Rule

A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules · American four-wall

Rule 1

Historical rulebook: not the current rules. The current rules are here (USHA Four-Wall Rulebook, as of 26 January 2025).

Standard courts shall have four walls and a ceiling, shall be 22 feet in width, 46 feet in length and 22 feet in height.

The building and use of standard courts is advised, but championships may be held on courts of other sizes as approved by the Handball Committee.

A serving space enclosed by two parallel lines, five feet apart, drawn across the width, shall be laid out on the floor of the court (the back line shall be called the short line and shall divide the court equally and the front line shall be five feet in front thereof; thus in a 46-foot court the short line will be 23 feet from the back wall and the front line 18 feet from the front wall). Eighteen inches from and parallel with each side wall a line shall be drawn to form a box where the partner to the man who is serving shall stand with his back to the side wall while the ball is being served. Should he leave the box before the ball crosses the short line, the referee shall declare it a short ball. If the server's partner is hit by the ball while in the box, it shall be considered a dead ball, and the ball shall be out of play.

Mentioned here

How this rule changed

See the wording of this rule in every rulebook, with the changes marked.

How these ideas connect in this rule

No link to the other terms shown: Short serve, Back wall, Ceiling, Court, Short line, Side wall. 25 weaker links (terms mentioned together in few sub-rules) are not drawn. 2 more terms are mentioned but not drawn (the best linked 14 are shown). Open the full graph.