Jake Plummer Named to US Olympic Handball Team
34-Year old Former NFL Quarterback Joins Team USA
March 31, 2009
Salt Lake City, UT-The United States Olympic Committee announced today the addition of Jake Plummer to the U.S. Olympic Handball Team roster. The right handed Plummer is expected to join the team’s 16 player roster Friday and will play primarily as a left-winger.
Plummer 34, is well known as a former quarterback in National Football League, for which he played 10 seasons with both the Arizona Cardinals and the Denver Broncos. Plummer started playing competitive handball only two years ago, after he retired from the NFL. Even with the lack of competitive handball experience, Team U.S.A. General Manager Steve Pastorino likes what he sees in Plummer, “His combination of speed and agility to go along with his strong arm make him a natural for the sport”.
Plummer will be by far the oldest member of the U.S. team, but U.S. Men’s coach Matt Sabatino thinks that his ten years as a professional football player will help. “Anytime you have an athlete with Jake’s caliber and his experience, [playing with younger players] shouldn’t be a problem in the slightest.”
Team U.S.A. did not qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but with addition of Plummer, Coach Sabatino is hopeful that the team can qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Half jokingly Sabatino added, “hopefully Jake can throw the ball to his teammates [and not the opposition] a little better than he did in the NFL.”