Americans Abroad Preview

More and more American handball players are honing their crafts in countries all across the world.  Currently, 20 men and 14 women play club handball in foreign countries.

From those in Denmark to those in Egypt, these athletes are giving it their all to make it big in the world of handball.

Here is a preview of what the Americans Abroad have to look forward to this upcoming season.

Karoline Borg - Right Wing - SK Njard (Norway) - 1st Division
Borg will become the youngest player in the Norwegian Premier League this fall.  The 19-year-old right winger was impressive this summer for the United States Select Team which competed across Germany.

Sophie Fasold - Goalie - TSV Ismaning (Germany) - U18
After several years at TSV Ismaning (Germany), this U18 player has moved back to the USA for the fall semester but could be headed to Denmark in January.

Jennifer Fithian - TV Mainzlar (Germany) - 2nd Division
After playing for 3rd Division team Grenzach last year, Fithian has upped the ante by joining TV Mainzlar who play in German Bundesliga's 2nd Division. From all reports, it appears as if Fithian is impressing her coach and is earning consistent playing time.

Fithian and her husband, Jordan, who also plays in Germany, are bloggers for USA Team Handball so you can read about their adventures here: http://usateamhandball.org/blogs/jordan-jen-live-from-germany

Natascha King - Goalie - Bjerringbro FH (Denmark) - 2nd Division
Only a couple of weeks ago, King joined up with Bjerringbro FH of Denmark's 2nd Division.  A representative of the Army' World Class Athlete Program, she is returning from a year long deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in June.

King is currently fighting for the #1 Goalie position at Bjerringbro FH and has a grand vision for her new team.

"I know that perseverance and hard work are the key to success and I firmly believe that my new team will embrace the challenge that lies before us and that at the end of the season I will be able to report that I no longer play for a 2nd Division Team but a 1st Division Team," said King.

Julia Sayer - Back Court -  TSV Hahlen (German) - OL Westfalen (4th Division)
Sayer is one of the leaders of the Women's National Team and even helped organized the Women's Select Team's trip to Germany where she arranged for the team to be hosted by her own club: TSV Hahlen of Germany's 4th Division.

Julia Taylor - Back Court - Christiansberg IF (Denmark) - 4th Division
Taylor plays for Carolina Team Handball Club but is currently attending the revered Handball Academy at Idrætshøjskolen Århus  in Arhus, Denmark.  Training alongside national team players from Great Britain, she  has also latched on with Christiansberg IF of Denmark's Jyllandsserien (4th Division). She hopes the club will aid her in her goal of being selected for the Pan-American team.

Molly Watkins - Circle and Back Court - Bjerringbro FH (Denmark) - U18
Watkins is one of five Americans from the USA Women's Select Team that is training in Denmark.  A native of Los Angeles, Watkins hopes her experiences with Bjerringbro FH will translate to further success for her National Team career.

Watkins is a blogger for USA Team Handball so you can read about all about her Danish adventures here: http://usateamhandball.org/blogs/blog-for-molly-watkins

Martin Clemons Axelsson - Center Back - Valerenga (Norway) - 1st Division
A relatively recent addition to the Americans Abroad Watch List, Clemons made his debut with the USA in May in Dormagen, Germany. A veteran of the Swedish 1st and 2nd divisions, he celebrates the new season with a new team - newly promoted Valerenga of the Norwegian 1st Division.

Carsen Chun - Center Back - TBD (Germany) - Oberliga (4th Division)
The Air Force recommended that its three members of the World Class Athlete Program move to the vicinity of Ramstein AFB in Germany. Chun has impressed while training with his USA teammates at Rhein Neckar Lowen II.

Adam El Zoghby - Back Court - Al-Ahly (Egypt) - Premier League
El Zoghby's popularity in Egypt is solidified by the fact that he has his very own Facebook Fan Page which has over 600 fans.  The 23-year-old electric left-hander has achieved this celebrity status with Al-Ahly of the Egyptian Premier League.  In his 16th season with the club, El Zoghby is hoping to improve on the team's runner-up finish last season. Currently, they are on top of the league after 8 rounds, having not suffered a single loss. He is averaging between 45-50 minutes per game at both the right back and right wing positions.

Gabe Goodreau - Goalie - TBD (Germany)
Goodreaue moved to Germany on August 20 and trained wth Keith Fine's club TSV Bayer Dormagen II. He recently moved to Heidelberg where he hopes to catch on with TSG Kronau (4th Division).  Althouhg it took him a few practices to adjust to the speed of teh game in Germany, he is hoping to earn the #1 Goalie position for his new German side.

Goodreau is a blogger for USA Team Handbal, so you can read more about his experiences herel: http://usateamhandball.org/blogs/blog-for-gabe-goodreau

Keith Fine - Goalie - Longericher SG (Germany) - Oberliga (4th Division)
Recovering from June knee surgery, Fine is pushing his rehab and hopes to be back on the court in time for this December's Pan Am Games qualifiers against Canada.

Jordan Fithian - Back Court - SG Bruchkoebel (Germany) - Oberliga (4th Division)
Fithian, along with his wife Jen, has just finished up preseason with his newest team: SC Bruchkoebel. His beard may be gone but Fithian is looking to use his experiences in Germany to help defeat Canada.

Jordan blogs with his wife and their blog can be read here: http://usateamhandball.org/blogs/jordan-jen-live-from-germany

Gary Hines - Back Court - Bad Neustadt (Germany) - 3rd Division
Last season, Hines became the first player ever to score 300 goals in the Bayernliga (4th Division).  The astounding 300 goals for DJK Waldbuttlebrun earned him a spot on Bad Neustadt in the 3rd Division. Hines has already made an immediate impression his teammates and coaches who say "Hines just seems to hang in the air."

Charles Schuettinger - Back Court - Skuru IK (Sweden) - 1st Division
Schuetting is a regular contributer for Skuru IK Handball and, in a match against Rimbo, was noted his coaching for being "very good in defense and has a will that can move mountains."

Here is a rundown of the rest of the Americans Abroad:

Women
Nicole Anderson - Left Back - Lyngby (Denmark)
Sharmie Figueroa - Puerto Rico
Lea Hoddersen - Back Court - TSG 1847 Burgel (Germany) - U18
Lynn Hoddernsen - Circle - TSG 1847 Burgel (Germany) - U16
Gabriella Rapp - Bjerringbro FH (Denmark) - U-18
Morgan Thorkelsdittir - Left Back - Valur (Iceland) - U16
Amber Turner - Back Court - Bjerringbro FH (Denmark) - U16
Chanel Turner - Back Court - Bjerringbro FH (Denmark) - U16

Men
Justin Key - Back Court - Rhein Neckar Lowen II (Germany) - Oberliga (4th Division)
Danny Kimmich - Wing - TSG Kronau (Germany) - Oberliga (4th Division)
Alex Mullin - Right Wing - Rhein Neckar Lowen II (Germany) - Oberliga (4th Division)
Mark Ortega - Center Back - Rhein Neckar Lowen II (Germany) - Oberliga (4th Division)
Hans Self - Left Wing - SG Bruchkoebel (Germany) - Oberliga (4th Division)
Thomas Duringon - Circle - San Paolo (Brazil) - Youth
Chris Koerner - Center Back - SG Nussloch (Germany) - Oberliga (4th Division)
Victor Davila - Goalie - Hermosillo (Mexico) - U20
Carlos Rosas - San Diego/Mexico
Michael Leon Williams - Center Back - SG Flensburg (Germany) - U18