The upcoming Polish Handball Super Cup match is special for Piotr Jędraszczyk. The playmaker for Industria Kielce is returning once again to his hometown of Łódź. He took his first steps in handball at the local Anilana club… under his father’s guidance. “There’s no point in hiding it—he’s the one who inspired me to play,” admits the Polish national team player.
Piotr Jędraszczyk achieved his first major handball successes at Anilana—a club that has produced several national team players over the years. It is extremely rare for a single age group to dominate competitions across several age categories. The team from Łódź, with Piotr Jędraszczyk on the roster, achieved this feat by winning the Polish championships in the youth, younger junior, and junior divisions. “At this club, there has always been a strong emphasis on youth development. That was the top priority. It worked for many years and produced these results,” says Piotr Jędraszczyk.
Dad in Three Roles
Piotr Jędraszczyk was “destined” for handball. His father, Adam, played the sport—and he also became his first coach. He began coaching his son in the fifth grade of elementary school.
– We tried different things. I had a brief stint with soccer, and then karate. I remember there was also track and field, but I’ve always gone to handball games. I have this memory of my dad when he played in Piotrów—me running around the court with the ball, barely bigger than it was. This sport has been a part of my life since birth. I quickly realized that this was what I wanted to do in the future,” explains Piotr Jędraszczyk.
From a very young age, the future Polish national team player was able to watch handball practices. Eventually, he started attending them himself. He joined a group led by his dad, who later became his homeroom teacher at school.
“My dad demanded a lot from me—maybe even more than from the rest of the guys. He said I was supposed to be a role model for others and always give it my all. I was supposed to inspire the rest of the team so we could move in that direction. It wasn’t easy; it required a lot of sacrifice. But that attitude paid off,” recalls the point guard for Industria Kielce.
Five years ago, after his son’s debut with the Polish national team, Adam Jędraszczyk recalled Piotrek’s early days in handball in an interview with the press office of the Polish Handball Association. “He was already a year old and running around the court. He went with me to all the training camps. Coaching your own son isn’t easy. I was also his homeroom teacher, so I was juggling three roles at once. It was definitely very hard on him. There are many things you can’t tell your father when it comes to the team, but you also can’t tell the team what’s said at home. He knew what was best for maintaining the best possible relationships with everyone involved,” explained the coach of Anilana’s youth teams.
Through Piotrków and Opole to the Championship
Piotr Jędraszczyk also followed in his father’s footsteps in his career. His first Superliga club was Piotrkowianin Piotrków Trybunalski. His strong performances paved the way for him to join the Polish national team, and after promising performances with the national team, a club from Kielce took a serious interest in his skills, and shortly thereafter, he signed a contract with them.
– For me, everything came naturally. From the very beginning, I was set on playing handball. After I turned 18, though, I didn’t know what my future would hold. It was hard for me to find a club. Eventually, I made it to Piotrkowianin. There were a few injuries there, and I came to help them out, but in the end, I made it onto the roster and stayed for good,” explains Piotr Jędraszczyk, who has one piece of advice for all young handball players.
– I was making progress all the time, but it took a lot of hard work. It sounds a bit like a cliché, but I say this very often—for example, during our visits to schools in the Świętokrzyskie Province. That’s the only mindset that can lead to success. Nothing will happen on its own. I myself suffered my first serious handball injury partly because of a lack of awareness about physical conditioning and my approach to training. To be a professional athlete, you have to dedicate yourself to it 24 hours a day. It all comes down to consistency,” he explains.
After two years in Piotrków Trybunalski, Piotr Jędraszczyk was loaned to Corotop Gwardia Opole for two seasons. There, he became a leading figure and one of the country’s top players. Finally, a year ago, he was able to begin training in Kielce. His first season wasn’t the easiest, partly due to injuries. The season was a rollercoaster of emotions, but it also brought his first gold medal. Piotr Jędraszczyk played a key role in the final matchups against ORLEN Wisła—especially in the first game in Płock, where he earned the MVP title.
– I didn’t expect it to be easy, nice, or pleasant. I’ll say it again: you have to work hard for everything. Sometimes you just have to suffer through it so you can enjoy the end result. The years I spent in Piotrków, followed by two in Opole, definitely helped me become a better player because I got a lot of playing time. Young players need to play above all else, not just sit on the sidelines and watch what the experienced players are doing. I’m glad that I was now part of the team that won the 21st championship for Kielce,” says Piotr Jędraszczyk.
Another Return Home
However, the adventure with Kielce began in his hometown of Łódź. A year ago, Industria won its first Polish Super Cup, defeating its longtime rival in a penalty shootout.
“It was a really great feeling—to play at home in front of such a large crowd. And on top of that, it was a victory in a penalty shootout. It tasted absolutely wonderful. I felt that moments like these are the reward for all that hard work. At the same time, it’s also motivation to keep moving forward,” admits the Polish national team player.
Industria Kielce clinched the Polish championship in convincing fashion. Now the team will enter the battle for the Super Cup as a slight favorite. This summer, however, Krzysztof Lijewski’s team will undergo significant changes, as one-third of the roster will be replaced. Even though it’s early in the season, the Kielce team is hoping to win another trophy.
– We need to be confident, but we also need to keep a cool head. The season is just getting started. We have a long preseason ahead of us, and this game will be our first serious test. A positive attitude is essential, but we also need to rein in our enthusiasm. We respect our opponent and know it won’t be easy to beat them,” explains Piotr Jędraszczyk, who can once again count on strong individual support in Łódź.
“I think a lot of people close to me will definitely come. They were already cheering me on a year ago. It’ll be the same this time. They often come to Kielce to watch the national team’s games. That’s also motivation to become a better player,” he concludes.
Ticket sales are now underway
Tickets for the Polish Handball Super Cup – Łódź ’26 are now on sale on Eventim.pl: HERE. The ticket grants fans admission to two matches—both the women’s and men’s games—as well as a full day of accompanying events.
On August 29, 2026, Atlas Arena will once again be filled with fans, excitement, and the atmosphere of a major handball celebration. Łódź will once again be the place where the best face off against the best.
Superliga sp. z o.o. is the company that manages Poland’s top-tier handball leagues—the ORLEN Superliga, the ORLEN Women’s Superliga, and the Polish Super Cup—and is responsible for organizing the competitions, selling media rights, and managing centralized marketing rights.
