Finding human connection through sports in prison
One of the most consistently played and revered sports at San Quentin is handball. Those drawn to the activity have learned coping skills, focus, and socialization while getting in their daily exercise.
Handball is a contact sport involving two individuals playing against each other or in two-person teams.
“I’ve been playing since 1984,” said San Quentin resident James Nomura, 57. “I needed to find something to do with my time when I first came to prison, and I wasn’t good at basketball.”
The incarcerated have more than frequently used handball as a game to increase their stamina and athleticism. It’s a game of speed and concentration. Its players must remain focused on their opponents and the rules of the game to win.
Nomura and Richard Duran, 67, a new arrival to San Quentin, have tally for the next game. Tally means they are next in line to play and are keeping score.
A player scores by serving the ball with the palm of his hand against a wall trying to make it difficult for his opponent to return the serve. If the opponent misses, the serving player gets the point.
If the opponent returns the serve and the server cannot return it or hits the ball out, the point goes to the opponent.
Individual games go to 11 while doubles go to 15. Game points are often called “changa.”
Duran and Nomura are beginning their match with Duran serving a “burn” that Nomura cannot return, giving Duran the first point. “Burn” is a technique used to score by hitting the ball against the wall so close to the ground that one’s opponent cannot return the serve, causing them to lose the point.
“I started playing handball way back in 1974 in the county jail,” said Duran. “I’m still playing because this game builds bridges that transcend ethnicities, at the same time giving me a good cardiovascular workout.”
Duran returns a serve from Nomura, who hits the ball out of bounds, giving Duran an opportunity at changa and the win.
“I find peace by focusing on the ball. It’s just me and the ball while I’m playing,” said Nomura during game breaks.
Watching on the sidelines with the next tally was Jonathan Martinez, 26. He was happy when he saw the ball hit over the wall by Nomura, finishing the match.
“Man, I love this game,” said Martinez, a newly arrived San Quentin resident. “I’ve been playing since I was eight or nine; my childhood friends introduced me. This is the best way to for me to relieve stress and keep focused.”
Martinez, like so many others playing the sport, uses handball as a tool to deal with anxiety, stress, tension and boredom. Handball is also an effective way to meet new people and develop lasting relationships.
“I’ve had some very deep conversations while keeping tally,” Martinez said. “That’s one of the things I like best: staying away from politics, attitudes, and conflicts while getting to know people who think the same way.”
