Türkiye's under-18 handball national team is gearing up to raise the bar at the Mediterranean Confederation Cup, aiming to surpass last year's success.
The team, currently in a training camp in Giresun, is preparing for the competition, which will be held in Tunisia from April 8-13. The athletes are practicing at the Batlama Hüseyin Avni Alparslan Sports Hall.
Head coach Selim Karaağaçlı shared with Anadolu Agency (AA) that the team will continue their camp sessions over the next few weeks, emphasizing their focus on both skill development and strategic growth.
"The team is made up of players from the Men's Super League, First League and Second League, and our goal is to refine a new game philosophy without affecting their club performance," Karaağaçlı said.
He emphasized the team's ambition to improve upon their third-place finish in the previous Mediterranean Confederation Cup. "We’ve seen a talented generation of players, and we are working harder to build on that and raise our standards."
Karaağaçlı highlighted the promising player pool, noting that performance tracking is ongoing. "We are scientifically assessing how well players adapt to our new philosophy while also monitoring their performance at the club level."
The team is focusing on aligning their playstyle with that of the senior national team. "We are structuring our training around the senior team's system, preparing players to fit into that style," Karaağaçlı said.
The coach also revealed plans for additional camps, aiming for at least five more before the tournament in Tunisia. "Our goal is to further develop the players' individual skills and game intelligence," he said.
Karaağaçlı expressed optimism for the future of handball in Türkiye, believing that the country’s youth categories will continue to thrive with the Turkish Handball Federation’s promising projects to expand the player base.
Player Mustafa Aydın shared his thoughts, noting that the team is undergoing intense training with the new coaching staff.
"We’re focused and determined," Aydın said. "Our seniors set a strong precedent in this competition, and we aim to achieve even greater goals. We are analyzing our opponents and working hard on our defense."
