Club history

Founded in 1974 by Roger Vonlanthen and Jean-Claude Cotting — a few friends looking to stay fit through the winter before playing six-a-side football tournaments in summer — Club Handball Fribourg today celebrates more than fifty years of existence.

The early days were modest: handball was then little known along the banks of the Sarine, and more broadly in French-speaking Switzerland. Lacking a hall of regulation size, the club played its first matches outdoors, at the Guintzet, before moving to a hall in Lausanne. These difficulties led to a fallow period: for lack of participants, no Fribourg team was registered for the 1983/84 season.

After this revival, a women’s team was formed in 1992. Two years later, in 1994, the men’s team earned promotion to the 3rd league — a year also marked by the creation of a second men’s team. From 1996 to 1998, a Junior B men’s team took part in the regional championship; several of its players are still active members of the club today. In 1999, the club struck a partnership with the University of Fribourg’s sports department, allowing several students to join training sessions and even competitions.

The year 2010 was a turning point: the first men’s team became Western Swiss 2nd league champions for the first time and moved up to the 1st Inter-regional League from the 2010-2011 season. On the women’s side, the players joined forces with HC Sense in a Bern/Jura grouping and played in the 4th league. A new junior movement also emerged, backed by former club players; it would compete in the 4th Western Swiss League from the 2010-2011 season.

Since then, the club has continued to grow, but remains more than ever dependent on everyone’s support and commitment in order to keep existing and growing.