HANDBALL

A bit of history
Games similar to modern team handball have
historically been played in many different cultures
around the world. We know that the ancient
Greeks and Romans played a type of handball, and
handball was also played by the Inuit in Greenland
and the French in Europe as early as the Middle
Ages.

Team handball as we know it today developed in

northern Europe by the end of the 1800s. It was
especially popular in Sweden and Norway.

Handball was first played with 11 players on each

team, like football, although the game is played
with the hands instead of the feet.

The two sports shared the same playing field and even the ball was the same. In 1938, handball
became a game where two teams of seven players competed on a 40 x 20 m court.
Modern handball is usually played indoors, but outdoor variants exist in the forms of field
handball and beach handball (also called sandball).

CHARACTERISTICS
Objective
To put the ball in the goal of the opposing team. The team that scores the most
goals wins.
Playing area
The dimensions of a handball court are 40 x 20 m.
Duration
Two 30 minute halves, with a 10 minute break at half-time.
Players
The team has 12 members: 7 players (6 field players and a goalkeeper) and 5
reserves. Substitution of players can be done in any number and at any time during
game play.
Ball
Different size and weight balls are used for men, women, beginners, children, youth
and junior categories.
Referees
A Handball match is led by two referees. One court referee and one goal line
referee.
 HOW TO PLAY
Handball is played on a cour 40 meters long by 20 meters wide (40 m x 20 m), with a goal
in the center of each end. The goals are surrounded by a near -semicircular area, called
“ goal area ” defined by a line six meters from the goal.
No attacking or defending players are allowed to touch the floor of the goal area, only the
defending goalkeeper is allowed inside this perimeter. However, the field players may
catch and touch the ball in the air within the goal-area, as long as the player starts his
jump outside the area and releases the ball before he lands. Passing to your own
goalkeeper results in a turnover.

A dashed near-semicircular line 9 meters from the goal marks the “free -throw” line.
Field players are allowed to touch the ball with any part of their bodies above the knee
(knee included). The ball can be thrown, hit, bounced and caught with one or two hands.
A player who is in possession of the ball may stand stationary for only 3 seconds and may
only take three steps. They must then shoot, pass or dribble the ball.

The game is quite fast and includes body contact, as the defenders try to stop the
attackers from approaching the goal. Contact is allowed only when the defensive player is
completely in front of the offensive player. Any contact from the side or especially from
behind is considered dangerous and is usually met with penalties.

Unlike in basketball, where players are allowed to commit only 5 fouls in a game, handball
players are allowed an unlimited number of faults.
 Fouls
The most common fouls are travelling, double dribbling, entering the goal area, touching the ball below
the knees, sending the ball outside the field of play, pushing or holding an opposing player and passive
play and fouls resulting in penalty throws.

Double dribbling The ball is dribbled using one hand, moving the wrist vertically
downwards. Once the ball has been dribbled and caught, it cannot
be dribbled again. It must either be passed to a team-mate or shot
on goal. It is penalized with a free throw.
Travelling A foul committed by a player who takes more than three steps
without bouncing the ball. It is penalized with a free throw.
Touching the ball The ball cannot be hit or touched with the foot, although it
below the knees is not considered a foul when an opposing player throws the
ball at a player's leg or if it is an involuntary action.
Sending the ball When a player sends the ball outside the field of play, it is the other
outside the field of team that puts it back into play with a throw-in from the sideline or
play corner of the court or a goalkeeper-throw, depending on where the
ball went out.
Pushing or holding Players are only allowed to steal the ball from an opponent
an opposing player with the palm of their open hand and block the path of other
players with the torso, even if they are not in possession of
the ball.
Entering the goal Only the goalkeeper can enter the area between the goal and
area the six-meter line, although it is possible to jump above it and
release the ball before returning to the ground.
Passive play If the team in possession of the ball does not play as if attempting
to score a goal, the referees will penalize this team
for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Penalty When the team on defense commits a foul
inside the area or for illegally preventing a clear scoring opportunity,
even when outside the goal area.

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 Awarded throws

Free-throw Throw in
A throw made by a player to put the When the ball crosses the side-line,
ball back into play when the opposing the team which did not touch the ball
team has committed a foul (double last makes a throw-in. It has to be
dribbling, travelling, pushing, passive taken standing on the line, from the
play...) . The ball is thrown from the same place where the ball went out.
place where the foul was committed.
If the foul takes place between the
free-throw line and the goal-area line,
the throw is done on the free-throw
line Defensive players have to position
themselves at least 3 m. from the ball.

Goalkeeper-throw
When the attacking team throws the ball
over the end-line or when the goalkeeper
deflects the ball over the end-line. The
goalkeeper takes the throw from inside
Penalty throws or 7 meter throw the goal area.
It is awarded when the defending
team makes a foul when the attacking Corner throw-in
team has a clear chance to score.
When the ball is sent out over the end-
It is taken from the penalty line (7 m).
line by a player from the defending
The goalkeeper can take up a position
team, except the goalkeeper. It is taken
between the goal line and the four-
from the corner of the court closest to
meter restraining line.
where the ball left the court, with one
All other players must remain behind
the free-throw line until execution. or both feet on the sideline.

Throw-off
It takes place from the center of the
court. The thrower must touch the
center-line with one foot and all of the
other players must be in the half of their
team. The defending players must keep a
distance of at least three meters to the
thrower. A throw-off occurs at the
beginning of each period and after the
opposing team scores a goal.
 Disciplinary sanctions
A warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. A yellow card is given to a player who
Warning
has broken the rules.
Two minutes without playing for unsportsmanlike conduct or for receiving two
Suspension
warnings.

The player cannot return to the game due to seriously unsportsmanlike

conduct or for receiving three suspensions. A red car is given to the player.
The team may send in a substitute for the player after two minutes.
Disqualification
If there has been a very serious violation of the rules, the referee will punish
the player directly with a red card and exclude him or her from the game.
The reduction on the court will, however, last for 4 minutes.

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 PLAYING TECHNIQUE

In order to play handball well, it is necessary to be

familiar with and properly execute the main actions
i n v o l v e d i n t h e g a m e , b o t h defense and offense. They are
described below:
Pass: normal way of exchanging the ball between
players. The pass can be done in different ways: low,
hip, shoulder, overhead, bounce and jump.

Throwing: Shooting the ball towards the goal with the

objective of scoring a goal. This throw varies depending
on the position of the attacker and the defender on the
court. Different types of shot include the jump shot,
set shot, fall shot or lob shot.

Dribbling: releasing the ball towards the floor

without losing control. It allows the players to move
forward on the court, for example in a counter -
attack.
The wrist cannot be rotated when pushing the ball
towards the ground, as in basketball.

Receiving and handling the ball: it is important to get

a good grip on the ball so that it does not fall out of
your hand.

Feinting: you can feint with the arm holding the ball or
your body, moving as if planning to throw the ball in the
opposite direction from where you really want it to go.

Get open: this is done by attacking players to get away

from defenders and is the easiest way to receive the
ball.

Marking-covering: the movements made by defending

players to get close to the attackers and prevent them
from receiving the ball or shooting to score, trying also
to intercept the ball.
 OFFENSE AND DEFENSE
In handball all the players play in offense and in defense,
e v e r y o n e participates in defensive and offensive play at the same
time .

Offensive Strategy:
1. Ball handling is the most important aspect of the game. Quick, accurate passes are
essential to a successful offensive attack.
2. Players should maintain proper court spacing so that each player may be an offensive
threat.
3. Players should constantly be cutting towards the goal with or without the ball. This will
force the defense to respect all players on the court and create more scoring
opportunities.
4. Players should move the ball quickly with a minimum of dribbling. Scoring
opportunities develop when sharp, quick passes are used and the defense does not have
time to adjust to new offensive positions.
5. Shooting should not be forced. If a player drives for a shot and is blocked by the
defense, he should pass to a teammate and a new offensive threat should be initiated.

Defensive Strategy:
1. For defensive play or on defense, the defenders position themselves in two lines, the
first next to the area, without entering it, and the second on the nine-meter line, also
known as the free-throw line.
2. It is also possible to use a combination of defensive systems, in which some players
occupy a specific zone determined by the defense used and others mark or play special
defense against the best players on the opposing team.
3. The individual defensive player must cover the player in his zone and at the same time
be aware of opposing players cutting towards one’s zone.
4. An offensive player becomes a threat when in a position to shoot the ball or when
cutting quickly prior to receiving a pass.
5. The defender should position oneself between his opponent and the goal. Once an
offensive player gets around the defender, any interference from behind will likely
result in a penalty shot.

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 1. Match

Penalty throw Double dribbling Free throw Travelling

Throw in Passive play Suspension Throw off Get open

Two minutes without playing for unsportsmanlike conduct or receiving two

warnings.

When a player bounces the ball with two hands, or stops and restarts the
dribble.

Keeping the ball in a team's possession without making any attempt to attack
and trying to score.

When the ball goes out of bounds you put the ball in play with this.

When the attacking players try to get away from the defenders to receive
the ball.

To put the ball back into play when the opposing team has committed a foul

When a player takes more than three steps without bouncing the ball.

It occurs at the beginning of each period and after the opposing team scores
a goal.

When the defending team makes a foul when the attacking team has a clear
chance to score.

2. Look for the translation of the following words related to handball.

Word Meaning /translation

Turnover

Free throw

Deflect the ball

Unsportmanlike
conduct

Abide by

Fall shot

Lob shot

Set shot

Counter attack
 Word Meaning /translation

Grip of the ball

Court spacing

Offensive threat

3. What happens if after the two parts of 30 min, the match ends in a tie?

4. What do you think is the quickest way to advance the ball down the court? Explain
your answer.

5. Which one is the most used defensive system in handball: zone or individual defense?
Explain your answer.

6. Unlike football, in handball there are no defenders or forwards. Everyone

participates in defensive and offensive play at the same time, What do you think is the
reason for this way of playing handball?

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7. The rules of handball provide for four disciplinary punishments: warning, suspension,
disqualification and exclusion. Can you explain the progression of the punishments?

8. Answer the following questions?

- What is the Asobal League?

- What are the best 4 handball teams in this league?

- How was the podium in male and female handball in the London Olympic Games?

- When and where was the last World Men's Handball Championship held? How was the
podium?

- When and where was the last World Women's Handball Championship held? How was
the podium?
9. Now you know there are other varieties of handball like beach handball and field handball. Can
you look for the main differences between them and indoor handball?

10. Watch these videos in YouTube and answer the questions below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxiWLp0JnO0 or type Basic Handball - Set Defence 6-0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOAyafmHJdg or type Basic Handball - Set Defence 5-1
“

and 3-2-1.

Set defense 6-0

- Draw a handball court with the positions of the offensive and defensive players.
- How do the defense players move in the court related to the position of the ball?. Explain it and draw
it.

Set defense 5-1.

- Draw a handball court with the positions of the offensive and defensive players.
- How do the defense players move in the court related to the position of the ball?. Explain it and
draw it.