KINEXON Sports Data Journalist Transforming The Handball Bundesliga Viewing Experience
Author: Dave Grendzynski
Data is revealing untold stories beyond the on-field action in Handball Bundesliga. And Sports Data Journalist Lara Kellermann is at the heart of it. She talks about her groundbreaking role and the impact it’s having in this innovative partnership.
As part of our goal to be a leader in sports data analytics, we strive for innovation. So when one of our exercise scientists wanted to add a new duty to her resume, even we didn’t realize the impact it would have on Handball Bundesliga and its broadcasts.
Lara Kellerman quickly adapted to her new role as sports data journalist for the 2023 – 24 season and it’s proving to be invaluable.
KINEXON's Journey to Deeper Handball Insights
Jan Pfisterer is KINEXON’s Senior Account Manager for Strategic Partnerships in Sports. He says the context behind Lara’s new role emerged when he started taking a closer look at the data the media was using.
Previously, data provided to media outlets was quite basic, mostly focusing on obvious metrics like shot speed. Recognizing the untapped potential of their data, we decided to invest more in understanding and explaining the wealth of information our player trackers capture.
Our first big move? Offering all Bundesliga teams an IMU system for training, free of cost. This not only provided teams with a valuable tool but also familiarized them with KINEXON’s data capabilities.
“So, the first idea of Lara’s role was to explain and make data visible and touchable, tangible for HBL for their social media, for the clubs to promote their data.”
From this seed of an idea, the concept of a data journalist emerged. “We needed someone to explain the data, make it more understandable,” Pfisterer said. “So, the first idea of Lara’s role was to explain and make data visible and touchable, tangible for HBL for their social media, for the clubs to promote their data.”
KINEXON’s role with LIQUI-MOLY Handball Bundesliga is diverse. Learn how this partnership is changing the way leagues promote themselves and making the sport even better!
Kellerman Tells Stories Through Data
Lara’s role is multifaceted. She uses her exercise science degree and experience as a decorated handball player to sift through the data for all matches, picking out intriguing narratives and insights.
“When analyzing a player, for example, I might focus on their scoring proficiency and then correlate it with our tracking data,” Kellermann said. “This allows us to provide insights such as how long a player holds the ball, the number of passes they make during the game time, and their assists.”
She may even spend time comparing a player’s current game data with past seasons or with other players.
The idea is to provide commentators with a deeper understanding of “why” a player may be performing a certain way. They pass the knowledge onto the viewing audience to help them.
“Raw data alone doesn’t resonate with viewers. It’s the context that makes it come alive.”
By collating data on all aspects of the game, Lara paints a comprehensive picture of a player’s or team’s performance. “The combination of scouting data and tracking data is truly fascinating. It blends metrics with individual player actions, offering a comprehensive view of performance on the field.”
The Possibilities Are Endless
Yet, as she emphasizes, raw data alone doesn’t resonate with viewers. It’s the context that makes it come alive. By providing references, like comparing a player’s throwing velocity to real-world standards (like how fast you might drive on the Autobahn), she helps fans grasp the significance of the numbers.
Although the immediate recipients of Lara’s insights are the commentators at DYN, the broadcaster for Handball Bundesliga, the vision is broader. DYN was chosen as a partner precisely because of their focus on data. Commentators, with Lara’s assistance, can now provide viewers with richer stories, comparisons, and deeper game analyses.
While currently, the data is solely for media use, Jan doesn’t rule out the possibility of clubs using the information in the future, especially for social media campaigns and engagement.
Sports Data Journalists Can Benefit Other Sports
It’s evident that the inclusion of a data journalist has significantly enhanced the viewer’s experience. Jan expresses pleasant surprise at the depth and richness that Lara’s insights bring to game narratives. With the Handball Bundesliga already benefiting immensely from this data-centric approach, the next step could very well be closer collaborations with clubs, ensuring everyone — from viewers to players — gets the best out of the game’s evolving stories.
Lara is proving to be an unsung hero in the world of sports data. She not only amplifies the game but also deepens our understanding and appreciation of it. “We need someone to translate data, to talk data and to make it more understandable and tangible for fans, for partners, for sponsors,” Pfisterer said. “And therefore, that role is crucial.”
The goal now will be to try to expand the role of data journalist to other sports. And with pioneers like KINEXON and professionals like Lara leading the way, the future looks even more exciting!
If you’d like to learn more about how KINEXON player tracking can help your sport or league, feel free to contact us at any time. Or you can contact Jan Pfisterer directly.
More stories
How Basketball Performance Data Connects the Court and Weight Room
What happens on the court shapes what athletes need in the weight room. Purdue’s Jason Kabo shares how he cross-references KINEXON performance data with sprint testing and other measures to adjust training, manage individual workloads, and guide daily decisions.
From Jump Count to a More Complete View of Volleyball Load
Jump count is one of the most familiar metrics in volleyball, but it only captures part of an athlete’s physical performance. Looking at movement intensity, like acceleration or changes of direction, and position-specific demands can provide the context needed for a more complete view of the overall load.
Limited Camps, High Demands: Preparing for International Handball Tournaments
The Women’s EHF EURO and Men’s World Championship present a similar challenge for performance staff: preparing players for an intense tournament with limited time together. How can national teams use the camps leading into competition to better understand and manage individual load?
How Drill Intensity Shapes Weekly Basketball Load Targets
Basketball coaches need more than a list of practice drills. Historical performance data and drill intensity help coaches refine practice plans, manage individual workloads and adjust the next session based on what athletes actually completed.
Sustainability: Can the Athlete Maintain Intensity Throughout the Duration of the Game?
Matching game workloads are only part of athlete preparation. Can players sustain high-intensity efforts when fatigue builds? Read more from Dayannara Munoz, KINEXON Sports Customer Success Manager, about how performance data helps coaches assess changes in output, compare practice with competition, and prepare athletes to meet the demands of the entire game.
How Individualized Football Performance Data Improves Load Management
Football performance data helps coaches move beyond team averages to individualize load management. By combining GPS metrics with each athlete’s role, historical data, and readiness, coaches can identify the right exposure, reduce excessive stress, guide recovery, and better prepare every player for game day.
Beyond the National Team Window: How the DHB Connects Performance Data
National teams spend only a fraction of the season with their athletes. See how the German Handball Federation connects club and national-team data to maintain performance context across the season and support individual decisions when players move between environments.
One Athlete, Two Jerseys: Connecting Athlete Monitoring Between Club and Country
When athletes move between club and country, their performance history moves with them. The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup highlights why monitoring continuity matters when athletes arrive with different workloads, competition exposure and preparation behind them.
The Role of Connected Ball Technology in Modern Officiating
From ghost goals to offsides, officiating technology has steadily raised fairness in football. But the one element at the center of every decision, the ball, has until now been silent. Connected Ball Technology (CBT) changes that, giving football’s most iconic object its own voice.
COMPETE Vision on a New Level: Refined for Faster Insights
The latest COMPETE Vision update streamlines the entire performance analysis workflow, from camera setup to automated reporting. Faster uploads, improved player identification, automated court calibration, and smarter player assignment help coaches spend less time managing technology and more time turning objective data into coaching decisions.
How KINEXON Game Insights Gives Basketball Coaches the Tactical Advantage
Basketball coaches already use in-game tracking data to evaluate their athlete’s physical exposure. As more teams adopt performance tracking methodologies, that same underlying data source can extend beyond physical optimization and be utilized to compare rosters, assess opponents, and understand the demands behind each matchup.
From Data to Decisions: Six Key Takeaways from Elite Handball Performance Practitioners
Elite handball is one of the most physically demanding team sports in the world. Within sixty minutes, players sprint, decelerate, jump, throw, change direction, absorb contact, and repeat those actions under fatigue, all while making split-second tactical decisions.
From Potential to Performance: How AI, Ball & Player Tracking Are Transforming Talent Identification in Youth Football
How can AI, player and ball tracking, and expert scouting work together to identify football talent? Discover how Skillers Academy, SAP, and KINEXON Sports combine connected technologies and human expertise to create a more objective and accessible approach to youth talent identification.
How Xavier Women’s Basketball Optimizes Daily Load Targets for Low- and High-Minute Players
Optimizing daily workloads goes beyond keeping players fresh. For Xavier’s Gil Weinstein, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, daily (and weekly) performance reports helped connect practice loads to game demands, guide workload adjustments, and support 99% player availability throughout the 2025 – 26 season.
Inside Columbia Women’s Basketball’s Approach to In-Season Load Management
Managing in-season workloads takes more than tracking minutes. Performance data helps basketball coaches individualize weekly targets, adjust practice plans, and keep high-minute players, role players, and scout team athletes prepared to perform.