The Handball Club Elche continues to demonstrate that it hosts one of the strongest women’s programs in Spain. Its youth section, Atasa Elche, earned qualification for the National Final Stage for the ninth year in a row, after advancing through provincial, regional, and sector rounds that crowned the top eight teams in Spanish handball. This feat marks a rare achievement in the sport.
In recent seasons, the Elche club has collected four championships within eight years. In 2014 and 2015, international star Laura Hernandez, then with San Sebastián Bera Bera, earned the MVP honors as her team captured the Warriors-Iberdrola League title, with Hernandez cited as the standout player of the campaign. In 2018, in Cantabria, Patricia Mendez, now a first-team contributor, was named the tournament’s best player as part of a Celia Guilabert team. In 2019, in Vigo, international talent Paula Arcos, who joined Bera Bera after stints with Atlético Guards, was named the Final Stage MVP. The team’s head coach in the recent stretch has been Joaquin Rocamora, who has balanced duties leading both the A squad and the youth program.
The young team nicknamed the “fighters of the franciverdes” is once again among the elite in the category and aims for a fifth title in this year’s competition. The Final Stage is scheduled for 25–29 May in the city of Mislata, Valencia.
Atasa Elche earned its spot in the Final Stage of the Spanish Championship after finishing first in Group H of the Sector Stage, a round-robin format that included 32 teams. The ilicitano coaching staff, led by Peter Paul Bocero, saw the team post a 34-18 victory over Dos Hermanas in Seville, a 40-27 win against San Serván in Extremadura, and a 34-30 win over Quijote Herencia from Castilla La Mancha. For the Final Stage, the group featured Atasa Elche alongside Anaitasuna of Navarra, Maravillas from Madrid, and Palautordera of Catalonia. The other group comprised Aula Valladolid, Zarautz from the Basque Country, Mislata from Valencia, and Pozuelo from Ciudad Real. The competition promises a high level of play, with only the top eight teams earning a place in the final rounds.
Interestingly, even though Atasa Elche reached the Final Stage, the team stood fourth in its Autonomous Community ranking after falling to Mislata in the semi-finals, with Morvedre advancing to third and fourth place. Both Morvedre and Mislata hail from the Valencia region, underscoring the strength of the Valencian clubs in this season’s championship.