Gjerpen Håndball

The history of yawning

The first handball activities for girls were the Rising Sports Association. Rising handball team was founded on July 19, 1945. Two months later, the team joined the merger with Mæla AIL and Gjerpen IL, and was thus renamed the Gjerpen IF Handball Group. From 2008 the name is now only Gjerpen Handball.

Gjerpen Handball has a long and proud history, as early as 1947 it was a fantastic season for handball with circuit champions both A-teams, B-teams and juniors who became No. 3 in the series.

The big step in the handball came in connection with Terje Andersen being coached before the 1981/82 season. Gjerpen Handball entered the 1st division the following year. Terje Andersen brought Hanne Hegh with him, and eventually more good players came along. In the debut season in the 1st division, Gjerpen Handball finally finished in eighth place after a strong opening, which received a lot of attention in both VG and Dagbladet.

Gjerpen Handball secured their first Norwegian championship in the 1985/86 season, after beating Byåsen at home in a packed Skienshall. Our first Norwegian champions were:

Created: Anne Migliosi, Hanne Hegh, Anni Sandersen, Kjerstin Andersen, Anne Hilde Råstad, Gunn Marum, Ina Franche, Cecilia Smith, Ina Johansen, Tove Bergene, Bente Eriksrød, Bente Hultin, Hege Glenna, Kristin Pedersen and Liv Schønhardt.

Coaches: Terje Andersen and Jan Arne Eriksrød

In the 2005/06 season, the team came to the semi-finals of the cup winner's cup.

The team has won NM gold five times and the playoffs three times. The 2006/07 season came Gjerpen in third place in the series, was knocked out in the semi-finals in the playoffs and reached the quarterfinals in the cup winner's cup. In the 2008/09 season, the team again lost the semi-finals of the cup winner's cup.

Gjerpen's women's handball team is now back at the top of Norwegian women's handball after the relegation in the 2009/2010 season.