Castro debuts in Paranaense Handebol Sub-14

The municipality of Castro, in the Campos Gerais, will make its debut in the Paranaense U-14 Handball Championship, which will be held between 19 and 22 November, in Goioerê. For the first time, the city will have representatives in the children’s category, with women’s and men’s teams formed by athletes from the schools and training centers of the municipality.

The participation is organized by the City of Castro, through the Municipal Secretariat of Sport. Each team will have 16 athletes, all natural of the city. The teams were assembled this year and have been training since May, during the week and on Saturdays.

The women’s team will be led by Professor Bruno Rugiski, while the men’s will be under the responsibility of Professor Franciele Liliane Moreira Schmegel, both members of the Municipal Secretariat of Sport.

Investment in the basic categories

The debut represents a new moment for Castro's handball, who has already participated in state competitions in the U-16, U-18 and adult categories, but had not yet played the championship in the U-14 category.

According to Professor Franciele, the men’s team is in the forming phase, bringing together athletes from the U-13 and U-14 categories.

"We are a team that is starting, with athletes who have a lot of potential and everything to form a well-structured team for future competitions," he said.

The teams of Castro will compete for the Silver Key of the championship. In the women’s division, there will be 20 teams, while the men’s division will have 17 participants. Among the municipalities represented are Cascavel, Guarapuava, Londrina, Apucarana, Arapongas, Umuarama, Paranaguá and Campo Mourão.

Competition brings together teams from all over the Paraná

The Paraná U-14 Handball Championship is considered one of the main athlete training competitions in the state.

In the 2025 edition, held also in Goioerê, 65 teams participated, with more than 1,500 people involved and approximately 200 matches played. Expected growth in the number of participants this year.

For Professor Bruno Rugiski, Castro’s presence in the competition demonstrates the results of the work carried out in the municipal schools.

"It is very important for handball to be participating for the first time in the history of Castro in a base championship, showing the service of our Sports Secretariat and the teachers, and the fruits of the handball schools offered by the Secretariat," he said.

The coach also stressed the importance of strengthening the base categories for the future of the sport.

"The expectation is to invest more and more in the basic categories of military handball to reap the rewards ahead," he added.

The official schedule of the games and the format of the disputes will still be disclosed by the Handball League of Paraná.

See also: https://bntonline.com.br/festival-gratuito-da-utfpr-tera-two-days-of-music-art-and-culture-on-the-great-pont/