Silas Speckmann, an 18-year-old from the Dutch province of Overijssel, is a man of many talents. He is currently balancing a job in the German public prosecutor’s office and an active beach handball career, with places on both the Dutch national team and HSG Nordhorn-Lingen, in the German Bundesliga.
Speckmann has been playing beach handball since his mother saw an advertisement for the Dutch national U16 team when he was 12-years-old. He tried out on a whim, and two weeks later, found out he had earned a place. He is now a rising star within the sport.
Before moving to Nordhorn, Germany, Speckmann played for Hiekka Hauska in the Netherlands, and was part of the Dutch men’s junior national team. They placed in the top five at the 2019 European Beach Handball Championships in Poland, where Speckmann was named an MVP.
At the 2020 Albert Mulder tournament, in Borne, his team placed first in the A division and 2nd in the men’s. This win was particularly close to his heart, because the tournament was named for his grandfather.
Speckmann is now on the Dutch men’s senior national beach handball team. At the 2021 European Championships in Bulgaria, the Netherlands placed 13th overall, their best performance at the Euros to date. One of his many goals, an acrobatic pirouette, was named the best of the tournament.
Speckmann is optimistic about the Netherlands’ future at the European Beach Handball Championships, and hopes to eventually place in the top five. He says, “We are already experiencing a lot and are gaining experience. If more good guys join us, we can share our experience”.
