KSS Iskra Kielce
Iskra Kielce crest

Club history

Iskra since 1965

From an asphalt pitch by a Kielce secondary school, through the golden 1990s, to victory in the Champions League – this is one continuous story of Kielce handball. KSS Iskra Kielce carries on the tradition that began in 1965 and hands it on to each new generation of boys.

the year Iskra's tradition begins
1965the year Iskra's tradition begins
Polish championship titles won under the Iskra name (1993–1999)
5Polish championship titles won under the Iskra name (1993–1999)
place among Kielce clubs in the Youth Sport System ranking for 2024
1stplace among Kielce clubs in the Youth Sport System ranking for 2024
KSS Iskra teams in Polish Handball Federation competitions in 2026/27
10KSS Iskra teams in Polish Handball Federation competitions in 2026/27

Chapters of our history

1965–1973

Where it began

It all began at Kielce's metalworks, which grew out of the pre-war “Granat” factory and later became the “Iskra” Rolling Bearing Factory. Their multi-sport works club, known from 1952 as Stal ZMK, took the name Iskra in 1957 – the same name as the plant. In 1965 it added a men's handball section.

The section's birthday is taken to be 1 September 1965 – the date on the contract of its first coach, Wacław Mozer, which can now be seen in the Club History Museum at Hala Legionów. Mozer was a player-coach: he ran the team and played in it himself. The core of the squad came from a factory TKKF team, and matches were played on an asphalt pitch by the III LO secondary school, known to locals as “Piramowicz”. Wacław Mozer died on 31 August 2025, the day before the 60th anniversary.

In its first season, 1965/66, Iskra played in the regional A class. Under Stefan Czekała (1966–1971) the team climbed steadily: in 1970 it won promotion to the newly created III liga, and a year later, after winning that league, reached the II liga for the first time. Edward Strząbała took over in 1971, and Iskra finished its debut II liga season in 3rd place.

1973–1991

Under the Korona banner

On 10 July 1973 Iskra and SHL merged into the multi-sport club Korona, and for the next 18 years the handball players competed as Korona Kielce. In March 1975, with Edward Strząbała on the bench, they won promotion to the top flight for the first time. Their hall on Jagiellońska Street, nicknamed “Budowlanka”, was not yet ready for that level, so part of the debut season's home games were played in Mielec. Relegation followed after one season, but in 1978 Korona was back among the elite.

In 1979/80 the Kielce team won its first Polish championship medal – bronze. After a short spell in the second tier it returned to the top flight in 1984 and has played there without a break since the 1984/85 season. 1985 brought the first Polish Cup, won at the final tournament in Płock. The Kielce crowd's favourite in those years was Zbigniew Tłuczyński, a bronze medallist at the 1982 World Championship.

On 25 October 1985 the hall at 72 Krakowska Street opened – the team's home for more than 20 years. The next day Korona beat Hutnik Kraków 25:23 there in front of almost 1,500 spectators. On 22 September 1990 the Kielce side made its European debut: in the Cup Winners' Cup it drew 23:23 at home with Baník Karviná of Czechoslovakia, but lost the tie.

1991–2002

Iskra again: the golden decade

In 1991 the handball section left Korona and, as a club of its own, went back to the name Iskra; the “Iskra” Rolling Bearing Factory now supported it as a sponsor. On 7 May 1991 the statute was adopted of the association that still exists today – since 2024 under the name KSS Iskra Kielce.

The 1990s were Iskra's golden decade. In 1993 the team, coached by Edward Strząbała, won the club's first Polish championship and defended it a year later. Further titles followed in 1996, 1998 and 1999, partly under the sponsor names Iskra/Ceresit and Iskra/Lider Market. In 1997/98 Iskra beat THW Kiel 28:27 in Kielce in the EHF Cup quarter-final; it lost the return leg, and the German club went on to win the competition.

In 1999/2000 several sponsors, including NSK Iskra, pulled out, and the name Iskra disappeared from the team's name. As Strzelec/Lider Market the team won the Polish Cup in 2000, and in 2001–2002 it played under the Kolporter banner.

2002–2016

The Vive era

In 2002 the club was taken over by Bertus Servaas, a Kielce-based businessman of Dutch origin and owner of VIVE Textile Recycling. He became president of the association that ran the team and led it until 2017. That same year the association was entered in the National Court Register (KRS) as Klub Sportowy Vive w Kielcach – the very same body that is now called KSS Iskra Kielce. The first season under the new name, 2002/03, ended with a double: the Polish championship and the Polish Cup.

In 2004/05, on the initiative of Grażyna Jarosz and Bertus Servaas, the Little Handball League for schools was launched. In August 2006 the team moved from Krakowska Street to the newly opened Hala Legionów, which soon filled with fans: in May 2009 about 4,500 people watched the deciding game of the Polish championship final against Wisła Płock (31:24), a record for the arena at the time.

After third places at the Champions League final tournament in 2013 and 2015 came 29 May 2016. In the final in Cologne, Vive Tauron Kielce trailed Veszprém by nine goals, fought back and won on penalties – the first Polish club ever to win the men's EHF Champions League. Formally, the team was still run by the association at the time. In summer 2016 its general meeting handed the right to play in the professional Superliga to a joint-stock company, KS Vive Handball Kielce S.A. (today KS Iskra Kielce S.A.), because the league's rules required that legal form. The reserves and youth teams stayed with the association.

2016–2024

Training the next generation – and Iskra once more

Since 2016 the association has concentrated on training young players. Its youth teams competed first as PGE Vive and later as KS Vive Kielce. In 2017 Marian Urban succeeded Bertus Servaas as president. According to Radio Kielce, 2021/22 was the best season in the history of the club's youth teams: the juniors won the Polish championship, the younger juniors took silver and the cadets bronze. Kielce-born Szymon Wiaderny, MVP of the junior final tournament, soon afterwards signed a five-year contract with the senior team.

In September 2023 the association sold its 51% stake in the company running the senior team to the Industria group. The company returned to its historic name – today it is Klub Sportowy Iskra Kielce S.A., and its team plays as Industria Kielce. In March 2024 the association's juniors, still competing as KS Vive Kielce, won silver at the Polish championship final tournament in Hala Legionów.

On 17 October 2024 the name Iskra came back to the association as well: Klub Sportowy Vive Kielce became Kieleckie Stowarzyszenie Sportowe Iskra Kielce. Since the 2024/25 season its teams have competed as KSS Iskra.

Key dates

  1. 1965

    The handball section is born

    The multi-sport club Iskra starts a men's handball section. Its birthday is taken to be 1 September, the date on player-coach Wacław Mozer's contract.

  2. 1971

    First promotion to the II liga

    A year after entering the III liga, Iskra wins it and reaches the II liga for the first time. Edward Strząbała takes over as coach.

  3. 1973

    Iskra and SHL become Korona

    On 10 July two Kielce clubs merge into the multi-sport club Korona. The handball team now plays as Korona Kielce.

  4. 1975

    Top flight for the first time

    In March the team wins promotion to the top division for the first time. Part of the debut season's home games are played in Mielec because the Kielce hall is not yet ready.

  5. 1980

    First national championship medal

    In 1979/80 Korona wins bronze – the first Polish championship medal in the history of the Kielce team.

  6. 1984

    Back among the elite for good

    After winning the second tier, Korona earns promotion to the top flight for the third time. Since 1984/85 the Kielce team has never left it.

  7. 1985

    Polish Cup and a new home

    Korona wins its first Polish Cup in Płock. On 25 October the hall at 72 Krakowska Street opens – the team's home for more than 20 years.

  8. 1990

    European debut

    On 22 September Korona begins its first-ever European campaign with a 23:23 draw against Baník Karviná in the Cup Winners' Cup.

  9. 1991

    Iskra once again

    The section leaves Korona and, as a club of its own, returns to the name Iskra. On 7 May the statute is adopted of the association known today as KSS Iskra Kielce.

  10. 1993

    First Polish championship

    Edward Strząbała's Iskra wins the club's first Polish championship and defends the title a year later.

  11. 1999

    Iskra's fifth title

    After titles in 1996 and 1998, Iskra/Lider Market wins its fifth Polish championship of the decade. The following season the name Iskra disappears from the team's name.

  12. 2002

    The Vive era begins

    Bertus Servaas takes over the club, and the association is entered in the KRS as Klub Sportowy Vive w Kielcach. The first season, 2002/03, ends with a double: the Polish championship and the Polish Cup.

  13. 2006

    Hala Legionów

    Hala Legionów opens on 25 August. From 2006/07 it is the home arena of the Kielce senior team, and since 2020 it has also been the association's address.

  14. 2016

    Champions League and new roles

    On 29 May in Cologne, Vive Tauron Kielce wins the EHF Champions League on penalties against Veszprém. That summer the senior team moves to a joint-stock company, while the reserves and youth teams stay with the association.

  15. 2022

    Junior gold

    KS Vive Kielce's juniors become Polish champions, the younger juniors win silver and the cadets bronze. Szymon Wiaderny, MVP of the junior final tournament, signs a contract with the senior team.

  16. 2023

    The company passes to Industria

    The association sells its 51% stake in the company running the senior team to the Industria group. The company returns to its historic name: KS Iskra Kielce S.A.

  17. 2024

    KSS Iskra Kielce

    In March the juniors win silver at the Polish championship in Hala Legionów, and on 17 October the association takes the name Kieleckie Stowarzyszenie Sportowe Iskra Kielce. From 2024/25 its teams compete as KSS Iskra.

  18. 2025

    Silver and a European debut

    KSS Iskra's juniors become Polish runners-up – the final against Górnik Zabrze is decided on penalties. A few days later Iskra players make their debut in an EHF youth club competition and finish third at the tournament in Bucharest.

  19. 2026

    Bronze in Płock

    KSS Iskra's juniors win bronze at the Polish championship, beating Trójka Ostrołęka 40:39 in the third-place match. In 2026/27 a team of players born in 2008–2010 plays in the II liga.

Iskra today

KSS Iskra Kielce is not a new club but the same association whose statute was adopted in 1991 and which carried names including “Vive” from 2002 to 2024. Its board is chaired by Tadeusz Dziedzic, formerly the vice-president, who succeeded Marian Urban as president (according to the National Court Register as of 1 July 2026). Today our focus is training boys: in the 2026/27 season we have ten teams in Polish Handball Federation competitions – from young children to seniors – plus intake groups for beginners. Our oldest team, made up of players born in 2008–2010, plays in the II liga.

That work is paying off. In 2025 our juniors became Polish runners-up – the final against Górnik Zabrze was decided only on penalties – and a few days later Iskra players finished third at an EHF youth club tournament in Bucharest, which coach Paweł Grecak described as the club's first appearance at such an event. In 2026 the juniors brought home bronze from the Polish championship in Płock. For 2024 Iskra ranked first among Kielce clubs in the Youth Sport System, and in 2025 it received support from the sports ministry's Klub PRO programme.

We share a history and an address at Hala Legionów with the professional club, but we are two separate organisations. The Industria Kielce team is run by KS Iskra Kielce S.A., which belongs to the Industria group; the association holds no shares in it. The company also runs the Club History Museum. We carry on the tradition of Kielce handball that began in 1965 where it has always started – at training sessions for children and teenagers.

The next chapters of this story will be written by the children coming to their first training session today. Join Iskra!

Sign your child up for trainingMeet the youth groups
Sources

We checked the dates, names and results on this page against the sources below.

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