Article featured on the England Handball Association website (16 February 2015) – http://www.englandhandball.com/vikings-on-the-march/
Newcastle Vikings women’s handball team achieved the rare feat of keeping a clean sheet in their 49-0 home victory against Leeds University last weekend in the North Regional Development League.
In a great team performance, goalkeeper Andrea King admitted to growing nervousness the longer the game went on, but ultimately a mix of elation and relief after coming close to achieving the same feat a week earlier. Following 29-1 and 26-5 away wins over Leeds Carnegie and Leeds University, the Vikings ladies (playing without any substitutes) broke through the 30-goal barrier for the first time in the club’s fledgling 2½-year history, and have scored 104 goals while only conceding six in a run that has seen them leap to the top of the league.
With their male counterparts also gaining their biggest winning margin the same day in a 27-8 scoreline that stretched their unbeaten league run to six games and placed them joint top of their league table, Newcastle’s achievements are testament to how far the club has progressed in just a short space of time.
Established in the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games, head coach Marlen Slinning founded the club with a mission to grow and develop handball in the North East. With a multi-national mix of experienced handballers and beginners, the Vikings currently have nearly 50 players, including a talented mixed junior team.
Playing their debut 2013/14 season in the Scottish Handball League, Newcastle’s women finished a creditable third place, including winning one match with just six players! But for a winless men’s team, the turnaround in fortunes this season under new men’s coach Jason Lee has been welcomingly impressive.
Anyone interested in playing for, supporting or sponsoring Newcastle Vikings Handball Club can find out more at www.newcastlehandball.co.uk or via their Facebook and Twitter pages.