Handball player headed to Germany to develop

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/07/2018 (2914 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Derek Brunet is an 18-year-old who graduated last month from Glenlawn Collegiate.

Derek was dedicated to working hard in the classroom and was on the school honour roll — and he’s also dedicated to working hard on the team handball court.

“This is my third year playing handball,” he says. “I enjoy the physicality and speed of the game. The speed is an interesting element of the game; you can really influence the pace of the game in handball. Also, I love scoring goals. Everyone loves scoring goals.”

Derek began playing handball when he was already in high school but he came from a well-rounded athletic background.

“I played basketball, volleyball, and ran track before I tried playing handball,” he says.

“One of my friends invited me to play for our high school team, so I did. We went to the nationals that year. During the nationals is when I really fell in love with the game.

“After that tournament I joined a men’s team and everything else is history.”

That history is darn impressive. Derek played for Glenlawn in the Winnipeg High School Team Handball League, and also played for the Blitz club team as well as the provincial development team. In May, he was a member of Canada’s U21 team at the  International Handball Federation Trophy North American & Caribbean Zone I Championships in Chicago. He is now getting ready to play for an amateur club team in Germany.

“One of my coaches, Pierre Feng, is from Germany,” Derek explains. “He thought I should pursue a higher level of handball. With his help I now have the opportunity to travel to Germany and play the game I love.”

Family is important to Derek and he is very thankful to his dad Denis, mom Coleen, and sisters Jaclyn and Erica who live in south St. Vital.

“I am very fortunate and thankful for the support of my family,” he says. “My mom and dad have done so much for me in giving me the chance to play on all the different teams I have played on. I could not have done this without their love and support.”

When playing the sport you love takes you around the world you are doing something very few get to experience.

“I want to take it as far as I can go. I really enjoy playing handball. I look forward to seeing where this takes me.”

Derek is on a wonderful journey and has this to offer to young athletes with big dreams.

“Keep pushing yourself to do the best you can do, and remember, it’s all about practice.”

Former Winnipeg Blue Bombers kicker Troy Westwood is co-host of The Big Show, every weekday morning from 6 to 10 a.m. on TSN 1290 radio. He writes about Winnipeg’s unsung sports heroes every other week in the Canstar Community News weeklies. If you know of an athlete whose story Troy should tell, contact him at: troy.westwood@bellmedia.ca