Handball

Handball is a team sport that is played by hitting or throwing a ball into a net called a goal. This sport originated in Europe, and it is still most popular in that area. Handball players have to run, jump, throw, and catch. Handball is somewhat similar to soccer but is played with the hands. Handballs are similar to but smaller than soccer balls. A handball is approximately 23 to 24 inches (58 to 60 centimeters) in circumference, while a soccer ball is roughly 27 to 28 inches (69 to 71 centimeters) in circumference. An indoor handball court is 44 yards (40 meters) long and 22 yards (20 meters) wide. The court has two goals, one at each end of the net. Each goal is 6 feet (2 meters) high and 9 feet (3 meters) wide.

In handball, two teams play against each other at one time. Each team is up made of fourteen members, and seven players from each team take the field at one time. The seven players include one goalkeeper and six field players. To win a game, a team must make more goals than the other team. The goal is protected by the goalkeeper, whose job it is to stop the ball from entering the goal. In general, one handball game lasts 60 minutes, and it is broken into two 30-minute halves.

Origins and History

People have played games related to handball for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks played games in which they threw balls, and the modern game of handball descended from similar games that were played throughout history. Modern handball originated in Europe in the late 1800s. The game developed mostly in Germany and Scandinavia. By the early 1900s, the game was played by Europeans from a number of different countries. The first handball championships were held in 1926. In 1923, the International Amateur Handball Federation (IAHF) was created, and in 1946, the organization was renamed the International Handball Federation (IHF).

In 1936, handball became better known when it was added as an Olympic sport. Germany held the 1936 Olympics. The country was permitted to add one sport of its choice to the games, and Germany chose handball. Only men competed in handball during the 1936 Olympics, and the handball events were held on an outdoor court. At that time, handball was played only outside, but an indoor version became popular soon after the Olympics. The IAHF held the first indoor men's handball championships in 1938. The court for the indoor version of the game was slightly larger than the court for the outdoor game. People have continued to play handball in the World Championships and the Olympics since the 1930s. Women became a part of the IHF in 1957 and first played handball in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Most handball games played during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries were played indoors. Handball is still most popular in Europe, but the game is played in the Americas, Asia, and other parts of the world.

Rules and Regulations

A handball game begins with a throw off, during which the chosen starting team tosses the ball to start the game. After the throw off, players can pass the ball to one another or they can dribble the ball. They can also hit the ball and shoot it toward the goal. Players who control the ball have to follow a number of rules. When a player has possession of the ball, that player can stand still for only three seconds before passing, shooting, or dribbling. While one team has the ball, that team has to try to shoot the ball to make a goal. If the shooting team is not trying to make a shot, they could be penalized for passive play. If the officials call passive play, the shooting team has to give up the ball to the opposing team.

Players on both teams have to avoid an area around the goal called the crease. The only player allowed in the goal crease is the goalkeeper. This is the area where the goalkeepers defend the goal and try to block the shooting players' shots. If a shooting player steps into the crease before taking a shot, that shot will not count as a valid goal. If a defending player steps into the crease while trying to stop an opposing player, the shooting team will have the chance to make a free-throw shot. That player gets to take one shot from the free-throw line against just the goalkeeper.

The team wins a handball match by making the most goals during the match. Players can hit, bounce, or throw the ball to make the goals. The ball is most often moved using players' hands. The ball cannot be intentionally touched by any body part below the waste.

Strategy and Tactics

Keeping control of the handball and remaining on offense is an important part of winning the game. The team in control of the ball has an opportunity to shoot and score points. To maintain control, players can hit, throw, or dribble the ball. Dribbling the handball is similar to dribbling a basketball. When players dribble, they bounce the ball up and down repeatedly. Players dribble the ball and pass it to one another. The team in control of the ball must ensure the ball is moving constantly so the team is not penalized for passive play. Players with the ball must also avoid a dribble fault. A player is not allowed to dribble the ball, stop, and then start dribbling the ball again. If a player dribbles a ball and stops, he or she must pass the ball to another player or take a shot. The shooting team will lose the ball if their team is responsible for a dribble fault.

Players also have to avoid making physical contact with players on the opposing team. If the officials believe a player is responsible for a personal foul, that person receives a warning called a yellow card. Players are suspended for two minutes if they are responsible for a second personal foul. A third foul is another suspension. A fourth foul is a red card, which means the player is ejected from the game. Officials can also give red cards on the first offense if it is a serious one.

Professional Leagues and Series

The International Handball Federation (IHF) is handball's official organization. The IHF has continental federations as members. The IHF is made up of continental federations and member federations from individual countries or areas. These member federations play one another in the IHF World Championships. The World Championships and the Olympics are the two largest handball events in the world.

The first indoor men's World Championships were held in 1938, but only a handful of teams, all from European countries, took part in the event. World War II (1939–1945) soon spread throughout Europe, making another handball championship impossible for many years. In 1948, the IHF hosted another men's championship, but this event was played outdoors. That year, France hosted the event, and Sweden won the championship in the final round against Denmark. Another championship was held four years later, with even more countries entering the contest. Women began competing in the IHF World Championships in 1957. The championships were held indoors and outdoors variously until the 1960s, when indoor handball prevailed. The World Championships have been held indoors since. The IHF World Championships were held intermittently between the 1950s and the 1990s. Starting in the 1990s, the organization consistently held men's and women's World Championships every two years. Starting in the 2000s, the IHF also began beach handball championships. The game is similar to outdoor handball, but it is played in the sand.

Another important international handball competition is the Summer Olympics. Handball is played by both men and women in the Olympics. Men began competing in handball during the 1936 Olympics, with Germany winning the gold medal in final competition against Austria. Because of World War II, handball was not played in another Olympics until 1952. Women started competing in handball during the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada, with the Soviet Union winning that year. The men's competition consistently had more teams involved from the late 1970s until 2008. During the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, both the men and women had twelve international teams competing.

Popularity

Although handball is not widely played in North America, Canada, Mexico, and the United States all have member federations in the IHF. Nevertheless, North American teams generally do not compete in handball in the Olympics or in the World Championships. Handball is still most popular in Europe, but its popularity has grown in Asia, South America, and Africa. Teams from all five of the continental federations of the IHF generally compete in the Olympic Games every four years, demonstrating that teams from around the world are competitive. Nevertheless, the best teams usually prevail from Europe.

Bibliography

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