Player of the Week – Danielle Daskalakis
To wrap up an exciting summer in the sport of ‘handball’, Wallball World proudly presents our Player of The Week tribute to an incredible female athlete who is arguably the most talented and diverse player in the sport. Brooklyn’s own, Danielle Daskalakis has been playing wallball (handball) consistently since 2007. What started out as something of a hobby, just to pass time in between either softball or basketball practice, ended up becoming her preferred sport once the passion to play it set in.
Like most players in the city, she was introduced to the sport in local parks. She later competed in High School “small ball” competitions via The Public School Athletic League which is a variation of the popular game we refer to as wallball. Through her travels she credits top players Cesar Sala and Tracy Davis with introducing her to the competitive side of the sport on a national level. “Handball has become a huge part of my life. It’s allowed me to travel the world and meet new people as well as pushing me to grow the sport which starts with the younger generation. They are our future,” says Danielle. These days, Danielle dedicates her time to giving back to the community that has provided her a competitive outlet. She divides her time running clinics and tournaments for local organizations and also runs a weekly program for youth at the West Side YMCA in New York City.
Her competitive edge is just one trait that has awarded her some very impressive accolades within the sport and community on a national level. To add to that long list of accomplishments is the Wallball World 1-wall Women’s Open Championship title she earned this past weekend in Vegas, NV (9/24/16). She described her latest victory as being “brutal due to the dry heat and extremely skilled players.”
In closing, alongside her accolades and competitiveness, you also have to admire her ambition. She feels like she hasn’t done enough in the sport, expressing her commitment to accomplish more in different variations of wallball. 2017 should be promising year for Danielle and we are excited to follow her progress and champion her efforts! Congratulations to a well-deserved Player of the Week – Danielle Daskalakis!