Kristianstad Handboll – Team wellbeing is the foundation for success.

Kristianstad Handboll – playing in the top Swedish women’s handball league SHE – has chosen IPA Nordic’s pioneering wellbeing solution and early stress warning – IPA Pulse

Kristianstad Handball is a sports association that has as its main focus to empower girls, young women and ladies both on and off the handball court. From the youth department to the senior team, which proudly represents the club in the top Swedish handball league, the association works to create an inclusive community based on good values.

The senior team is among the best in the top league, SHE, but the association places just as much emphasis on the values that strengthen the individual both on and off the court. Kristianstad Håndbold is an open organisation where everyone is welcome, regardless of age and level.

Since its foundation in 2005, the club has had a clear focus on girls’ and women’s handball, which has led to a strong association with great commitment from players, parents, partners and sponsors. All members of Kristianstad Handball Club are considered valuable and are given the opportunity to develop according to their individual abilities. From 2011, the club has been a pure women’s club, and the result is seen in the natural transition of girls from the youth division taking the step up to senior handball. These players become carriers of the values and culture of the club. Today, Kristianstad Håndbold is a complete organisation where every member has an important role. Playing in SHE has always been a central goal for the club. The journey to the top league has been relatively quick, with a debut in the second tier in 2013 and promotion to the top tier already in 2014. After a short break in the 2019/2020 season, Kristianstad Håndbold is now back in the elite with a strong team set for success.

That’s what Kristianstad Handboll stands for. Bjarne Jakobsen, Head Coach Kristianstad HK Sweden and Commercial Director

”We think it’s important that everyone has their place with us, that everyone should be able to develop according to their abilities, that as an active member of the organisation you should also develop and feel safe and strong outside the handball court. We want to grow together with all our players!”

Elite women’s handball players lead hectic lives, balancing sport, family, friends and either studies or work. There often aren’t enough hours in the day to fit it all in. This combination can quickly lead to stress and unhappiness if not addressed in time.

This is where IPA’s wellbeing surveys come in. They help detect signs of unhappiness or stress before it develops into a bigger problem. By using wellbeing surveys regularly, you can ensure that players are thriving both on and off the pitch, which can ultimately lead to better performance and more points during the season.

Bjarne Jakobsen tells us:

”Optimising both on and off the pitch is widespread in Denmark. IPA Nordic’s wellbeing solutions are perfect in the world of elite sports, where the whole person is in play. We can strengthen individual well-being and thereby create better results on both the collective level”

How it works:

Using the Early Warning system, potential unhappiness can be detected and addressed in time, enabling proactive efforts to improve co-operation and well-being among players. Players are continuously asked to rate their wellbeing via an app. All responses are anonymous, and both the player group and management can regularly monitor developments. Although the information is anonymised, the system will automatically detect signs of unhappiness and send messages to the player in question with advice and guidance.