One of the main goals of the Sports Fortnight organized in Amasa-Villabona is to make sports accessible to all citizens, regardless of age. With this intention, on Thursday, April 16, representatives from the Hernani team will hold a demonstration of hartubol, a sport for all ages, at 11:30 AM in the Olaederra sports center.
Hartubol is a sport similar to volleyball, but with a notable difference: instead of hitting the ball, players pass it to each other before throwing it over the net. Eusebio Lizarazu and Jabier Arraztio, from the Hernani team, explained that this sport originated in the USA at the end of the 19th century. It was initially named Newcomb, in honor of the school in New Orleans where it was created, and as it spread to other South American countries, it adopted the names newcomb or cachibol. In the Basque Country, the Hernani team has named it hartubol.
The journey of this sport in the Basque Country began with a trial proposed by Hernani KE in July 2021. Seeing the interest shown by a dozen members of the Goiz Eguzki retired persons' association, they decided to form a team from September of that year. Since then, they have been practicing hartubol at the municipal sports center on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
The people of Hernani have been pioneers in practicing this sport in Euskal Herria. Lizarazu, former volleyball coach of Hernani KE, has been the main driving force behind the local hartubol team. They have started their fourth season, and the group has grown significantly: it brings together almost 50 people, with the youngest being 63 years old and the oldest 88.
“"Out of every ten people who are encouraged to play hartubol, eight are women. They are people who have never played sports or touched a ball. The most common physical activities are usually walking, Nordic walking, pilates, maintenance gymnastics, yoga, and similar. Hartubol offers the opportunity to take another step, as it is a sport adapted to all ages."
Hartubol is a collective sport that offers numerous physical and emotional benefits. It promotes physical activity, facilitates social relationships, provides fun, and improves the immune system. Furthermore, it has a therapeutic use to strengthen physical and mental capacities, and helps alleviate bone stiffness and weakness caused by arthritis. It can also be used as therapy for physical and mental rehabilitation, as well as exercise for autistic minors or those with physical or mental problems.
Hartubol has gained significant momentum in Hernani. Last season, they participated in national meetings held in Madrid, and in Hernani itself, they have promoted the Hartu Kalea project. They also participate in the Auzozaintza project, promoted by the city council, and frequently organize intergenerational meetings.
This season is also packed with events: meetings between Catalonia and the Basque Country will be held from May 4 to 10 in the Catalan Countries, and the second national meeting will take place in Hernani on June 13 and 14. Lizarazu and Arraztio have indicated that, after last year's success, Hernani took on the commitment to organize this year's meeting with great enthusiasm, despite the significant effort it will require.
Meanwhile, they will continue their work to spread hartubol, and the demonstration at the Olaederra sports center in Villabona is an example of this. Lizarazu's and Arraztio's wish is for this sport, accessible to all ages, to spread as much as possible throughout the Basque Country.
