Redington Shores recently hosted the USA Women’s Beach Handball Open Identification Camp as the organization prepares for international competition and, hopefully, an eventual invitation to the Olympics.
The training camp and tournament, held Nov. 6-8, allowed athletes of all skill levels to learn from and compete against national team staff and players. Head coach Lyndon Suvanto, who took the helm in summer 2025, lives nearby in Lutz.
Suvanto noted the St. Pete Parakeets Beach Handball Club, co-founded by Taylee King-Tellechea, a Team USA member, trains in Redington Shores and helped organize the event. He also wanted to expand the sport’s reach beyond the West Coast.
“When I started taking over as the U.S. women’s head coach, it was, historically, very based in California. Suvanto told the Tampa Bay Reporter. “One of my goals was to kind of open up across the country as much as we could. Hosting here in Florida, especially at this time of the year, made a ton of sense.
“The beaches are the best we can get anywhere in the country.”
Establishing a more accessible East Coast proving ground paid immediate dividends. Suvanto said 17 athletes participated in the camp, with most flying into Tampa Bay.
Prospects traveled from Philadelphia, Boston, New York, San Diego, Texas, Alabama, Georgia and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Suvanto said affordable flights and logistical ease made Florida an attractive destination for players who might otherwise struggle to reach Los Angeles, where the men’s team is currently training.
“For some of them, it was their first time ever seeing the sport, much less playing it,” he added. “And with how we progressed from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon after the tournament ended, you can see the improvement, potential, all over the place.”
Beach handball differs significantly from the indoor version, which features six-on-six play, two nets, and heavy physical contact, Suvanto explained. He said the beach variant is played on a smaller court in a four-on-three format, “so the defense is always at a disadvantage.”
The scoring system rewards style and athleticism, and executing a 360-degree spinning shot in the sand or completing an aerial alley-oop earns a team two points instead of one.
“With indoor, it’s a lot of physical strength and size,” Suvanto elaborated. “With beach, it’s a lot more agility. It’s finesse; it’s the ability to get up in the air and float.”
The format creates a viable transition for athletes from diverse backgrounds, Suvanto said. A former professional basketball player, collegiate soccer and beach volleyball players and A.J. Andrews, a current MLB Network personality and former professional softball player, made the trek to Redington Shores.
A grassroots effort to recruit and develop new talent comes as beach handball fights for inclusion on the world’s largest athletic stage. While the sport is not part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Team USA is targeting the 2032 Games in Brisbane, Australia.
Beach handball has recently gained global momentum. The sport was featured in a high-profile showcase near the Eiffel Tower during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The U.S. women’s national team earned gold at the North America and Caribbean Beach Handball Championship in St. Kitts and Nevis in April. That secured a spot at the summer World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.
Suvanto said some of those players participated in the local camp. However, the team is in a “transition period.”
“We have some older players stepping away, but newer players are coming in, and we’re trying to open up a new generation,” Suvanto said.
Beach handball remains a pay-to-play sport with virtually no institutional funding. Local sponsorships offset costs for the Redington Shores camp.
Suvanto envisions establishing a “niche sport hub here in Redington Shores” that, with enough awareness, could attract international tournaments. He also noted that a pathway to the national team is remarkably open for interested residents.
The Parakeets practice in Redington Shores every Sunday, and national team coaches and players often attend. Because the sport’s community remains small, rapid advancement is within reach.
Suvanto highlighted a player who first picked up a handball in January and made the World Championship roster just six months later. She finished third in the world for defensive blocked shots.
“I’m big into trying something new. I’ve discovered so many things that I’m now passionate about because I stepped out of that comfort zone,” Suvanto said. “I would say if you have any interest, if you want to see what it looks like, just come out to one Parakeets practice.”
For more information, email Lyndon.suvanto@handballusa.org.
