Judith grew up in Germany, where she first discovered korfball at her senior year in college. Having been disappointed by the lack of recreational women’s basketball in her area, discovering korfball was a revelation—it was the perfect sport for her. In 2013, she relocated to the United States and has been living in Florida since 2020. She is passionate about project management, event management, and the overall development of korfball across all ages and levels in the US. Her goal is to help grow the sport, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to experience the excitement and camaraderie that korfball offers.
Judith Dea
President
Carl Yerger has been involved with US Korfball since playing for the University of Cambridge in 2005 and for the US team in the Commonwealth and Friends Tournament in 2006. He has served on the US Korfball Board since 2006, served as President from 2015 to 2024 and has organized numerous korfball events and seminars over the years across the United States. Carl has been interviewed about korfball by National Public Radio, The New York Times, and other media outlets. In 2022, Carl led US Korfball’s outreach efforts at the World Games’ “Demo Sports Plaza” and also served as a local jury member for the korfball competition. He is excited about the new developments happening in US Korfball and excited to share his expertise. Outside of korfball, Carl is a mathematics professor at Davidson College in North Carolina.
Carl Yerger
Secretary
Kyle lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and recently founded Queen City Korfball. His professional background has revolved around supporting young people in educational spaces. He is excited to be a part of the US Korfball movement!
Kyle Reiser
Treasurer
Dankmar started playing Korfball at age 5 in The Netherlands, competing at the second level (youth) and third level (seniors), and represented The Netherlands in three international competitions. He has trained youth and senior teams, including the Welsh Korfball Squad at the 2011 World Championships in China. Since 2015, Dankmar has been the key promoter of US Korfball, traveling to the US twice a year to deliver clinics, organize events, and promote the sport. He played a major role in the TWG2022 Korfball promotion. He is also a self-employed consultant, a teacher within the KNKV, an official coach instructor for the IKF, and currently the IKF Development Manager for North America.
Dankmar Caderius van Veen
“If there’s one country that could beat The Netherlands in Korfball in the future, it’s Team USA”
Head Coach, European Liaison
Bill plays on the USA Beach Korfball national team and is a member of the IKF Beach and Urban Korfball Committees. He has prior experience with the USA Beach Handball national team as well as NCAA and international semi-pro basketball.
Willard “Bill” Johnson
Beach Team USA Captain
In addition to being a USKF board member, Lariel is a player on the USA beach and indoor korfball teams. In September of 2024, Lariel moved to Portugal to play for the korfball club, Quinta dos Lombos. Since then, she has taken on several roles within the International Korfball Federation and has earned level III certification for coaching. When Lariel isn’t doing things related to korfball, she manages her educational business, Mateo Tutoring, and spends time with her Australian Shepherd. She hopes to use her international experiences and connections to contribute to the growth of korfball in the United States.
Lariel Mateo
Board Member, European Liaison
Haranath Reddy Medapati is an athlete from India who has made significant contributions to the field of Korfball. Haranath’s sports career began at the age of 11, initially as a basketball player. He was later introduced to Korfball by Mr. Jairaj, one of the pioneers of the sport in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Haranath participated twice in the National Korfball Championships in India, winning gold and bronze medals. He also participated in several interstate and inter-university championships. Currently, Haranath lives in Pennsylvania and serves as a board member of the USKF.
Haranath Reddy Medapati
Board Member
Alex discovered Korfball at age 12, but pursued Junior Volleyball and Fencing, competing in the Junior Olympics and AAU programs. He was a D1 athlete in Track & Field at the University of Illinois Chicago. Alex won his first adult Men’s Beach Volleyball tournament at 16 and has since competed in various sports, including Handball, Fencing, and Beach Volleyball. He joined the Mid-West Pro Beach Volleyball tour post-college.
After health issues during the Covid era, he returned to sports, joining the Los Angeles Team Handball team and winning national medals. His love for Korfball had never waned, and Alex was excited to join the National Team in 2023. Alex also trains in Street Luge, Freediving, Bodyboarding, and Skiing. He coaches High School Volleyball, participates in Cryptozoological expeditions, and occasionally teaches using his Anthropology degree.
Alex Mistretta
Board Member
Please meet Karli Piennette. A Utah native and now living in Birmingham Alabama. Karli played Division 1 basketball at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. This gave her a great foundation and fundamental understanding of korfball. Karli coached high school girls basketball and now is involved in coaching youth sports in her community. She loves serving in the community through her work with JustServe.org. She is now serving as a development director in the Southeast and has formed Iron city Korfball club in Birmingham. Please reach out to her at ironcitykorfball@gmail.com for more information on how you can get involved.
Karli Piennette
Board Member
Michelle van den Bos, originally from the Netherlands, has been passionate about korfball since the age of 5. During her time in London, she played for BEC for a year. In 2016, she made the move to the USA, where she continues to be actively involved in the development of korfball.
Michelle van den Bos
Board Member
Uriah Ward is an educator, labor union organizer, and School Board member in Saint Paul, MN where he lives with his wife and one-year-old son. He has played a variety of sports from an early age and started playing korfball in 2023. He is helping to organize the Twin Cities Korfball Club.
Uriah Ward
Board Member