National Champion Michael Stenberg, left, and second place finisher Adan Diaz, right, hold up their medals. Stenberg won the single elimination tournament in the men’s “B” category.
National Champion Michael Stenberg, left, and second place finisher Adan Diaz, right, hold up their medals. Stenberg won the single elimination tournament in the men’s “B” category.
On June 10 at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, Ore., Hood River residents Jennifer Hinman and Michael Stenberg were named 2022 National Handball Champions in their respective divisions. Hinman, daughter of the legendary Gorge handball player Dale Hinman, earned first place honors in the women’s 35-plus division. Hinman was also entered in the women’s open division and open doubles but was eliminated before she could make an appearance in the final. Stenberg won three straight matches in the single-elimination men’s small ball “B” category.
In 2019, Columbia Gorge News published a story about Dale and Hugh Hinman — Jennifer’s uncle — and the history of handball in Hood River. In the article, it explains how the Hinman brothers became handball icons around the state and generated interest in the community. Also synonymous with handball in Hood River are the Stenberg’s.
Although Stenberg and Hinman play in separate divisions, it was a handball game in 2011 that shaped their friendship. A popular destination for many handball players in Hood River, the Elks Lodge serves as the backdrop for a match up that would lead to a lot more than just a final score.
A racquetball enthusiast, Stenberg wandered into the Elks gymnasium — which is now outfitted with two, four-wall handball courts. At the same time, he was playing his racquetball game, Hinman noticed and challenged him to a handball match. Stenberg felt confident the match would end in a victory for him. Long story short: it did not.
The pervious No. 4 women’s pro player in the nation, Hinman, crushed him in a very lopsided handball game.
“I felt like I was a big deal, and she says: ‘Hey, do you want to play a real sport?’,” said Stenberg. “She humbled me real quick, I was so embarrassed.”
It was from that moment on that Stenberg found a new passion in handball.
By 2015, Michael had recruited his entire family and plenty of other friends. He and his brothers Stephen, Andrew and Phillip began the Hood River Handball Association. Michael and Stephen also represent Hood River on the Oregon Handball Association Steering Committee, although according to Michael the committee hasn’t had much to vote on during the pandemic.
At the National Championships, Hinman had to take a second to reflect on the road that led her to nationals. In the late 2000s she hurt her arm playing softball, and her dad suggested she try handball. Bruises from hitting the ball wrong wouldn’t stop her from returning again and again.
“It’s an addictive sport.” she said.
For five years she traveled the country playing in tournaments and winning them. She reached the No. 4 overall rank in the pros. Handball gave her an opportunity to see literally every corner of the country. From New York to Louisiana, to California, Texas and up to Alaska she would compete in tournaments. All good things must come to an end. She began to experience knee problems and after a botched knee surgery she was unsure if she would ever play again. Between her recovery and having a child she realized how truly fortunate she was.
“To be as old as I am now and to not even think I would play handball again, and then get a national title,” said Hinman. “I honestly feel honored and blessed God has given me the opportunity.”
In her quest for a title, she flat out dominated her competition. In three games of a round robin format, Hinman scored 134 points, allowed only 54 against her and dropped just a single set in seven matches. She easily won all three games, including a perfect contest against Chris Kersey of Springfield, Ore., in straight sets 21-0, 21-0.
“I had to tell myself to stay focused,” said Hinman. “Because if you change the way you play your game it can impact you later when you really need to play your best.”
Stenberg faced a tougher road to the final: a single elimination tournament. Due to a lack of participants in his field, Stenberg was one of four players to receive a bye in the first round and was automatically advanced into the second. Stenberg’s first match up came against Enrique Alvarado of Gilroy, Cali. Stenberg made light work outscoring Alvarado 42-14 in two sets. In the semifinal, he met his toughest challenger, John Lara of Meridian, Idaho. Lara managed to score double digits in both matches but ultimately fell to Stenberg by scores of 21-13, 21-16. In the final Stenberg met Adan Diaz from Fairfield, Cali. Stenberg again managed a victory 21-10 and 21-10.
“Going into my second game I began to feel the mental stress of it all, being at a national tournament and everything,” said Stenberg. “To be honest I didn’t think I was going to make it as far as I did. I didn’t even pack enough clothes.”
To this day, Stenberg and Hinman play handball one-on-one at the Elks Lodge in Hood River. Hinman is thankful for that fateful day in 2011 because otherwise their paths to national champions would have been a lot different, if it had happened at all.
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