At that period, thanks to active and purposeful efforts of handball public family – All-Russia and regional federations, coaches, athletes and just lovers for handball – started to work centers for children and youths where were trained young athletes – future champions of world and Olympic Games. The first center of that kind was the sports school "Start" for children and youths in Rostov-on-Don. Then similar schools were opened in Moscow, Sverdlovsk, Leningrad, Krasnodar, Volgograd, Krasnoyarsk and in the Far East. More than 100 such centers for training young athletes were opened in Russia. The best of them were awarded with the status of specialized sports schools of Olympic reserve. The opening of those sports schools of Olympic reserve played a significant role in preparation of high class athletes – the reserve of the master teams and of national teams of the country. Young athletes in the age of 10–17 years had their sports training in those schools using special programs.