After acquainting himself with the rules and developing a passion for the game, it would not take long until Letteri established himself as one of the best handball players in the country.

A Helping Hand

Letteri's game quickly blossomed under the patient tutelage of the older players whom he met at the athletic center.

"When I first started playing handball, for some reason, I was just good at it," said Letteri. "It just made sense to me."

In time, Letteri, who has not seen his father since he was eleven years old, developed lasting friendships with the men who taught him handball. Through their morning practice sessions, their relationship came to extend beyond sports.

"They were pretty much father figures in my life," Letteri said. "They would teach me a lot of stuff, they'd take me out to breakfast, and afterwards, they always ended up giving me little lessons on life."

With his new older friends sponsoring him, Letteri began entering, and winning, tournaments. As a teenager, he placed first in both the 15-&-under and 17-&-under national handball tourneys.