Handball is one of the fast-paced and most exciting team sports globally.

It is played in many
parts of the world. The sport is also common in the Olympics. So, what is handball, and what is
its origin? Below are all the details you need to know about the sport, including its origin and
rules.

Handball is a team sport played for fun, fitness, and as a profession. It is a game contested
between two teams of seven players. The aim is to throw the ball into the opponent's goal and
score. Denmark, France, and Sweden are among the top-ranked nations in the game. Over the
years, they have produced amazing athletes who excelled in the sport The game was founded in
the late 19th century in the northern parts of Europe (Germany and Scandinavia). However, the
modern one developed in the early 20th century. Handball at the Summer Olympics Gold
medalists Team France pose during the medal ceremony for Men's Handball in Tokyo 2020
Olympic Games at Yoyogi National Stadium on 7 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. Photo:

Men's handball was first introduced in the Olympics at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in
Munich. The women's category was introduced in the 1976 Summer Olympics. Who invented
the handball? According to sources, the sport was invented in Denmark in 1898.

However, official handball rules got drafted in October 1917. Although the rules have changed
over the years, the basics of the sport have remained the same. Some sources also credit Karl
Schelenz for his role in transforming the game. The German is believed to have written several
books on modern rules. Schelenz was a physical education teacher and a professional long-jump
athlete. How to play handball

The game is usually played on a hard-surface court with a goal at each end. The court is 40m
long and 20m wide, while the nets are 2m high and 3m wide, meaning that a handball court is
larger than a basketball court. The players aim to throw the ball into the opponent's goal. Each
goal counts as one point. Therefore, the team with the most points wins the match.

How many players are on each handball team? The game consists of two teams of seven
players each. The seven playing positions are goalkeeper, left-wing, left-back, middle-back,
line player, right-back, and right-wing. Typically, defenders are tasked with preventing
opponents from scoring, while attackers move forward to get a shot at the goal and score.
Goalkeeper: Responsible for defending the goal between the posts Centre-back:

A defender who often stands in the middle of the court and provides both defending and
attacking options. Right back: A right-handed defender preventing opponents from shooting
Left-back: A left-handed defender standing on the left side of the center-back. A left-back often
prevents the opposition from shooting Pivot:

An attacking player who travels along the opponent's six-meter line. A pivot initiates attacking
strategies and often plays in front of the team to close down the opposition's attacks. Left-wing:
An attacking player who often covers the left-hand side of the court. A left-wing player performs
defensive and attacking duties. Right-wing: Has the same responsibilities as the left wing down
the opposite side (right-hand)
How long is a handball match?

An adult game is 60 minutes, split into halves of 30 minutes each. Meanwhile, there is a ten-
minute halftime break between the halves. There are even timeouts that make the game even
longer. Generally, the sport is categorized based on its playing ground, beach to the field, and
indoor games. Beach handball is often played on the beach, while field one is staged outdoors on
grass. The indoor one is probably the most popular of the three. It is staged on a hard court.
Where is handball played? The sport is most popular in European countries like Germany,
Denmark, France, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Russia, and Poland. In Africa, Egypt, Tunisia,
Morocco, Cameron, and Cape Verde are some of the best countries in the sport.

Rules of handball

Rules and regulations are important in any sport to safeguard the athletes and maintain the
integrity of the game.

The regulations also help to create fair competition between the teams. Here are some of the
common rules that any handball fan should know.

Starting a game

A typical match begins at the center of the court after the referee's whistle, with both teams on
their halves. The opponents must be at least three meters (9 feet, 10 inches) from the player
throwing.

Catching, touching, and striking the ball

The sport allows players to catch, move or strike using their hands, fists, arms, head, body,
thighs, or knees. However, touching the ball with any part of the body below the knee is not
allowed. Keeping possession Players are only allowed three seconds to stand with the ball before
passing, dribbling, or shooting. Touching it more than once is prohibited unless it has touched
the ground, touched another player, or bounced off a goalpost.

Dribbling rules A player can advance toward the opponent's goalpost by passing to a teammate
but should not take more than three steps without shooting, passing, or dribbling. Defensive
players are prohibited from holding, hitting, pushing, or tripping opponents.

However, one can use the flat part of the hand to knock a ball away from an offensive player.
Goalkeeping

A goalkeeper can only dive for and trap the ball on the ground while in the goal area. Other
players may dive for a bouncing ball and tap it or throw it quickly to a teammate, but they cannot
trap it with their feet.

Goal area rules

Only the goalkeeper is allowed to enter the goal area. Other players cannot touch the ball when
it is on the ground in the goal area.
How substitutions work

There is no limit on substitutions that can be made during the action. An athlete entering must
wait for the colleague to leave the playing field before entering. Meanwhile, faulty substitutions
are punished by a two-minute suspension for the offending player.

Equipment

Equipment in the sport is essential gear that helps players participate in the game much better.
They include shoes, gloves, protective eyewear, shorts, and t-shirts.

Teams were different colors of kits to avoid confusion when playing.

What is handball, according to your understanding? Well, you now probably know more about
the sport and how it is played. It is one of the most-followed games on earth as countries
continue to invest in it.
Hand ball is a game played by two teams of seven players . To play team handball, each team
has to shoot, dribble, and pass a ball in order to score goals over the opposing team. If you want
to know how to play either version of the game, see Step 1 below to get started.
Part1

Playing Team Handball

Get familiar with the court. In team handball, the court is 20 meters (65' 7") by 40 meters (131'
3") large.[1] Here are some things you should know about the court:
 The court has a goal area line (also known as the crease), which is a 6-meter (19' 8")
line where only the goalie is allowed to stand. The actual goal is 2 meters (6.6 ft) high
and 3 meters (9.8 ft) wide. Players can only jump into the goal area if they release the
ball before landing there.
 A dashed semi-circle that is 9 meters (29.5 ft) from the goal marks the free-throw
line.
 The line at half court is also known as the center line.
 Get familiar with the ball, too. Traditionally, handball is played with a 32-panel
leather ball. For women, the ball is 54–56 centimeter (21.3–22.0 in) wide and for
men, it is 58–60 centimeter (22.8–23.6 in) wide and a bit heavier than the women's'
ball.
2.
Form a team. There can be seven players on each team out on the court at any given time. One
player on each team is the goalie and the remaining six are the court players.[2] Each team can
have a total of 12 players (in America) or 14 players (in England) dress and play during a game.
The additional players can substitute for the players on the court once the player they are
substituting leaves the court, just as in basketball, volleyball, or other sports with substitutes. The
non-goalie players' roles are interchangeable during the game.
 Players wear uniforms that are numbered 1-20. Each team's players should wear
shirts and shorts of the same color, while each goalie wears a different color to stand
out from the other teammates.
 In official games, there are always two referees, one for the court and one for the
goal. Their decisions are final.

3.
Understand the objective of the game. Each team scores points by throwing the ball into the
opposing team's goal. The team that scores the most points wins the game. A game can end in a
tie unless you're playing a tournament, which needs a winner to be named. If the game is tied
after time runs out, then the teams play 2-5 minute periods of overtime.[3]
 A team can score a goal after the entire ball crosses the goal line and falls inside the
goal. You can score a goal from any type of throw, which means the goal-throw, free-
throw, throw-in, or throw-off (more information about these throws appears below).

Play for the correct length of time. A traditional handball game is played in 2 30-minute halves
with a 10 minute break in between. Youth or tournament games are shorter, played in 2 15-
minute or 20-minute halves instead.[4]
 The time marked is the running time of the game. The only times the clock stops are
for each team to have one time-out per half, and if there is an injury.
 At half-time, the teams switch benches.
 4.

Understand what the field players can do. These players can touch the ball with all parts of
their body above the knee (which means no kicking!). If they have the ball, they can only stay in
place for three seconds (think of it as a traveling offense in basketball), and they can only move
for three steps with the ball. If they do not follow these rules, the ball goes to the other team. The
players must quickly decide whether to shoot the ball, dribble it, or pass it.[5]
 A player can dribble the ball for as long as he wants, just as long as he keeps his hand
on top of the ball. After dribbling, he still gets the usual three steps/three seconds rule.
If he dribbles again, that's a "double dribbling" violation and the ball goes to the other
team.
 Other offenses that a player can commit include carrying the ball into the crease (the
goalie's area), setting an illegal screen, and charging.
 5.

Understand the different types of throws. Here's what you need to know about the different
throws in the game:
 The throw-off. The game starts with a throw-off. The throw-off takes place in the
center of the court. Here, the thrower has to touch the middle line with one foot while
all of the other players stay in their own half. The team that wins the coin toss and
wants to start with the ball begins the throw off.
 After the whistle blows, the player with the ball in the center of the court
passes the ball to a team-mate and play starts.
 Every time a goal is scored, the opposing team gets the ball for another throw-
off. A throw-off also occurs after half-time.
 The throw-in. If the ball leaves play, then the team that didn't touch the ball last gets a
throw-in.
 The free-throw. A free-throw is given after there's an interruption in play, and takes
place wherever the play was interrupted. Play can be interrupted when one player is
holding, pushing, hitting, tripping or hurting the other team's player and receives a
penalty.
 The referee throw. A referee throw is called for when the ball touches anything that is
above the court after multiple rules are broken during simultaneous possession of the
ball. In this situation, the referee stands at center court and throws the ball vertically,
between two players of opposing teams, and they must jump and grab the ball or tap
the ball to a member of their own teams. Other members of the team must be at least 3
meters (9.8 ft) away from the throw.
  The 7-meter throw. This throw is given when a foul destroys a clear chance to score,
the goalie carries the ball back to his own area, a court player plays the ball to his own
goalie, or a defensive player enters his own goal area. For this throw, all players have
to be outside the free-throw line and the player who takes the throw has three seconds
to shoot the ball.
 The goal-throw. This one is given when the ball rebounds off the goalie over the end
line or if the ball is thrown over the end line by the team that is attacking. For this
throw, the goalie throws the ball from his area and does not have to follow the three
step/3 second rule.

6.

Know the rule violations. There are many ways to commit a rule violation. If one team commits
a violation, then that means that the other team is awarded the ball, either as a throw-in, free-
throw, or goalie-throw. Here are the different violations:
 Passive play. This means keeping the ball within one team's possession without trying
to attack or to score. This basically means stalling with the ball.
 Endangering an opponent with the ball.
 Pulling, hitting, or punching the ball of the hands of an opponent.
 Making contact with the ball below the knee.
  Diving on the floor for a ball that is rolling or not moving.
 Outstretching your arms or legs to push, hold, obstruct, trip, or hit the opponent or to
charge into a defensive player.

7.

Understand how progressive punishments work. These punishments occur when something

that a player does warrants more than just a free-throw, such as any rule violations that are aimed
at an opponent instead of the ball. Here are the stages of progressive punishments:[6]
 A warning/yellow card. Each player can only receive one warning for a rule violation,
and each team can only receive a total of three warnings.
 A 2-minute suspension. This is given for serious and repeated rule violations, illegal
substitution, and unsportsmanlike conduct. You do not need a warning first to get a 2-
minute violation. For this violation, the player sits out for 2 minutes and is not
replaced, so his team has to play one player short.
 Disqualification/red card. A player is given this as an equivalent of three suspensions
that last 2 minutes each. After the first 2-minute suspension, the player can be
replaced.
 Exclusion. The exclusion is given for assault and the player is excluded for the rest of
the game. This is a serious offense and this player's team is at a huge disadvantage
because it has to play one player short for the rest of the game.

8.
Improve your game. There are many tips and tricks that can help you excel as a handball
player, but the most important thing you can do is just to keep playing. Here are some things you
can work on as you improve your game:
 To be a master handball player, you and your team should work on passing the ball to
each other as much as you can. This is faster than dribbling and can get you to the goal
more quickly.
 When you are defending, you can work on keeping your hands up so that you block
shots as well as passing opportunities for the other team.
 When you're dribbling, work on using one hand to dribble while shielding the ball with
your other hand to keep it safe from the opposing team.
 Most importantly, just keep practicing! The more you play, the better you'll be at
handball.
Playing Singles or Doubles Handball

Decide whether you are playing Chinese or American handball.[7] Both of these games are
played with a much smaller ball than team handball. Most official games are played with a
"small ball," or an "ace ball," while street games are commonly played with a "big ball," which is
about the size of a racquetball.
 There are three versions of the game (four-wall, three-wall, and one-wall), and the
game can either be played by two players, three players, or four players.
 Chinese is the easier of the two, in which the players bounce the ball against the
ground once before it hits the wall, while in American, it doesn't bounce. If it doesn't
make it in one bounce (Chinese), or if it bounces (American), it is the other player's
turn to "serve".
2.

Decide on your rules. An example would be whether you want DBA (Double bounce American,
where if it bounces twice, you must hit it American, used in Chinese), or DBC (American only,
when the ball bounces twice, hit it Chinese).
  You might want to rule out flagging, where the opponent is allowed to distract you but
not interfere with the ball, or if you're on a team with someone, you might want team
saves (where one person on the team hits the ball up, it bounces, then the other person
hits it American).
 This also goes with self-saves. You can have self-saves for either team or by yourself).
You could even call Kings (none of the rules; just hitting it. Don't forget about
"slams", where you can hit it as hard as you can).
3.
Play until you win. Usually, a player wins the game if he scores 7 points, but you can mix things
up if you're playing a more casual game. Here are some other things to keep in mind as you're
scoring the game:
 There is usually a set score for when there is a shutout (when the opponent has 0 points
the entire time).
 The set score for shutouts when playing to 7 is 5. After the set score is decided, a
player begins the game with a "volley" (throwing the ball either Chinese or American,
depending on what you're playing).
 Now the other person must hit it. This decides who gets the ball first.
 The person that misses the ball after it bounces twice (once if playing Kings)
will not serve first.
 The game continues in the same matter, only there is no volley; just serving.
What happens during a seven meter throw? The person throwing stands at the "seven meter"
mark and waits for the referee to give them a sign. When he does, the thrower shoots.
 Am I allowed to touch the ball with my other hand?
If you hit it off the ground and take it with both hands, you have 3 steps before you have to let go
of the ball. You can't walk with the ball in your hand more than 3 steps without hitting it off the
ground, passing to a teammate, or shooting towards the goal.

Is there any forward player in handball?

Pretty much everyone goes on attack when his/her team is in possession - but not all players are
trained in attack. For example, defenders can score, but they don't do it as often.
Tips
 Play the corners, but be ready to jump in if the ball is hit low. Playing the corners gives you a
wide area to play in, so no matter where the ball goes, you're ready.
 A good tip that usually works when you volley is to throw the ball "side-arm", moving your arm
in a sideways motion. Don't do this all the time because over a long period of time it can damage
your arm.

 Practice by yourself or with friends. Don't worry about the score.