As cities across Orange County evaluate how public parks are used, some residents say handball courts remain a crucial space for communities to gather.
While access to handball courts varies significantly by city, a review of central and north Orange County cities, such as Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin, Anaheim, Placentia, Villa Park and Garden Grove, reveals an uneven availability.
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There are six public courts available at El Camino Real Park in Orange.
The City of Santa Ana also maintains six courts spread across multiple parks: El Salvador Park, Jerome Park, Memorial Park, Delhi Park, Rosita Park and Campesino Park.
Smaller cities like Tustin offer limited access, with just one multi-use wall, while Placentia and Garden Grove maintain multiple courts across several parks.
The cities of Anaheim and Villa Park currently have no public handball courts.
Anaheim city spokesperson Mike Lyster said the decline of handball courts reflects changing recreational trends. In Anaheim, where courts once existed, demand has shifted toward sports like pickleball and skateboarding, Lyster said.
While handball remains a niche sport in the U.S, for those who gather at these courts, handball often serves as a place to foster community.
“I really think that it helps take you away from the streets and keep you away from bad things,” said Pedro Carmona, a longtime member of the Santa Ana Handball Club.
The Santa Ana Handball Club, a nonprofit youth organization, was formed in 2021 by Gilbert Granado and remains an advocate for the sport in the county.
Granado organizes roughly 20 events each year for both youth and adults across cities in Riverside and Los Angeles counties.
The club hosted a handball tournament at Memorial Park earlier this year.
Gomez said that the game has a declining player base and emphasized the importance of introducing the sport to younger generations.
“It’s good for the young generation so the sport won’t die,” he said. “There are gradually fewer and fewer players, and hopefully we can grow something bigger.”
Granado also underscored the community aspect of the sport.
“I think it’s important to get together as a community and play the game we love, in fairness,” he said.
Both Granado and Gomez said they hope to see handball recognized in a more positive light and potentially even considered for inclusion in the Olympics.
“I wish people would see the game in a more positive aspect,” Granado said.
“They may think it’s only played in prison or by gang members, but that’s just a stigma. The people who play aren’t involved in that. They are very dedicated players, and it’s actually a difficult and competitive sport.”
The stigma surrounding the sport, players say, continues to shape public perception, often overshadowing the role handball plays in fostering community and belonging.
At courts like those in El Camino and Memorial Park, weekends draw in steady crowds – not just players, but families, spectators and local food vendors.
Players say handball provides them structure and purpose.
For some, it has become an outlet to channel energy in a positive direction, reinforcing discipline and connection.
As cities reconsider how park spaces are allocated and developed, players and organizers argue that handball courts should not be overlooked.
“Every little step counts, and most importantly requires the community to push this sport forwards,” said Juan Martinez, who was playing handball at El Camino Park.
“I wish it was more mainstream. I want to see handball being involved in school curriculums just like soccer, basketball.”
Martinez has been a part of the Santa Ana Handball Club from the very beginning. He said the club has given longtime players a place to stay active and connected while also showing newcomers that handball is more challenging than it may seem.
“We come out, we have fun, we get our exercise in. It’s a difficult game to play,” Granado said. “It looks easy from the outside, but once you get on the court, you realize how hard the game is.”
