Handball World Cup 24 - Everything Thread

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

The 24th Handball World Cup: Sylestone and Quebec & Shingoryeo

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Welcome to Quebec & Shingoryeo and Sylestone for the 24th Handball World Cup! This is the everything thread, where RPs and rosters can be posted from now on, while results will also be posted here.

For the first stage, teams have been drawn into eight groups of four, where they will play a double round-robin. From here, the top two will automatically qualify for the second group stage, while the third-placed sides will go through a playoff, where the winners will join the 16 automatic qualifiers in a 20-team group stage. The teams will be split into four groups of five, where the top two from each group will progress to the quarterfinals. To decide the champion, a straight knockout bracket including a third-place playoff will be used.

To be clear, the first stage will be played home-and-away, while the second stage and knockout rounds will be played in neutral venues in Q&S and Sylestone.

First Group Stage Pots

Teams on equal rank across multiple pots were randomised into those respective pots.

Pot One: Quebec & Shingoryeo (14 - Host), Sylestone (3 - Host), Sarzonia (1), Græntfjall (4), HUElavia (5), Taxonomic Kingdoms (6), Abanhfleft (7), Bollonich (8)
Pot Two: Srednjaci (8), Hebitaka (10), Equestria (11), Castlelobruxo (19), The 14 Stars (19), Varmennia (19), Ethane (22)
Pot Three: Kriegiersien (22), Drawkland (25), Qasden (30), Praxedes (UR), Natanians and Nosts (UR), Annyeong Oppa (UR), Juvencus (UR), Isle Noire (UR)
Pot Four: Gatchingerrak Union (UR), Raspotochje (UR), Hallikshire (UR), Ardengard (UR), Lisander (UR), The Jovannic (UR), Skopje (UR), North Handoria (UR), Terradiu (UR)

First Group Stage

Group A
Sylestone (3 - Host)
Lisander (19)
Kriegiersien (22)
Terradiu (UR)

Group B
Bollonich (8)
Castlelobruxo (19)
Qasden (30)
Hallikshire (UR)

Group C
Sarzonia (1)
Srednjaci (8)
Praxedes (UR)
Raspotochje (UR)

Group D
Abanhfleft (7)
Equestria (11)
Annyeong Oppa (UR)
Skopja (UR)

Group E
Quebec & Shingoryeo (14 - Host)
Varmennia (19)
Drawkland (25)
Gatchingerrak Union (UR)

Group F
HUElavia (5)
The 14 Stars (19)
Juvencus (UR)
North Handoria (UR)

Group G
Taxonomic Kingdoms (6)
Hebitaka (10)
Natanians and Nosts (UR)
The Jovannic (UR)

Group H
Græntfjall (4)
Ethane (22)
Isle Noire (UR)
Ardengard (UR)

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Second Group Stage Pots

Pot 1: Quebec and Shingoryeo (14-Cohost) / Sylestone (3-Cohost) / Sarzonia (1) / Graintfjall (4)
Pot 2: Taxonomic Kingdoms (6) / Abanhfleft (7) / Bollonich (8) / Castlelobruxo (19)
Pot 3: The 14 Stars (19) / Lisander (19) / Kriegiersien (22) / Drawkland (25)
Pot 4: Ardengard (UR) / Juvencus (UR) / Annyeong Oppa (UR) / Praxedes (UR)
Pot 5: Skopja (UR) / The Jovannic (UR) / Natanians and Nosts (UR) / Gatchingerrak Union (UR)


Second Group Stage Groups

Group A (Chamberley, Cleorough and Pesfield)
Sylestone (3)
Juvencus (UR)
The 14 Stars (19)
The Jovannic (UR)
Castelobruxo (19)

Group B (Avondale, Betham and Kirkham)
Abanhfleft (7)
Skopja (UR)
Drawkland (25)
Sarzonia (1)
Ardengard (UR)

Group C (Attawapiskat)
Lisander (19)
Annyeong Oppa (UR)
Bollonich (8)
Quebec and Shingoryeo (14)
Natanians and Nosts (UR)

Group D (Baja Calania)
Kriegiersien (22)
Gatchingerrak Union (UR)
Graintfjall (4)
Praxedes (UR)
Taxonomic Kingdoms (6)

Tiebreakers

• Points
• H2H Points
• H2H Goal Differential
• H2H Goals For
• Goal Difference
• Goals For

Schedule

Cutoff for Quebec & Shingoryeo will be at 13:00-15:00 UTC (22:00-Midnight Korean Standard Time) while Sylestone’s will be at 06:00-08:00 UTC (16:00-18:00 Australian Eastern Standard Time).

The first group stage will be played within each country's venues. The second group stage onward, the matches will be played in either Q&S or Sylestone.

Group Stage One - Matchday One: September 23
Group Stage One - Matchday Two: September 24
Group Stage One - Matchday Three: September 25
Group Stage One - Matchday Four: September 26
Group Stage One - Matchday Five: September 27
Group Stage One - Matchday Six: September 28
Playoff: September 29
Group Stage Two - Matchday One: October 1 - 2v5 / 3v4 / 1 REST
Group Stage Two - Matchday Two: October 2 - 5v3 / 1v2 / 4 REST
Group Stage Two - Matchday Three: October 3 - 3v1 / 4v5 / 2 REST
Group Stage Two - Matchday Four: October 4 - 1v4 / 2v3 / 5 REST
Group Stage Two - Matchday Five: October 5 - 4v2 / 5v1 / 3 REST

Quarter Finals: October 7
Semi Finals: October 8
Third Place Playoff: October 9
Final: October 10

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Welcome to Quebec and Shingoryeo!

Located in Northwestern Anaia, Quebec and Shingoryeo is a nation known for its environment, rich cultural diversity and claims one of its region's most educated and cultured population. Led by Her Imperial Majesty, Christine II, the country is a semi-constitutional monarchy, with both the royalty and the democracy playing a huge role in Quebecois politics. With a high HDI rating and affluent economy, Quebec and Shingoryeo is an advanced nation with long years of peace and stability within the nation, while still allowing for societal and economic progress over the course of its history. With a beautiful environment, advanced economy, state-of-art infrastructure and love of association football, Quebec and Shingoryeo is your place to go for your once-in-a-lifetime voyage that welcomes every traveler with smile and cheer.

Handball is the number one summer indoor sport in Quebec and Shingoryeo, a spot it comfortably holds with packed stands. While the sport itself doesn't hold the 30,000+ crowd the gridiron or baseball matches normally get, the relative accessibility of handball more than cover such deficiency. Quebec and Shingoryeo does have a 3-tier, dualsex pyramid for handball, with the 14-team Ligue-Boreale at the very top of the pyramid. More IC information is available via TG or PM upon signee's discretion.

Transportation

To arrive in Quebec you'll likely just want to fly in to the city that you will be playing in. First, for those in Group C, this is trickier. Due to the relatively small size of Baja Calania as a city, and its significance as a border town between Quebec and Huayramarca, the national team delegations will be allowed to fly into Baja Calania Airport, which is operated by the Royal Quebecois Forces. As for the fans, they will be expected to fly from California City International Airport located in California, just two hours away from Baja Calania, and either drive or take the rail service to there.

For those in Group D, due to the relatively northern location of Attawapiskat, it would be best to access the city via Iqaluit International Airport, one of the six major gateways to Quebec. Serving as the focus city of the Aeroquebec-Norsk Airline System (AQ-NAS) group, the airport has regularly scheduled flights mostly within Quebec, Anaia and Atlantian Oceania, but also have few flights, from thrice weekly to daily in frequency, to Rushmori and Esportivan centres as well.

As for the travel between the two cities, the Quebecois Handball Federation has signed agreement with Spiritair, one of two major international carriers based in Quebec and Shingoryeo, to fly charters between Baja Calania Airport and Attawapiskat International Airport. For those taking the charters, there will be extensive security protocols between the flights, mostly due to safety reasons involving the military-owned airport in Baja Calania.

Money

The national currency of Quebec is Quebecois Pound, with the exchange rate of $3 NS for 1 Quebecois pound. With the nation being rich with huge economy, almost everyone will have at least has a good deal of money here. So please don't feel surprised if the products are much more expensive here than back home, excluding alcohol and certainly marijuana.

Things you'll need in your stay, prices in NS Dollars (NS$) and Quebecois Pound (Q)

- Hotel: NS$60-600, Q$20-200
- Public transport in both cities: NS$3-9, Q1-3
- Average cost of food: NS$9-51, Q3-17
- Sports tickets: NS$45-540, Q15-180
- Bottle of water: NS$12, Q4 (Sale of bottled water itself is extremely limited, with public fountains providing very low interest for the people)
- Alcohol: NS$15-150, Q5-50 per keg
- Public phone: NS$3 per 5-minute call, Q1 per call

Cuisine

Quebecois cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from dominant Korean and elegant French cuisine that came with settlers, as well as materials and existing food of the First Nations living in the area, Quebecois cuisine has evolved through a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends and is the best mix of it all.

Quebecois cuisine is largely based upon rice, other diverse kinds of grains, vegetables, and meats(in this area moose and caribou, and to rare cases bears). The meals are noted for the number of side dishes (banchan) that accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice. It varies on the personal preferences but often in every meal they eat at least some form of maple syrup, Kimchi and/or bread. Commonly used ingredients include sesame oil, doenjang (fermented bean paste), soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and gochujang (fermented red chili paste). In this part of the nation, fish are caught off the rivers and lakes to be eaten in whatever the way one prefers as well.

Ingredients and dishes vary by region to region, with many. Many regional dishes have become national, and dishes that were once regional have proliferated in different variations across the country. Meals are regulated by cultural etiquette, which are very hard to follow for even the average Quebecois due to all the processes they take.

Feel free to ask me for any questions if you have any in mind.

Religion

Quebec is a religiously diverse country, though divided when it comes to dominant regions. In the cities where the World Cup of Hockey will be hosted, indigenous religions are widely practiced, with Quebecois Catholic Church and Buddhism right behind. Due to these differences, all three levels of Government keeps some separation from any religions, though they still hold some influences in those levels and receive lots of funding. It is also not recommended to argue about politics or religion in Quebec, as political and religious apathy is not really a thing for the Quebecois people.

Laws

Culturally and socially, Quebec is in bit of a mix. Another handy chart will be in place to explain some of Quebec's laws in place:

Recreational drugs: Legal, though selling them without a provincial licence can lead to up to $30,000 NSD in fines and 5 years in jail.
Hard drugs: Illegal, with punishments up to $150,000 NSD in fines and 5 years in jail for possession and consumption of the drugs.
Prostitution: Legal. People won't be talking about it, but will nod along.
Pornography: Legal, aside from child pornography (applies to any pornographic videos or anything else starring people up to 18 years of age). Possession of child pornography will land you straight in jail for 7 years, while production and distribution of it can lead to potential death sentence. So, don't try it as it's a big no-no.
Legal age for tobacco: 18
Legal age for alcohol: 14
Maximum BAC to drive: 0.03.
Saying the word 'Coconut': Legal

All the foreign citizens caught under the Federal and/or Provincial law will not be extradited, unless of a special order given by Christine II and the Prime Minister. It is also be noted that I, at this point in time, have no interest in generating unrest in a tournament hosted by Quebec and Shingoryeo.

---

The Ministry of Sport and Recreation, as well as its internal body, the Imperial Sporting Council, has recently shifted from a nationwide to regional-based hosting system on the international tournaments hosted in Quebec and Shingoryeo, to promote easier, more environmentally-friendly travel, as well as fostering regional interest in a sport of concern. Thus, in a bid proposed by the Quebecois Handball Federation, there will be two cities, Attawapiskat and Baja Calania, hosting the Quebecois half of Handball World Cup 24.

Group C - Attawapiskat

Group C, where the host will be hosted, is going to be based in the city of Attawapiskat (popn: 750,000). Built by the Quebecois Government in hosting a central location for both the indigenous peoples of the Quebecois northwest, as well as the hundreds of thousands of immigrants from what's now Gatchingerrak Union back in the mid-1800s, Attawapiskat has always been viewed as the 'the northern city of oddities' in the eyes of southerners or the Capitoliens. With this in mind, it has always been home to the latest of cultural and political progresses, with many of the policies that have built the Quebecois social net being tested here. It has also meant that the city, while not being left out politically unlike those out in west coast, has seen plenty of tensions over the years. Unlike in Manitoba, where the socially progressive NPD or the Greens have dominated for few decades, Attawapiskat remains a war zone between NPD, centre-left PJLQ and the Greens, with the Indigenous Alliance having solid power as well.

Attawapiskat is essentially a city of two halves, separated by the steep mountains that differentiate them and their industries. Northern half of Attawapiskat is mostly what the tourists, and those who have only visited it a few times for sporting purposes, recall - City of Attawapiskat Stadium (Zenit Attawapiskat's football division), the Northwestern University and the Zenit's sports complex. At the same time, northern, sea-level half of Attawapiskat is also remembered for Arlenian-era townhouses built in the Norsk style, the Royal Quebecois Air Force Museum, and high volumes of restaurants and local markets. This is the half where the districts have become younger by demographics, with houses becoming more expensive and rooms smaller as the people from rest of Quebec strive to move there. Whether this will affect the small, cozy nature of the city remains to be seen.

On the southern, inland half (altitude: 1,700-2,000m), the Inner-Attawapiskat was first developed in the 1940s and 1950s, with the largest Royal Quebecois Air Force base in Quebec moving there from the northern tip of the city's borders, while the suburban houses and relatively newer office buildings dot the rest. It is home to the University of Attawapiskat campus and the on-campus Quebecom Arena, home to the QHL team Attawapiskat Avalanche and QWBL team Attawapiskat Nuggets, and often hosts the Quebecois national basketball and hockey team games. The road system continues to become nightmarish, and the expansion of the metro system has been ongoing for 2 decades in order to not only alleviate the pressure, but also to improve road safety - it remains one of the most dangerous cities in Quebec.

1. Quebecom Centre, Attawapiskat South - Capacity: 21,360

Located on the southern, inland half of Attawapiskat, Attawapiskat south is a lot more spread out area in terms of density with a small core of high-risers and many districts of low-floored houses built in the postwar era over a century ago or in the 2010s (already 40+ yrs ago!), a major decade of prosperity for the city. Unlike the city proper, which is known for being religiously diverse and ambiguous, the southern half of Attawapiskat is more known to be Lutheran or indigenous, though this does not change from high tolerance the Katians have maintained in the decades. The Quebecom Centre, built 40 years ago for Attawapiskat Avalanche, has slightly aged, but the arena remains in great shape partly thanks to the consistent renovations and upgrades done by the the QHL club's ownership over the years.

2. Gwangbok Centre, Attawapiskat North - Capacity: 10,700

While the Royal Quebecois Air Force base had long moved, the RQAF's Zenit Attawapiskat multi-sport organisation remained in the heart of the city's northern half. With its sports complex located right in the centre, and the City of Attawapiskat Stadium just 200m away, the Gwangbok Centre is accessible from anywhere in the city and its network of canals and six islands. Downtown Attawapiskat has become more ethnically diverse in recent decades, but for most part it has retained its Norsk heritage, with the signage and street/place names still mostly written there, and the National Heritage Foundation placing heavy restrictions on demolishing or altering buildings or houses. As for the arena, Gwangbok Centre is an old arena built in the year 1945 and required a renovation before the opening of second group stage.

Group D

Group D will have their home base in Baja Calania, the country’s major border city with Huayramarca at the southwestern point of the westernmost province of Manitoba. Originally born as a port city of naval significance for the Royal Quebecois Navy, when California City eventually became too big for its primary purpose as a naval city, Baja Calania has been viewed as the middle-ground standing between the Quebecois kingdom and the Huayramarcan state that haven’t always had the finest of relations. As a result, the city has often been known for being both pastoral due to being a quiet vacationing spot for the unassumed rich, and being counterculture. This has shown in the city’s political scene too where in recent times, the the city’s two ridings have been a major litmus test for the Quebecois Federal Elections and Manitoba Provincial Elections.

Even with its gradual change of purpose, Baja Calania is still a city with major military presence, marked by a Royal Quebecois Navy base at the city’s south end, and the major checkpoint located just 2km inland, along the Quebecois-Huayramarcan Border. The port itself, located on the city’s downtown, sees less traffic than what it used to see two or three decades ago, though on some days you’ll see exports being carried out. It’s otherwise a fairly leisurely city, with its 140,000 inhabitants who tend to be right around the national average in age (but older than rest of the province), working for the military, government, the Cannabiscorp, or tourism industry. Baja Calania still has a very boisterous nightlife scene along the port and the 5km long Baja Calania Beach, with cottages mixed with local houses in the city’s downtown. The further you go inwards, however, you will see more normal homes and the woods, with the Baja Calania National Park located just twenty minutes away from the beach by drive.

1. Cannabiscorp Arena -- Cap: 8,400

Baja Calania Blazer’s Ligue-Nordique (2nd tier) and QOVO sides both have long, respected history in the Quebecois handball and volleyball scene, and it is marked by the strong state of the arena in what’s the smallest home city for both leagues. Sponsored by crown corporation Cannabiscorp, a major employer in the city and the southern half of Manitoba province, Cannabiscorp Arena is one of the best handball arenas in the country. Locker room facilities and parking lots are state of art and roomy, affordable food spaces are abundant and there is an active sellout streak that runs into the 14th year of Ligue-Boreale, all the way back to Handball Bundesliga days. It also helps that the arena is located just 500m away from the beach as well.

2. Celine A. Reid Gymnasium, Baja Calania School District -- Cap: 4,000

If the Cannabiscorp Arena may have been too hazy from all the cannabis smoke for you, there is always an alternative to watch a handball game in the city’s north end. For most part, the north end is filled with holiday cottages and nice houses, with lots of trees in the area, and some fans would be able to descend from the arena after the match or school and spend hours surfing or swimming. The gymnasium, used by the Baja Calania School District for its middle and high school championship tournaments and also board events, is over 100-years old, but has recently replaced small wooden seats designed to fit as many students with comfier, plastic seats.

[Sylestone]

Overview

Sylestone is a tropical island nation located in the region of Esportiva. It can be found on the very west of the map, west of Cyborg Holland and north of the SUS Islands. The nation is home to 25 million people and sentient objects who are sure to welcome your national side and supporters to the country. Being a wonderful tourist destination, there are many things to do on off days, including going to the world-class beaches, rainforests, reefs and of course the amazing resort of Felton Island. The nation also has a reasonably high level of technology that ought to make everyone feel comfortable, as well as an efficient transport system. The economy is unsurprisingly run by the tourism industry, although the dairy and agriculture industries are significant in size. Everything in the nation is run by renewable power, with massive solar and wind farms located in the grasslands of the island nation.

Sylestone is roughly 700,000 km square and generally takes about 15-20 hours to travel by car from Dunkirk in the northwest to Kirkham in the southeast. However, it will only take two if travelling by aeroplane and ten if catching a train. A physical map of Sylestone will be found below and we hope you enjoy your stay in paradise.

Dangers

Sylestone may be beautiful, but like many tropical countries, it is not without its dangers. The nation is full of snakes, spiders, jellyfish, big cats and many other deadly predators. Also watch the Mwimbi Bimbi fruit that will kill if touched, let alone swallowed. It looks like an ordinary plum but with thorns on the stem. Remember to watch out for elves in the Melville Rainforest surrounding Emacuton and Chamberley, they will kill anyone who seems to cause disunity. And whatever you do, do not offend the sentient objects of Kirkham…

Handball in Sylestone

Sylestonean handball is a tad different to what it is elsewhere in the multiverse. While normal handball (known as indoor handball) is relatively popular, with specialised stadiums in most of the biggest cities on the island, beach handball is just as popular and attracts far more people of an easygoing nature. While indoor handball leagues are frequently run in cities, organised beach handball is somewhat of a mess, although it, in the end, runs amazingly smoothly. Teams across many cities and towns fight it out for the best in their area at a designated location, whether a beach, a lakeshore or even on the arid, red, Sylestonean deserts. The champions from each region then proceed to Chamberley for the finals, where members of the winning team each get a giant blowup refrigerator.

Indoor handball is much more formal and well organised. After Sylestone asserted themselves as a handballing powerhouse in Equestria and Bollonich in the 23rd Handball World Cup, the sport has boomed throughout the nation. There are even talks of creating a twelve-team domestic indoor handball league to help increase popularity, with teams from some of the biggest cities throughout the nation, as well as some lesser-known ones where handball is played much more frequently on an unofficial basis. While this is yet to be confirmed, it will be an exciting prospect for the nation’s many handball supporters.

Stadia

Institute Arena, Chamberley

Location: Inner East Chamberley
Capacity: 9,000
Groups: Group A - Second group stage - MD1+MD4, semifinal
About: Located in the massive institute that takes up a fairly large portion of Chamberley’s inner east, Institute Arena is a fairly large indoor stadium, one of which can seat 9,000 spectators. It is the second-largest in Sylestone and is surrounded by towering rainforest trees, with home spectators always interested in viewing an engaging match of handball.

Hagdon Park Stadium, Cleorough

Location: Cleorough City
Capacity: 5,600
Groups: Group A - Second group stage - MD2+MD5, quarterfinal
About: Located in the heart of Cleorough, Sylestone’s fourth-largest city with roughly three million residents, Hagdon Park Stadium can be found inside the city centre’s largest park. Due to the size of the park, at times it can be hard to find the stadium, particularly at night, but you’ll eventually make it there. It may only be small, seating 5,600 people, but being a small-ish stadium, a full house will create a brilliant atmosphere.

Palm Stadium, Pesfield

Location: South Pesfield
Capacity: 6,000
Groups: Group A - Second group stage - MD3
About: Unlike the majority of major stadiums, Palm Stadium is located in the southern suburbs of its home city, Pesfield. The city, known for being located almost entirely in the dense treetops of the Yarrow Rainforest, is home to a little over a million people. Palm Stadium itself is located on the ground, but many locals will hail from the surrounding trees, who have made a home for themselves in those places simply due to the nearby arena.

Avondale Arena, Avondale

Location: Avondale City
Capacity: 15,000
Groups: Group B - Second group stage - MD1+MD4, 3PPO
About: By far the largest of all stadia used for the Handball World Cup, Avondale Arena can seat up to 15,000 spectators, 6,000 more than any other arena in the nation. Located in proximity to the shoreline, it is by far Sylestone’s most prestigious indoor stadium and will play host to some of the most entertaining games, alongside a third-place playoff.

Seaside Arena, Betham

Location: Inner South Betham
Capacity: 7,500
Groups: Group B - Second group stage - MD2+MD5, quarterfinal
About: Similar to the famed Bay Reserve located basically next door, Seaside Arena’s name is quite self-explanatory - the stadium itself is located right on the shores of some of Sylestone’s most pristine beaches and coastlines. The city, being home to over four million residents, has a relatively large capacity of 7,500 spectators and will always create an entertaining atmosphere, especially with fans from two more nations present. Remember to have a swim at the beach afterwards!

Sentient Dome, Kirkham

Location: Kirkham City
Capacity: 5,000
Games: Group B - Second group stage - MD3
About: Due to the Sentients’ relative disinterest in handball, the Sentient Dome in Kirkham can only hold up to 5,000 spectators, with the majority of it reserved for fans from each participating team. However, the Sentient Objects that do decide to turn up will always create a great atmosphere, and if they’re in a good mood, might even do some of your chores for you.

[Lisander]

[Kriegiersien]

Kriegiersien Handball National Team

After dropping out against later finalist and nemesis Abanhfleft in the quarter finals of the 22nd World Cup, the men's team also dropped out at the Olympics early soon after, exhausted from the traveling. Even though the women were former Olympic Gold medal winners, a team out of the newly founded professionel leagues was formed for the WC23, but with only male players of the coming Olympic Squad.
At the next World Cup (23) in Equestrian States the team flopped at the group stage, with only 2 wins and a draw. The Olympic campaign also went bad for the men.

So now the women, who won their second Olympic gold in Electrum, are send.

"We really need results this time. And the men just don't bring them", said the president of the Handball Association, who is also the niece of the president of the nation.

For a nation where nudity is mandatory, clothes are always a nice surprise. Kriegiersien comes as always in their black Olympic rags.. jerseys.

Coach:
Flavia Flöt

Goalkeeper
Moe Edna
Kassy Ivy
Left and right wingman
Edith Ash
Maris Jolana
Left and right backcourt
Jaya Gail
Ayaka Aniya
Centre backcourt
Swapna Wassa
Pivot
Todorka Doireann
Defense
Johanneke Maisie
Addison Nikkole
Isabel Kaylie
Flick Reanna
Tatianna Francis
Magdalena Pamella
Kelia Ernestine


RP: Just don't do your worst, I should be able to work with it somehow

[Sarzonia]

Sarzonia Stars

Manager Joyce Rodham, 43
Assistant Managers
Will Quinn, 32
Aaron Snider, 49
Meghan Tyson, 38

ROSTER (Starters in bold)
GOALKEEPERS
1 Pat Agnew, 5-foot-6, 155 pounds, 29
Note: Agnew is gender nonconforming and uses they/them pronouns.

30 Javier Lopez, 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, 23
39 Jim Haverchuk, 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, 21

BACKCOURT
LB 2 Charles Brougham, 6-foot, 185 pounds, 28
13 Britt McCauley, 5-foot-8, 145 pounds, 27

CB 11 Paul Crowley, 6-foot-9, 235 pounds, 25
15 Vance Tippett, 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, 29

RB 14 George Wompers, 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, 23
10 Joseph Daigle, 6-foot-1, 215 pounds

WINGS
LW 7 Nestor Catalina, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, 26
11 Abbie Wagner, 5-foot-7, 145 pounds, 24

RW 18 John Maeve, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, 24
20 Cris Orem, 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, 21

PIVOTS
22 Ivan Charlton, 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, 31
26 Mike Dakota, 5-foot-9, 175 pounds, 22

If my opponent RPs first, I give them permission to:
    Choose my goalscorers:                Yes
    Godmod scoring events:                Yes
    RP injuries to my players:            Yes, but I determine severity
    Godmod injuries to my players:        No
    Hand out yellow cards to my players:  Yes
    Hand out red cards to my players:     Yes, but no more than you do for yourself
    Godmod other events:                  In general, no, but TG me about it first

Style Mod: 0

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Quebec and Shingoryeo Men's and Women's National Handball Teams - HWC 24

The Quebecois Handball Federation (QHF), in continuation of its practice also shared by Royal Quebecois Volleyball Federation (RQVF), Basketball Quebec (BQ) and Royal Quebecois Football Association (RQFA), is proud to continue its practice of sending mixed teams with expanded rosters to international competitions. In regards to their opponents' preferences to play the men, women or mixed teams, will remain flexible in advanced consultation with their opponents (OOC: go ahead and ask me).

HANDBALL IN QUEBEC AND SHINGORYEO

Handball is the number one summer indoor sport in Quebec and Shingoryeo, a spot it comfortably holds with packed stands. While the sport itself doesn't hold the 30,000+ crowd the gridiron or baseball matches normally get, the relative accessibility of handball more than cover such deficiency. Quebec and Shingoryeo does have a 3-tier, dualsex pyramid for handball, with the 14-team Ligue-Boreale at the very top of the pyramid.

Unfortunately, the international results for the Quebecois national teams have yet to really reflect their popularity. Following the double gold at Nassau Bay-Centralis, the three-decade long (and ongoing) dispute between Quebecois Handball Federation, the Players Association, and the Ligue-Boreale, had meant that the Quebecois national teams rarely entered over last three decades, if ever, with a full squad, with many refusing to participate internationally over last thirty years. This, supported by mixed performance by the U23 national team on the XV Summer Olympics, where the men were booed after a shameful loss to Tikariot on R32 but women won a silver medal in a good run, means that the Quebecois will be sending a full team (albeit with lots of players replaced on men's side, and quite a few on women too) for the first time in decades.

STYLISTICS

Stylistically, Team Quebec distances itself from the usual style of brutal physicality found in other sports. Both men and women are finesse and speed-driven, preferring to overlap and pass a lot before finding lots of opportunities, which makes sense given their relatively shorter height. The team's ability to come up with endless combinations, thanks to its strengths on the most important position in centre back, is what's going to make this team hard to play against. They will try to stay as flexible as possible on positionality between the backs, where they do enjoy a relatively better depth than on the wings, and on right side of the court. That is what they will use in order to overcome deficiencies on height and also on wing play.

Unfortunately, they are somewhat weaker on wingers though they rely a lot on wing play, and the relative imbalance between the left and the right side of the attack is what the Quebecois need to fix as well. The goalkeepers, for most part, are pretty good, occasional troubles on the empty net aside. Oh, and whether they succeed or fail on a match-to-match basis will really come down to how many turnovers they can produce- those they will probably have to work bit more off.

Thus, expect them to try scoring from the sides than the centre, though if they do so up the middle, they will be going for 9m shot instead of a 3m shot or even 7m shot. Empty goal situations are always good for them as well. They will convert turnovers too, as long as they can get enough of them...

Men's Team

Coaching Staff

Coach              Position            Age    Team              
Michael Hanrahan   Head Coach           50     Nyhavn Handbold (Gatchingerrak Union)
Alan Hansen        Assistant Coach      48     Zenit Attawapiskat FHC
Choo Yeong-Heon    Assistant Coach      42     Universite St. Croix        
Samira Lazareva    Team Doctor          59     Zenit Attawapiskat FHC

No  Name        Surname        Age  Ht.   Position                     Team       
01  Sang-Yeob   Ahn            20   1.83  Goalkeeper (GK)              Montreal Koreana
02  Guillaume   Beck-McKinstry 23   1.95  Left Wing (LW)               Mipojoseon HC
03  Laurent-Lee Shin           22*  1.81  Right Wing (RW)              Winnipeg United
04  Dragoslav   Šarić          29   1.91  Right Back (RB)              AG Espergærde (Gatchingerrak Union)
08  Henri       Petitpa        20   1.86  Right Wing (RW)              Montreal Koreana
09  Enzo        Lavarini       22   1.90  Centre Back (CB)             Speed River Lakers
10  Ibrahim     El-Tayar       19*  1.94  Right Back (RB)              Belmorets Palmyra (Gatchingerrak Union)
13  Ivor        Stankić        28   1.93  Left Back (LB)               Abitibi Ace
14  Vsevolod    Skorobogatov   21   1.97  Centre Back (CB)             CSKA Quebec
17  Said        Wex-Hakimi     20*  1.87  Left Back (LB)               Labrador State University
18  Brian       Hong           25*  1.89  Pivot (P)                    Bathurst HC
19  Nathan      Yeo            26*  1.88  Goalkeeper (GK)              Montreal 76ers
27  Mark        Eller          18*  1.92  Left Wing (LW)               Naxos Nyhavn (Gatchingerrak Union)
49  Gavrila     Zerebchenko    21   1.96  Pivot (P)                    Sept-Iles Sangmu
                                      --- RESERVES (상비군) ---
05  Darnell     Joseph-Sung    20   1.89  Right Back (RB)              Central Honam University
06  Jae-Woo     Gong           22   1.82  Left Back (LB)               CSKA Quebec
12  Romain    Anderson-Alarie  24*  1.91  Left Wing (LW)               Sherbrooke Sparta
15  Axel        Halgorsen      30   1.93  Pivot (P)                    Gatchinovo IFK (Gatchingerrak Union)
21  Hussein     Hesham         23*  1.87  Goalkeeper (GK)              CSKA Quebec
24  Ghislain  Godbut-Cournoyer 18*  1.85  Centre Back (CB)             Farrer University

Depth Chart

Position                      Starter              Reserve
Goalkeeper (GK)               S. Ahn               Yeo
Left Wing (LW)                Eller                Beck-McKinstry
Pivot (P)                     Zerebchenko          Hong                 
Right Wing (RW)               Shin                 H. Petitpa
Left Back (LB)                Stankić              Wex-Hakimi
Centre Back (CB)              Lavarini             Skorobogatov                   
Right Back (RB)               El-Tayar             Šarić

Women's Team

Coaching Staff

Coach              Position            Age    Year  Sex   Team
Varinder Bhullar   Head Coach           49     FHC CSKA Quebec
Catherine Dion-Heo Assistant Coach      43     St. John's Raiders 
Colby Whitworth    Player-Coach         45     FHC Dukhoborian
Bok Jong-Hye       Team Doctor          37     PLI Islanders

No  Name        Surname        Age  Ht.   Position                     Team       
01  Johannie    Petitpa        22   1.83  Right Wing (RW)              Montreal Koreana
02  Chae-Gyeong Oh             33   1.76  Left Back (LB)               Mipojoseon HC
04  Yana        Palyubets 'C'  27   1.85  Left Wing (LW)               Armada Petrograd (Gatchingerrak Union)
05  Hannah      True-Jansen    23   1.90  Pivot (P)                    Nyhavn Håndbold (Gatchingerrak Union)
06 Chelsea Anne Hannigan       24   1.85  Right Back (RB)              Montreal 76ers
08  Maria       Sigurdsson     24   1.86  Centre Back (CB)             Zenit Attawapiskat
10  Maria       Dos Santos     29   1.86  Right Wing (RW)              Corner Brook Islanders
11  Pil-Heui    Noh            25   1.91  Pivot (P)                    CSKA Quebec
13  Elodie      Byeon-Nadon    20   1.83  Right Back (RB)              Myeongju 1901 Sangmu
15  Joanna      Bjornfoot      22   1.92  Left Back (LB)               Northwestern University
16  Sylvie-Jeanne Bruneau      24*  1.82  Left Wing (LW)               Montreal 76ers   
17  Hannah      O'Leary        23   1.90  Centre Back (CB)             Abitibi Ace
19  Soo-Yeon    Yang           21*  1.76  Goalkeeper (GK)              Hanyang College
21  Hwang-Rahn  Kweon          32   1.83  Goalkeeper (GK)              Naxos Nyhavn (Gatchingerrak Union)
                                      --- RESERVES (상비군) ---
05  Marianne    Sieloff        28   1.77  Right Wing (RW)              Zenit Attawapiskat
07  Rowena      Seol           21   1.82  Left Wing (LW)               Bathurst HC
09  Jeong-Hwa   Sung           18*  1.73  Left Back (LB)               Mount Ester University
14  Diane       McDonnell      20*  1.82  Goalkeeper (GK)              Université St. Croix
18  Rosamaria   Fernandes      25*  1.77  Centre Back (CB)             Corner Brook Islanders
24  Joo-Ha      Gye            29*  1.70  Pivot (P)                    Winnipeg United

Position                      Starter              Reserve         
Goalkeeper (GK)               Kweon H.R.           Yang S.Y.            
Left Wing (LW)                Paylubets            Bruneau              Seol
Pivot (P)                     True-Jansen          Noh P.H.             Gye J.H.
Right Wing (RW)               Dos Santos           J. Petitpa           Sieloff
Left Back (LB)                Oh C.G.              Bjornfoot            Sung          
Centre Back (CB)              O'Leary              Sigurdsson           Fernandes
Right Back (RB)               Byeon-Nadon          Hannigan

If my opponent RPs first, I give them permission to:
    Choose my goalscorers:                Y
    Godmod scoring events:                Y
    RP injuries to my players:            N
    Godmod injuries to my players:        N
    Hand out yellow cards to my players:  Y
    Hand out red cards to my players:     N
    Godmod other events:                  TG or PM if you have ideas. Otherwise, I'll be picky. Specifically NO VIOLENCE in Quebecois Soil, for one...

[Sarzonia]

Joyce Rodham was sitting in the her office at the training facility. For any reporters who saw her on the eve of the previous edition of the Handball World Cup and knew her well enough, the difference in demeanour now was striking.

Instead of being uptight dealing with questions swirling around a team that failed to qualify for the knockout rounds to questions about being a woman managing a team with a slight majority of male players, and instead of dealing with the fallout of defying orders from above in disciplining two players for nearly fighting each other, she was relaxed. Her team were the defending champions, having rallied to capture a title in a battle with Kotzellach that was essentially another front in the Atlantian Oceania-Anaia cold war that threatened to turn hot. She'd rallied her team to an unlikely title and shut up her critics, both from without and from within.

One reporter took notice.

"Coach, you seem to be a lot more relaxed this time out."

"I am," she said, smiling an easy smile she hadn't shown until her team had the title in hand last time out. "I'm very proud of all the work this team did and everything we accomplished." When asked about the disciplinary meeting she had with her superiors, she nodded knowingly.

"Yeah, I knew I was toast if we didn't win," she said. "But I didn't care. If I was going to be fired, I was going to be fired doing what I knew was best. And look what happened."

The Stars will go into this Handball World Cup as a Pot 1 side. In the unique format, one she admitted she hated, there would be two group stages. In the first one, there was a double round robin that would determine the 20 teams that would advance to a second single round robin. Regardless, Rodham knew her team would have targets on their backs.

"There may be no Kotzellach now, but we still are going to have a tough go of it," she said. Srednjaci are a well-regarded side, and Raspotochje are a familiar name in other sports. We don't know much about Praxedes yet, but I suspect we will soon enough."

One question that caused her wide smile to fade was about the relationship between goalie Pat Agnew and defender Vivianne Taylor.

"That hasn't changed," she said, straightening up in her chair. "It's status quo, and I don't know if it's ever going to change, but as long as they're able to do the things on the pitch they need to when they need to, I'm not going to try to get them to get in a circle and sing 'Kumbaya'. I have my limits."

[Taxonomic Kingdoms]

The Taxonomic Kingdoms are populated by deities of the natural world. They believe -- at least officially -- that all living things are equal. Not just intelligent species, but ALL living things.

Deities from the Taxonomic Kingdoms most commonly appear in the form of talking plants, animals, mushrooms, or clouds of mist. They can also appear in human form, but it is less common. There are 16 kingdoms populated by different kinds of deities. Some kingdoms allow mortals in their land, while others do not.

Taxonomic deities do not expect anyone to worship them. They can hear prayers, but usually won't answer. They are generally tolerant of polytheist religions, but they hate monotheism. For example, they are completely OK with it if your nation worships the Norse or Greek gods, but they are uncomfortable with Biblethumpers. Preaching Abrahamic religions is generally considered hate speech. Each of the 16 kingdoms has slightly different laws governing what you can preach and what types of texts you can bring into the kingdom.

The handball team are from the kingdom Animalia and they all appear as oversized marmots.

The Taxonomic Kingdoms' largest media outlet is the Ribovirian Network Association (tRNA), based in Viraemia, Orthornavirae. All games will be televised on tRNA Sports.

ANIMALIA MARMOTS ROSTER

Starting Line-up:

GK: Marmota Broweri
LB: Marmota Camtschatica
CB: Marmota Bobak
RB: Marmota Kastschenkoi
LW: Marmota Baibacina
P: Marmota Monax
RW: Marmota Himalayana

Bench:

GK: Marmota Caudata
LB: Marmota Menzbieri
CB: Marmota Sibirica
RB: Marmota Caligata
LW: Marmota Olympus
P: Marmota Vancouverensis
RW: Marmota Flaviventris

The Marmots do not cheat or play dirty. You can RP injuries, but because they are gods, they will recover almost immediately.

[The 14 Stars]

End of an Era

After a dramatic soccer appearance sports in our country have undergone massive re-education also because of our new ideology the so called Algocracy that our country pursues.
New technology, better players and alot more funding has been poured into all sports to make them more suitable for competing on the global stage and to maybe even get some good results this time.

The 14 Stars plays in Red and White in handball and its away kit will be entirely white.

Their home stadium if needed is the Condor Arena build in one of the highest buildings of the country, a place certainly worth a visit for those who are not afraid of heights nor handball.

Team Roster

coach: Angelo Mazidis
assistant coach: Emily Clark

Team medic: Gina Verdona
Team physio: Pedro Zilento

Starting Line-up:

GK: Bryan Feldt (24 years)
LB: Lewis Danielson (29 years)
CB: Keyan Fernandez (19 years)
RB: Yuri Schernikov (26 years)
LW: Chris Kenville (25 years)
P: Nils Bjornasson (18 years)
RW: Buemba Lisombo (23 years)

Bench:

GK: Thomas Risalinn (21 years)
LB: Rory O'hara (31 years)
CB: Fredrik Rosenberg (19 years)
RB: Julian Rabiot (24 years)
LW: Louis Nolan (20 years)
P: Malik Czerewski (18 years)
RW: Armando Lopez (18 years)

Playstyle

The team is know to play very intense and quickly paced games constantly putting heavy pressure on their opponents, their stamina and strong endurance is therefore the absolute strong point of the team.
Their physical game is also very good and on point but no matter how rough it gets they will always play fair and will never willingly injure an opponent if they don't have to go to such lenghts.

Their technical game is somewhat lacking this from inexperience aswell as the new technology they play with that maximize their abilities within their extents.

Humans?

Yes they are humans but they are genetically and artificially advanced to the point where they are playing to the best that their physical ability can carry the players for a long period of time usually.
These advanced players can play until in their mid 40s or even late 40s before any skill depletion would become visible and this longer player endurance also allows more competition between them and more stability in the national team.

[Bollonich]

Bollonischian Roster for the 24th Handball World Cup

Handball in Bollonich
Handball has a rich history and heritage and an intricate relationship with Bollonischian culture at large. Despite our national teams not having a large history of partaking in international competitions, handball has been more than an important sport for the people for centuries. Known to be coastal people coconuts have always been found in the abundance. An ancient form of the game was played in Bollonich using these coconuts known as ibhola yengalo, in the native language translating to arm ball. The rules and methods of playing the sport has evolved throughout the ages however the place it holds in the hearts of thousands of Bollonischians hasn’t changed.
The stature Handball held in the pyramid of sports was a fairly low one with players usually being amateurs or semi-professionals however with the setting up of the Bollonischian Handball Federation and the BHL this has completely changed how handball was played. Youth players get chances and huge contracts at franchises and their youth teams with players also heading off to foreign leagues. This saw even more rapid change with us hosting the 23rd Handball World Cup. The 23rd Handball World Cup was not just a tournament hosted by us, it was also the tournament where our players debuted in the biggest handball competition. The Handball World Cup had been our introduction to the international foray of handball and we had done splendidly making a fabulous run to the quarterfinals of the competition before losing out to eventual champions Sarzonia.
This however was not our beautiful well known story of glory, or the moment when our players rose from the ground to the pedestal of among the best teams in the world. This moment came for our nation in the 15th Olympics held in Electrum. The Women’s team had been plowing on like the men but they suffered a narrow but no less harrowing defeat to Tikariot’s women in the quarterfinals. This was a painful reminder to our HWC quarterfinal exit back at home. The men however had made their way to the semifinals and didn’t look back for even a moment in the entirety of the tournament crushing all opposition and taking the gold medal from Bunjil following a great showing of strength as they won all of the matches they played in the tournament. Arriving to play in the 24th Handball World Cup, the team arrived with ta weight on their shoulders. A weight to deliver as they carry the expectations of thousands of fans. This will no doubt be a tournament to watch out for.

Style of Play
Similarly to most of Bollonich’s other teams sports, the handball side focuses on its passing game looking to get out of situations with quick speed or finesse instead of going hands on physical. The players however are not afraid to have physical encounters if they are provoked. The right and left backs are a crucial piece in the team’s entire play often orchestrating some of the best chances as the centre back is always the solid player, the player to protect and rescue us from terrifying situations.
The pole or centre is player is almost always that one man who is infant of the goal and the main threat to put goals in opposition nets. The wings are mainly there to assist the centre player in doping his or her job.
The handball side prefers quick, attacking and beautiful play to the often useful but dull defensive techniques utilised by many sides.

Coaching Staff

Name               Age   Position
Trix Joseph        45    Head Coach
Annabel Rider      39    Assistant Coach
Floretta Beaumont  37    Physio

Roster

Name                 Age    Pos.
Maynard Bridges      23     GK
Laci Harper          21     GK
Lizzy Rhodes         28     GK

Jeanna Waldroup      29     LB
Reggie Mutton        37     LB
Ingvar Scott         27     LB

Neil Newell          23     CB
Lovell Ayers         23     CB
Lewis Adkins         19     CB

Brianna Tailor       24     RB
Fern Tailor          33     RB
Wilbur Sandford      20     RB

Marietta Johns       26     LW
Tom Thorly           30     LW
Marje Jewel          29     LW

Heath Adair          35     P
Smith Hampson        21     P
Lizbeth Townsend     18     P

Colin Akermen        22     RW
Johnny Harell        34     RW
Andrea Jeanes        21     RW

If my opponent RPs first, I give them permission to:
    Choose my goalscorers:                Y
    Godmod scoring events:                N
    RP injuries to my players:            Not without permission
    Godmod injuries to my players:        N but you could always ask
    Hand out yellow cards to my players:  Y
    Hand out red cards to my players:     Ask before you do so
    Godmod other events:                  Ask pls

[Ardengard]

Arden Roster for the 24th Handball World Cup

Handball in Ardengard
Since before Ardengard was the nation it is today, football has been the most popular sport among the people, with youngsters playing it in every nook and corner of cities and villages. Thereby, the concept of scoring goals with one's hand didn't arrive in the nation till much later. With time, however, handball has established its presence with a small but relevant niche of people greatly interested in it. The growth of the sport saw its first domestic league ten years ago in the form of the Arden Handball Cup. Consequently, the Ardengard Sporting Federation announced its intention to form the first Ardengard handball team and take the country to the international stage in the sport. Relatively experienced handball coach Michael Veitch thus set about putting together a team to play on the biggest platform - the Handball World Cup. This year that dream comes true with Ardengard's participation in the 24th Handball World Cup.

Style of Play
The handball team is often criticised for their low possession statistics across all games, but their opponents are always wary when the Ardengard players form a semi-circle around the D-Zone. For if they slip up just a little, the Arden players will seize the opportunity and catch the opponent off guard with a lightning fast build up, making their counter attacks extremely deadly.



Coaching Staff

Name             Age   Role
Michael Veitch   49    Head Coach
James Howard     38    Assistant Coach
Ryan Scott       42    Assistant Coach

Roster

Name                 Age   Position
William Save         28    GK
Amanda Joel          33    GK

Pete Quick           29    LB
Colin Oswald         25    LB

Merry Babatonye      31    CB
Sarah Tomiyei        34    CB

Frederick McKinnon   30    RB
Kate Armason         24    RB

Nicholas Quick       32    LW
Randall Olsen        28    LW

Joseph Khan          30    P
Ronny Wick           33    P

Maria Fury           28    RW
Jeff Barnes          35    RW

Captain: Merry Babatonye

If my opponent RPs first, I give them permission to:
    Choose my goalscorers:                Y
    Godmod scoring events:                Y
    RP injuries to my players:            N
    Godmod injuries to my players:        N
    Hand out yellow cards to my players:  Y
    Hand out red cards to my players:     N
    Godmod other events:                  Just don't do anything that ends all tournament hopes.

[Juvencus]

Juvencus National Handball Team

Juvencus as a nation owes a lot to handball for its service in helping Juvencus step out of its domesticated Sonnelian shell into the hardship of multiversal sports competitions in a place no better than the Sonnelian powerhouse of Drawkland, Juvencus' closest trading partner and ally. Handball was the very first sport that Juvencus was represented on in an international level, when the team entered Handball World Cup 18 finishing 4th place in the competititon and further inclining other sports teams to try their luck, namely the football team, which has been coined the handball team's original nickname "gli attaccanti" due to its offensive playstyle. However, after the surprising debutante appearance, future appearances did not follow suit in the handball world cups that followed with records being dusted in history, much like the football team's World Cups 82-86 qualifiers appearances, the pandemic made record holding hard while everyone was focused on quarantine in order to ensure safe conditions in the fastest way possible, something that was achieved recently. Back to the handball team however, as it is represented by a whole new generation of players, a test by the Juven Handball Federation only using players from the U-23 team. Seeing as the team is reliant on youthful enthusiasm rather than experience, it will be very interesting how they will manage to bear fruit in this handball world cup competition, its 24th version in particular.

Starters:
GK:Giancarlo Montessini
Centre:Roland Clarebert
LB:Stefano Alamani
LB:Darko Konstandinov
RB:Leonardo Cavallieri
CR:James Di Monieri
LW:Maximus Coiro
RW:Michelangelo D'Agosto

Substitutions:
GK:Angelo Piotri
GK:Serafim Arundieri
Centre:Gonzalo Gameiro
Centre:Sesto Iustini
LB:Judas Cantini
LB:Douglas Robinho
RB:Gialuigi Costa
RB:Geronimo Roti
CR:Danielle Di Roca
CR:Thiago Sabbattini
LW:Clarence Lumiere
LW:Carlos Ideale
RW:Stefano Carameleni
RW:Ezequiel Cavani

Coach: Justinianus Cabral
Assistant coach: Martino Insigne
Assistant coach: Destro Patini

Kits created by No-Nonsense Sportswear initially for association football, but since the national association football team switched kits they are used in other sports, for that service, we thank them!

Stadium: The Alcantara Arena in Santo Domenico will host the team's home games for the Handball World Cup 24. It has a capacity of 14,500 and is very technologically ahead of other stadia in the nation.

If my opponent RPs first, I give them permission to:
    Choose my goalscorers: Y
    Godmod scoring events: Y
    RP injuries to my players: Y
    Godmod injuries to my players: Y 
    Hand out yellow cards to my players: Y 
    Hand out red cards to my players: Y
    Godmod other events: Y

[Skopja]

Ракометна Eкипа на Скопја
Rakometna Ekipa na Skopja
Squadra Nazionale de Pallamano di Skopja
Skopjan Handball Team

The Republic of Skopja is situated in the place of RLstates' North Macedonia on a timeline Macedonian nationalism was suppressed early on by a visiting Juven force that overthrew the Yugoslav rule of the area in the 1950's and has been untouched since. The name was a mistake from the Juven logistics part when they landed in Skopje and misheard it as Skopja and named the whole region after its capital, however this has stuck to the populace since. The people and their language have gotten to be known as Skopjan in this timeline and everything else is relatively untouched except for the consistent visits of either the Juven Holy Emperor or a representative to oversee the country's development. It is richer than its RLstates equivalent but in more peaceful relations to its neighbors, however with a reluctance of the populace to join any multinational organisations as long as Skopja is under the influence of Juvencus. With a population of 2 million native Skopjans and 500,000 Juven living side by side in peace, the Republic of Skopja is trying to start to mark its own impact in the world of multiversal sports much like its guarantor state, which has given it access to multiversal travel. Handball is one of the most popular sports of the landlocked state as its continental weather subjects it to frequent weather phenomena such as rain, heat or snow depending on the season and handball is the perfect indoor sport. Ever since Juvencus' participation in the 18th Handball World Cup, a lot of its former players have found their homes in Skopja as players or coaches to local teams, spreading the sport above and beyond.

Starters:
GK:Gabriele Mazza
Centre:Nedelko Dimitrov
LB:Slobodan Ivanov
LB:Slavko Filipov
RB:Luka Gjorgievski
CR:Salvatore Rais
LW:Venijamin Atanasov
RW:Ljubčo Kumanovski

Substitutions:
GK:Lelio Roncalli
GK:Dragan Ignatov
Centre:Ace Daskalovski
Centre:Sime Acciai
LB:Nedelko Viktorovski
LB:Slavko Ivovski
RB:Tase Ivanov
RB:Vasil Nikolovski
CR:Zharko Popovski
CR:Grozdan Stojanovski
LW:Anton Trajkovski
LW:Vlastimir Gjorgiev
RW:Branislav Savevski
RW:Agostino Pugliese

Coach: Nikola Georgievski
Assistant coach:Aco Mladenovski
Assistant coach:Nikola Pandev

Stadium: With only the nation name different and most representation in tact, Boris Trajkovski still dies in a horrific plane accident and the main stadium of the team is named after him. The 10,000-seater Sportski Centar Boris Trajkovski in the Karpoš Municipality of Skopje is the home venue of the Skopja national handball team.

If my opponent RPs first, I give them permission to:
    Choose my goalscorers: Y
    Godmod scoring events: Y
    RP injuries to my players: Y
    Godmod injuries to my players: Y 
    Hand out yellow cards to my players: Y 
    Hand out red cards to my players: Y
    Godmod other events: Y

[Sylestone]

SYLESTONE NATIONAL HANDBALL TEAM



THE 24TH HANDBALL WORLD CUP

Overview

Following a strong performance in Equestria and Bollonich, Sylestone’s national handball team have returned for another Handball World Cup - their second with the human team, the Hawthorns, and their third overall after a disappointing display from a Sentient side in Savojarna in the 22nd edition of the competition. Now, following eight wins on the trot in the 23rd edition before falling short to Græntfjall in overtime in the quarterfinals, the Hawthorns are a favourite to take out the 24th Handball World Cup on home soil.

The team will have a slightly defensive mindset, revolving around captain and centre-back Isla McCartney. The rest of the defence doesn’t possess her talents, but none are incredibly weak either, and all will create issues for opposition forwards. And even when they do break past, Bianca Gotch is certainly one hell of a goalkeeper to get past. As for the forwards, that line will be based around pivot Amber James, easily Sylestone’s best goal-scorer and arguably one of the best in the world. However, the likes of wingers Lachlan Fosbrook and 22-year-old Zachary Radcliffe are far from weak and will pose a threat to opposition wingbacks.

Squad

Nickname: The Hawthorns

Coach: Lauren Prior (F - Age 39)
Assistant Coach: Angelina Marmion (F - Age 54)
Manager: Cameron McRae (M - Age 36)

Name				Gender		Age		City/Town
GK: Bianca Gotch		F		35		Cleorough
LB: Flynn Strange		M		28		Pesfield
CB: Isla McCartney (c)		F		32		Avondale
RB: Lole Strezlecki		F		21		Cleorough
LW: Zachary Radcliffe		M		23		Betham
P:  Amber James			F		29		Chamberley
RW: Lachlan Fosbrook		M		28		Chamberley
GK: Ben Ackman			M		30		Dunkirk
LB: Isabella Bailey		F		32		Dunkirk
CB: Samantha Hussey		F		29		Chamberley
RB: Jonathan Younger		M		24		Avondale
LW: Claire Raven		F		22		Emacuton
P:  Patrick Barnsley		M		21		Halpenley
RW: Ellie McKean		F		22		Betham

Home Stadia

Matchday One: vs Terradiu @ Hagdon Park Arena, Cleorough
Matchday Two: vs Lisander @ Chamberley Institute of Sport, Chamberley
Matchday Six: vs Kriegiersien @ Avondale Arena, Avondale

RP Permissions

If my opponent roleplays first, they may:
Choose my lineup: Only if I haven’t done so in a previous RP.
Choose my goalscorers: Yes.
Godmod scoring events: Yes. Please acquire permission beforehand if it is something drastic.
RP injuries to my players: Please acquire permission beforehand.
Godmod injuries to my players: Please acquire permission beforehand.
Eject/suspend my players: Please acquire permission beforehand.
Godmod other events: Yes. Please acquire permission beforehand if it is something drastic.

[Graintfjall]

Team name: Græntfjall
TLA: GRÆ [GRF when not available]
Demonym: Græntfjaller
Team nickname: Bouncy Wolves

Kit: Blue with white piping; alternate is the reverse; GK wears red. Because all Græntfjaller names are patronymic, players typically have their first name on the backs of their shirts.

Coaches: Marís Nikolaisson and Annes Sigvarðursson

№	Pos.	Name			Age	Height	Club
1	GK	Samuele Henriksson	23	2.04 m	 Mipojoseon
3	P	Oddkell Ásólfursson	22	2.00 m	 Laafjörður
5	CB	Frans Mikesson		22	2.04 m	 Pichika
6	P	Anders Andersson	22	2.00 m	 Gründorf
9	LW	Berent Spjällesson	22	1.95 m	 Korsbach
11	LW	Isak Göpfsson		25	1.86 m	 Þingsnitz
12	P	Fabio Hávarrsson	31	2.09 m	 Akurgarten
13	LB	Jack Jockisson		24	1.94 m	 Montreal Koreana
14	GK	Hjörleifur Attesson	25	1.80 m	 Lohrreith
15	P	Finngeir Lucasson	32	1.98 m	 Gunzlach
17	LB	Damon Zachariasson	22	2.01 m	 Folte
18	CB	Noah Josefsson		21	2.00 m	 Lohrreith
22	LB	Karsten Kjartansson	31	1.96 m	 Haafberg
24	RB	Spartakus Kristinsson	26	1.99 m	 Kuodorf
25	CB	Elias Ilíasson		30	1.84 m	 Gunzlach
36	RW	Gottskálk Kasperisson	27	1.98 m	 Reschensreppur
44	RW	Niklas Unnbjörnsson	27	1.86 m	 Reschensreppur
90	GK	Klængur Álfarsson	31	1.93 m	 Steinaux

If you RP first, you may…
Pick my scorers: Y
Assign penalties: Y
Assign ejections: Y
Assign serious, violent incidents that would lead to multiple-game suspensions: N
Injure my players: N

Home arena: Royal & Imperial Recreation Club Arena, Háttmark (cap. 18,000)

[Annyeong Oppa]

안영오빠 핸드볼팀
Annyeong Oppa Handball Team

Colors: Blue and Yellow
Head Coach: Ryu Seung-chul (36, Male)
Principles: The Gimjongguk-Tiger Moth Principle
Highly physical defense, usually exerts excessive energy, will resort to intentional fouls. Expect players to be booked/sent off/suspended/fined over these kinds of plays.
Puts pressure on the ball carrier
Stadium: Leonningman Arena in Cheolguri (capacity 7,012 all-seater)

Starters
GK: Kim Yeon-seok (20, Male)
LB: Kang Yeong-jae (27, Male)
CB: Mok Yeong-ho (19, Male)
RB: Bae Eun-jeong (22, Female)
LW: Heo Mi-yeon (25, Female)
P: Jee Gun-wu (18, Male)
RW: Gu Min-cheol (28, Male)

Bench
GK: Kim Da-som (32, Female)
LB: Seo Jin-wuk (21, Male)
CB: Yang Jeong-nam (25, Male)
RB: Kang Da-hye (22, Female)
LW: Gu Chae-yeong (29, Female)
P: Pan Yeong-ok (24, Female)
RW: Bang Yu-seok (25, Male)

Jerseys
Primary color is Blue shirt and shorts.


Secondary color is Yellow shirt and shorts,


RP Permissions
Anything besides killing and pandemic-related posts are welcome.

[Isle Noire]

Isle Noire Handball Team
Head Coach: Pierre Dior, 41
Home Venue: Edge of Night (Cap. 8,800)

Starters
GK: Emmitt Anderson (21/M)
LB: Markus Dade (23/M)
CB: Ramsey Potts (24/M)
RB: Miriam Peel (27/F) (C)
LW: Iris Dawson (21/F)
P: James Raul (24/M)
RW: Arnold Cowl (23/M)

Bench
GK: Michael Justus III (19/M)
LB: Isaac Granderson (20/M)
CB: Sheila Godwin (18/F)
RB: Emmanuel Pitt (21/M)
LW: Amelio Justinian (22/M)
P: Omar Earnest (21/M)
RW: Matthias Sutton (22/M)

RP Permissions:
Pick Scorers: Y
Assign Penalties: Y
Assign Ejections: Y
Assign Suspensions: N
Injure Players: N

[Ardengard]

“Ok then everyone, gather around.”
The air in the dressing room was tense as fourteen players formed a circle around their coach.
“Look, I know this is a big game. Our debut, and against a ranked side. You’re all probably shivering now – God, I got the jitters. But remember, this is your opportunity to make a mark. This is our chance to make a mark. Remember your roles, coordinate and do what you do. Goalie, where you at?”
“Here coach.”
“Right, what’s your name again?”
The tall figure smiled and said “I Will Save.”
“Yes you will.”
All the players chuckled at their coach’s joke.
“Ok then, I’m going to hand over to Ryan now. Got some last minute tips for the team?”
The assistant coach walks over.
“Nothing new, just do what we’ve practised. Nick, Maria – you gotta be quick on those flanks. Get into their defence before they realise it. Joseph….”
Coach Veitch’s ears stopped listening at this point. His eyes looked around the room at each of the players. When he’d been asked to select a team for the World Cup, he’d thought it would be impossible. “Ardengard doesn’t have good enough players!” he’d said. Now, he could only laugh at how wrong he had been. He and his two assistants travelled all over the country, personally scouting for talent. Days, months, years of training, coaching and polishing. It all led to this. Fourteen brilliant men and women – some domestic veterans and some young upstarts – standing in a dressing room, minutes before a World Cup match. Would it be worth it? Or would they just crash out in the first stage, creating no memories worth having? That was certainly possible. Probable too. But he’d never thought they would reach this far at all. He’d been proved wrong before and he hoped he would be again.
“Coach?”
Michael spun around to see the players and staff with their hands at the centre of the circle. He smiled, nodded, and put his hand on top of theirs.
“Ardengard on three?”
“1…2…3…”
It was time.

[Sylestone]

Cutoff for matchday one of the first group stage, Quebec half.

---

Group E

Quebec & Shingoryeo 33–24 Gatchingerrak Union
Varmennia 33–26 Drawkland

Group E                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Quebec & Shingoryeo      1   1  0  0   33  24  +9    2
2 Varmennia                1   1  0  0   33  26  +7    2
3 Drawkland                1   0  0  1   26  33  −7    0
4 Gatchingerrak Union      1   0  0  1   24  33  −9    0

Group F

HUElavia 33–28 North Handoria
The 14 Stars 24–30 Juvencus

Group F                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Juvencus               1   1  0  0   30  24  +6    2
2 HUElavia               1   1  0  0   33  28  +5    2
3 North Handoria         1   0  0  1   28  33  −5    0
4 The 14 Stars           1   0  0  1   24  30  −6    0

Group G

Taxonomic Kingdoms 21–24 The Jovannic
Hebitaka 23–29 Natanians and Nosts

Group G                  Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Natanians and Nosts      1   1  0  0   29  23  +6    2
2 The Jovannic             1   1  0  0   24  21  +3    2
3 Taxonomic Kingdoms       1   0  0  1   21  24  −3    0
4 Hebitaka                 1   0  0  1   23  29  −6    0

Group H

Græntfjall 23–24 Ardengard
Ethane 24–29 Isle Noire

Group H                Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Isle Noire             1   1  0  0   29  24  +5    2
2 Ardengard              1   1  0  0   24  23  +1    2
3 Græntfjall             1   0  0  1   23  24  −1    0
4 Ethane                 1   0  0  1   24  29  −5    0

[Bollonich]

Star studded handball side travels to Sylestone in search of more glory
The Olympics in Electrum was a dream come true for our handball teams as both the men and the women made deep runs in their respective competitions and the women missing out by a very small margin losing to Tikariot in the quarterfinals. Our men however defied all odds to win gold at Bunjil adding onto our tally and asserting Bollonoischian dominance in the sport of handball. Travelling to Sylestone to once again compete in the Handball World Cup our players would have a better chance now. A better chance of winning which is certainly plausible with our recent performances. Extra experience will also play a major role in those tournament as we come up against lots of sides who haven’t as successful as we have or sides that simply lack our level of experience. Winning will certainly be on our minds heading into this tournament but looking so far ahead can result us to falter.
The HWC shall run with a slightly different format this time as two groups stages will be in use with the top two making it directly to the second stage. Our eyes will firstly be on our four team group in the first stage of the competition we’ve been drawn against Castlelobruxo, Qasden and Hallikshire two of whom have taken part in a HWC previously. Castlelobruxo didn’t have the best HWC last time around failing to make the knockouts. These teams should be easily beatable to our strong outfit who are prepared for the challenge that faces them. The challenge of living up two expectations, the challenge to deliver. And we shall hope that these men and women shall not fail to deliver.

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Cutoff for Sylestonian half, Matchday 1!

---

Group A
Sylestone 31–20 Terradiu
Lisander 31–24 Kriegiersien

  Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts                      
1 Sylestone              1   1  0  0   31  20 +11    2  —    —    —   31–20
2 Lisander               1   1  0  0   31  24  +7    2  —    —   31–24   — 
3 Kriegiersien           1   0  0  1   24  31  −7    0    —    —    —    — 
4 Terradiu               1   0  0  1   20  31 −11    0    —    —    —    —

Group B
Bollonich 30–24 Hallikshire
Castelobruxo 31–23 Qasden

  Group B              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts                      
1 Castelobruxo           1   1  0  0   31  23  +8    2  —    —    —   31–23
2 Bollonich              1   1  0  0   30  24  +6    2  —    —   30–24   — 
3 Hallikshire            1   0  0  1   24  30  −6    0    —    —    —    — 
4 Qasden                 1   0  0  1   23  31  −8    0    —    —    —    —

Group C
Sarzonia 32–19 Raspotochje
Srednjaci 28–26 Praxedes

  Group C              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts                      
1 Sarzonia               1   1  0  0   32  19 +13    2  —    —    —   32–19
2 Srednjaci              1   1  0  0   28  26  +2    2  —    —   28–26   — 
3 Praxedes               1   0  0  1   26  28  −2    0    —    —    —    — 
4 Raspotochje            1   0  0  1   19  32 −13    0    —    —    —    —

Group D
Abanhfleft 22–22 Skopja
Equestria 27–30 Annyeong Oppa

  Group D              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts                      
1 Annyeong Oppa          1   1  0  0   30  27  +3    2    —    —    —    — 
2 Abanhfleft             1   0  1  0   22  22   0    1  —    —   22–22   — 
  Skopja                 1   0  1  0   22  22   0    1    —    —    —    — 
4 Equestria              1   0  0  1   27  30  −3    0 27–30   —    —    —

[Sarzonia]

There were going to be questions going into Handball World Cup 24 for the Sarzonian national team.

Would goalkeeper Pat Agnew and defender Vivianne Taylor actually get along? Would the team's championship be a one-hit wonder or would it portend good things to come? Would Joyce Rodham's near run-in with Sarzonia's handball federation have any ill effects?

One match may be too early for definitive answers, but Sarzonia certainly looked like it answered the last two questions in the best possible way with a crushing 32-19 victory over Raspotochje in front of an appreciative crowd of 16,378 at The Palestra in Woodstock, which saw a Sarzonia team that was both efficient and fluid on offence and stingy and opportunistic on defence.

Before the match, the official presentation ceremony for the team's championship rings and the banner commemorating the team's extra time victory over Kotzellach in the final of the previous edition saw the team bask in the glow of being able to show off or wear bling that demonstrated the rewards for their hard work on the pitch and their ability to overcome adversity off it. Few people were thinking about the Agnew and Taylor feud whilst both players craned their respective necks to watch the banner ascend slowly to the rafters. The other players were too busy smiling about watching that larger banner take its place next to the old, smaller banner that signified Sarzonia's third place finish in Handball World Cup 7, which itself was next to the banner that symbolised the country's successful hosting effort of that tournament after several previous editions did not finish.

Rodham glanced at her players, including Agnew and Taylor, pleased to see the two teammates/frenemies were focused on enjoying the fruits of their labours from the previous edition. She also took a brief pause to allow herself to smile at the ovation the fans at The Palestra gave her for her team's run through the previous edition to finish as its champions.

After the moment to bask in the past, it was time to look to the future. And if that future includes more nights like this one, one which saw Sarzonia play more like the top ranked team in its sport than one that was 23rd ranked going into the previous edition, that future was going to be a bright one indeed. And, Rodham noticed after the final whistle that Agnew and Taylor gave each other fist-bumps. It wasn't the warm greeting you might expect for teammates that just won a match in impressive fashion, but for teammates who famously did not get along before they were cobbled together as a team, that was as close to a positive response to the first question facing this team as you'd expect.

[Ardengard]

“With just around two minutes left in the game, the two sides are still level on 23 – 23. It’s been a brilliant match between Ardengard and Græntfjall but we’re yet to know what the outcome is going to be.
“Hold on! After trying to get past the Ardengardian defence, Græntfjall has lost possession and Ardengard is on the break. Quick movement from Quick, passes it to Fury – the goal is practically open – and she scores!! Is this the moment for Ardengard?! Does it get them their first World Cup win?!”
“The players fall back immediately to defend their lead. Græntfjall have one and a half minutes more to recover. Given how sharp the Ardengardian players have looked today, they might find it difficult to score at this stage. The three forwards keep passing between themselves in the hope on finding a gap to sneak through. The seconds are ticking down now and Græntfjall calls for a timeout with half a minute left on the clock! Who else forgot they hadn’t used it yet?”
“Well I certainly did. The players in blue hydrate themselves as Coach Nikolaisson passes on instructions and last minute – literally – tactics. But what’s this? The Ardengardian players have held their ground. They have not broken the semi-circle. Why do you think that is?”
“Maybe they don’t want to let go of the mindset they’re in right now, maybe they want don’t want to relax their bodies and slip up, maybe they’re just trying to get into their opponent’s heads?”
“Well their opponents are certainly puzzled all right. The players get back on to the court for the closing seconds. Will the timeout prove to be effective? Ardengard has not given Græntfjall a chance yet. This is coming down to the wire. Not much time left at all… Isak Göpfsson tries to score from a distance, it isn’t far off but brilliant reflexes from William Save keeps it out… and the clock has run out! The final score stands Græntfjall 23–24 Ardengard! Michael Veitch runs out to his players, who are all on their knees with tears of joy. They kept their focus till the last moment and have secured a well-deserved victory to create history for their country!”

[Sylestone]

The Sylestonean > Sport > Handball > HWC 24

HAWTHORNS DEFEAT TERRADIU IN FRONT OF ECSTATIC HOME CROWD

Sylestone vs Terradiu @ Hagdon Park Stadium, Cleorough

Sylestone Starting VII: Gotch; Strange - McCartney (c) - Strezlecki; Fosbrook - James - Radcliffe

Terradiu Starting VII: Unknown

CLEOROUGH, SYLESTONE - Despite both the men’s and women’s teams underperforming in last year’s Olympic Games, held in Electrum, the combined Hawthorns side was still one of the strongest in the entire multiverse. With the opening game being played at Hagdon Park Stadium in Cleorough, expectations were high as they set foot into the arena, ready to take on unranked Terradiu.

Having not played together for nearly two whole years, save a bit of training here and there, the Hawthorns had an excuse to be rusty. But fortunately, with Terradiu appearing to be the weakest team in the group alongside Lisander and Kriegiersien and the only one to have not released their squad, this game appeared to come at the right time.

So when the Hawthorns took a 3-2 deficit inside the first five minutes of the match, the sellout crowd of 5,600 weren’t necessarily worried. With no practice matches being played heading into the tournament, this was the first time since the overtime loss against Græntfjall that the squad had played together, and with new faces on the side, particularly surprise starter Lole Strezlecki after a brilliant Olympic tournament, this was to be expected. However, by the time the first fifteen minutes were up, the Hawthorns led, 7-4, and had begun to look like the side they had when playing in Bollonich and Equestria as Terradiu called a timeout.

Terradiu continued to be a nuisance, though. They equalled the Hawthorns in terms of goals following the timeout, scoring six each to ensure that the underdogs would remain well in the game with half the match to spare. Sylestone were the better team, but a three-goal lead can easily be overcome with a series of bad plays.

Today would not be Terradiu’s day, though. Amber James, Lachlan Fosbrook and Zachary Radcliffe, the latter two on the court after being rested at various points during the second quarter, all combined to put a total of ten goals past the Terradiu goalkeeper in the first half of the second half, all but sealing the game with a 23-15 lead going into the final fifteen minutes of the match. A miracle would be required if the unranked side were to take this match out.

They continued to fight, but it would not be enough. In the end, the Hawthorns would end up with an astounding 31-20 victory after not playing together for two years - as good a start to the tournament as any. In fact, only defending champions Sarzonia could pip the Hawthorns of goal difference, with a 32-19 victory over Raspotochje once again asserting themselves as favourites right from the outset. So despite the two sides never having played each other, a rivalry appeared to be brimming.

Next up for the Hawthorns will be Lisander, ranked equal 19th with several other teams, all of whom finished with a 3-0-4 record in the 23rd instalment of the tournament. They will pose a difficult challenge, particularly after a solid 31-24 victory over Kriegiersien. Can the Hawthorns take them down to impress a determined home crowd in Chamberley, or will the Esportivans suffer their first loss?

Cards

Sylestone:
12’: Isabella Bailey ▮
33’: Lachlan Fosbrook ▮
38’: Flynn Strange ▮
50’: Bianca Gotch ▮
59’: Samantha Hussey ▮

Terradiu:
Unknown

Goals

Sylestone:
Amber James - 11
Lachlan Fosbrook - 7
Zachary Radcliffe - 5
Samantha Hussey - 3
Claire Raven - 2
Isla McCartney - 1
Ellie McKean - 1
Lole Strezlecki - 1

Terradiu:
Unknown

Starting Lineup vs Lisander @ Chamberley Institute of Sport, Chamberley

Gotch; Bailey - McCartney (c) - Strezlecki; Raven - James - Radcliffe

Schedule

GS 1 MD1: Sylestone 31-20 Terradiu @ Hagdon Park Stadium, Cleorough
GS 1 MD2: Sylestone - Lisander @ Chamberley Institute of Sport, Chamberley
GS 1 MD3: Kriegiersien - Sylestone @ Unknown
GS 1 MD4: Terradiu - Sylestone @ Unknown
GS 1 MD5: Lisander - Sylestone @ Unknown
GS 1 MD6: Sylestone - Kriegiersien @ Avondale Arena, Avondale