One of Europe’s fastest rising beach handball stars, Lucie-Marie Kretzschmar, was named Beach Handball Player of the Year at the 2021 German Handball Awards last February. The coach of the country’s national team confirmed at a celebratory gala televised in Germany that the award was “absolutely deserved,” telling the 21-year-old athlete: “You can be relied on 100%. You are open, very honest, and I am happy I have you on my team.”
As the daughter and granddaughter of three of Germany’s most influential handball players, Lucie-Marie has the sport in her genes. But after she was introduced to beach handball by her coach Alexander Novakovic, she began to carve her own athletic path- a decision that has allowed her to have successful careers on both the court and the sand.
Lucie-Marie’s dedication, confidence, and passion for beach handball have served her, and the sport, well. At the 2018 European Youth Beach Handball Championships, she took home the bronze medal as part of the U18 German girls’ team, and the following year, at just 18 years old, she joined the women’s national team as their head of defense, placing tenth at the 2019 EUROs. She’s known as a role model for others, and as someone who brings people into the beach handball community.
Lucie-Marie says that she loves beach handball because “everyone can take part and everyone can have fun with it.” She now divides her time between playing indoors in the 1st Bundesliga and on the sand for the Minga Turtles. As the captain of the German women’s national beach handball team, she’s optimistic about the future of the sport, and hopes to someday see it take its place at the Olympics.
