Handball

Handball is one of the simplest of the sports, both to understand as a spectator and to

many of the benefits of both calisthenics and jogging.

Handball was first played in ancient Rome. In

fifteenth century Spain and France, it was

England in the sixteenth century. The current

version of the game was developed in Ireland

in the mid eighteenth century. Phil Casey built

the first U. S. handball court in 1886.

Handball enjoyed a huge increase in popularity

in the U. S. during the “fitness movement”

that swept the country in the 1970s and 1980s.

Handball fans saw the sport as a body conditioner

which, unlike running or riding stationary

bicycles, provided a social context for a

demanding form of aerobic exercise.

1890 by Danish track and field athletes as a conditioning sport. It was team handball that

developed into the Olympic version of what is called “handball” in Europe and “teamhandball

Rules were standardized in 1924 by the International Handball Federation (IHP). Eleven

nations met at the Olympic Games in 1928 to form the International Amateur Handball

Federation and write the international handball rules. Handball was removed from the

Olympic program in 1948. The U. S. Team Handball Federation (USTHF) was formed

in 1959, and team handball was reinstated in the Olympics in 1972.

The crux of the game of handball is to keep

returning the ball to the front wall. If the

receiver does not return the ball, the server

scores a point. If servers fail to return the

ball, they lose the serve. A player can score

only when he/she is serving. The first player

to reach 21 points is the winner. The rules

of the game can be summed up as follows:

1. The server bounces the ball,

then hits it against the front

wall. The serve must bounce

back beyond the short line

into the court. A fault occurs

if the ball hits the ceiling or

any of the other walls.

2. If two faults are committed, the server loses the serve.

3. The receiver must return the serve to the front wall. The ball is allowed to

hit a side wall, for example, before hitting the front wall. The ball cannot

touch the floor before it reaches the front wall.

One player is the server while the other two are receivers. This structure continues on a

rotating basis until the first player

with 21 points wins.

The game of handball is comprised

of much more than running back

and forth inside the court and hitting

the ball. The game requires

careful planning and strategizing in

order to handle the various types of

shots in the best way. Key skills for

the handball player include learning

to anticipate, concentrate and

control.

It is often difficult for a more experienced

player to anticipate shots

when playing with a beginning player. New players often do things that seem illogical,

and sometimes perform the various strokes poorly. It is helpful for the beginner to practice

observing how more experienced players play and also simply to watch the flight of

next move.

Concentration is a second major ingredient for success on the handball court. A handball

handball. Footwork is equally essential to the skilled

player.

If a player is right-handed, he or she will shift the body

weight from the right back foot to the left front foot as

the ball shifts. The legs should remain slightly flexed so

that when the ball comes, the player can step into the

ball.

There are three basic strokes used in handball: the overhand, the sidearm and the underhand.

While all three strokes are considered crucial to the game, the sidearm is thought

to be the most important.

cupped fingers strike the handball. The ball is then stroked upward toward

the ceiling and the arm follows through on the shot.

This stroke requires great control and a “feather touch.”

is the serving stroke. The sidearm also allows the player

to return the ball before it falls into the back court and

therefore, is harder to return. The ball is returned as it

weight shifts from the back foot to the front foot, with

motion. This stroke is used mainly for “diggingout

front wall. Professionals advise against using

this stroke for rallying, or exchanging shots

with the opponent. Players often look like they

are bowling when performing the underhand

stroke.

There are also three basic types of shots in handball: the passing shot, the kill shot and

the ceiling shot. All three shots are used in conjunction with all three types of strokes.

is in front of a player, the player with the ball hits the ball to the front

scores more points than any other type of shot.

to the floor, aimed at the bottom of the front wall. The player is in a crouching

position as the ball is hit. The ball should be hit low so that it comes off

the front wall with such a low bounce that there is no chance for the opponent

to return it.

defensive shot used to move an opponent out of the front court. The ceiling

is considered the fifth wall in handball, as this shot proves. A good ceiling

shot will often fluster and confuse an opponent who cannot handle a high

overhand stroke.

Handball is played on various types of courts, including

those with one, three and four walls. The

most common type of court is the four-wall court,

although such a court actually has five hitting surfaces

all serious handball players wear deerskin or goatskin handball gloves while playing.

Although handball does not receive the publicity in the popular press enjoyed by football

or basketball, over 3,000,000 players are registered worldwide with the International

Handball Association. Add to this figure the number of unregistered people who

play handball regularly at health clubs and other facilities and you will begin to understand

just how popular this sport really is.

Team handball is an Olympic sport. Once an 11-man-per-side sport, it evolved into a 7-

man-per-side sport between 1948 (when it was dropped from the Olympic roster) and

Handball was a part of the program at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Medal Country

Gold Russia

Silver Sweden

Bronze Spain

Medal Country

Gold Denmark

Silver Hungary

Bronze Norway

Handball is also a popluar sport in many colleges in North America. It is played both as

a team sport and an individual sport. It has become more popular recently as new health

clubs include handball courts to attract customers.

Handball is an exciting game that is enjoyed all over the world. Give it a try if you

http://www.abc.net.au/olympics/results/. The 2004 Olympics will be held in Greece. Keep