# Rule 4.1 Serve (USHA Four-Wall Rules, 20 June 1990, historical) > **Historical rulebook: not the current rules.** The current rules are here: https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/ USHA rules text used with permission of the U.S. Handball Association (ushandball.org); credit: U.S. Handball Association. Source: https://www.ushandball.org/ ## A. Order The player or side winning the toss of a coin chooses to serve or receive in the first game. The other player or side shall choose for the second game. If a tie breaker is necessary, the player or team scoring the higher total of points in the first two games shall choose. If both players or teams score an equal number of points in the first two games, another coin toss will be made to determine which player or team has the choice. ## B. Start Games are started by the referee announcing the score, "0-0," and then "Play ball." ## C. Place The server may serve from anyplace in the service zone. No part of either foot may extend beyond the outer edge of either line of the service zone. Server must remain in the service zone until the served ball passes the short line. Violations are called "foot faults". (See Rule 4.3 B.1.). ## D. Manner The server must come to a complete stop in the service zone before beginning the serve. The serve is begun by bouncing the ball to the floor in the service zone. Although the server may bounce and catch the ball several times before serving, when actually beginning the serve the ball must be struck on a single bounce. If a player allows the ball to bounce more than once after a single drop before hitting it, a fault will be called (See Rule 4.3 B.8). The ball must be struck by the server's hand or fist so that it hits the front wall first and on the rebound hits the floor behind the short line, either with or without touching one of the side walls. If the server bounces the ball outside the service zone as he begins his serve,a fault will be called (See Rule 4.3 B.7). ## E. Time A serve may not be made until the referee has announced the score (See Rule 3.4.A.9). The referee shall call point or side out as soon as a rally ends. The receiver then has up to 10 seconds to assume a receiving position. When the receiver has assumed a receiving position or 10 seconds have elapsed, whichever occurs first, and the server has had reasonable time to get to his serving position, the referee shall announce the score and the server must serve (strike the ball) within 10 seconds. If the first serve results in a fault, the referee shall give the defensive player a reasonable time to take a receiving position and then the referee shall announce "second serve" after which the server must serve within 10 seconds. (See Interpretation No. 4). ## Mentioned here - [Server](https://handball.theperfectship.com/server.md) - [Receiver](https://handball.theperfectship.com/receiver.md) - [Player](https://handball.theperfectship.com/player.md) - [Referee](https://handball.theperfectship.com/match-referee.md) - [Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/serve.md) - [Second serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/second-serve.md) - [Rally](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rally.md) - [Change of serve (side-out)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/change-of-serve.md) - [Fault serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/fault-serve.md) - [Foot fault](https://handball.theperfectship.com/foot-fault.md) - [Front wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/front-wall.md) - [Side wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/side-wall.md) - [Short line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/short-line.md) - [Service zone](https://handball.theperfectship.com/service-zone.md) - [Receiving line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/receiving-line.md) - [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md) - [Point](https://handball.theperfectship.com/point.md) - [Game, match, tiebreaker](https://handball.theperfectship.com/game.md) - [Coin](https://handball.theperfectship.com/coin.md) - [Clock](https://handball.theperfectship.com/clock.md) - [Wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/wall.md) - [Floor](https://handball.theperfectship.com/floor.md) How this rule changed: [wording in every rulebook](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/code-onewall-smallball/4-1.md) ## Relationships - Server relates to Serve: mentioned together in 12 sub-rules. - Server relates to Ball: mentioned together in 10 sub-rules. - Player relates to Referee: mentioned together in 30 sub-rules. - Player relates to Serve: mentioned together in 11 sub-rules. - Player relates to Rally: mentioned together in 9 sub-rules. - Player relates to Ball: mentioned together in 30 sub-rules. - Player relates to Point: mentioned together in 12 sub-rules. - Player relates to Wall: mentioned together in 9 sub-rules. - Player relates to Floor: mentioned together in 9 sub-rules. - Referee relates to Serve: mentioned together in 10 sub-rules. - Referee relates to Rally: mentioned together in 9 sub-rules. - Referee relates to Ball: mentioned together in 19 sub-rules. - Serve relates to Ball: mentioned together in 12 sub-rules. - Ball relates to Point: mentioned together in 11 sub-rules. - Ball relates to Wall: mentioned together in 12 sub-rules. - No link to the other terms shown: Receiver, Fault serve, Front wall, Short line, Side wall. - 65 weaker links (terms mentioned together in few sub-rules) are not drawn. - 8 more terms are mentioned but not drawn (the best linked 14 are shown). Rulebook: [USHA Four-Wall Rules, 20 June 1990](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/usha-fourwall-1990-06-20.md) Source: The Official United States Handball Association Handball Rules With Interpretations and One-Wall and Three-Wall Addendum Revised 1991 (Wayback capture 19980519203944 of cohandball.com). USHA rules text, used with the USHA's written permission (letter not yet filed).