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/45424922_1874401682676008_1217290407105265664_o.jpg?fit=1170%2C630&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/45424922_1874401682676008_1217290407105265664_o.jpg?fit=1170%2C630&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/45424922_1874401682676008_1217290407105265664_o.jpg?fit=1170%2C630&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5876,"url":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/summer-sand-sensation","url_meta":{"origin":6609,"position":4},"title":"Summer, Sand, Sensation","author":"Michelle Mensing","date":"September 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Usually handball teams in the U.S. take a break after Nationals in May. Everybody takes their well deserved vacations, visit friends and families at home and waits for the new indoor season to start in September. That was not the case in California and especially not for SF CalHeat. Summer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/category\/blog"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/21231581_10155099171499353_5296519802466871774_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/21231581_10155099171499353_5296519802466871774_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/21231581_10155099171499353_5296519802466871774_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/21231581_10155099171499353_5296519802466871774_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3047,"url":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/a-warm-start-to-the-season","url_meta":{"origin":6609,"position":5},"title":"A warm start to the season!","author":"Martin Bilello","date":"September 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Whilst most of the Bay Area was either at the Burning Man or discussing the class struggle unfolding there, the San Francisco CalHeat men and women's teams braved the labor day traffic on their way to the 10th annual Southern California Beach Handball Tournament in Huntington Beach, CA. The tournament\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/category\/blog"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/CalHeatAtBeachHandball.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/CalHeatAtBeachHandball.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.calheat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/CalHeatAtBeachHandball.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6609","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18269"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6609"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6609\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6612,"href":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6609\/revisions\/6612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calheat.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}