# Rule 2.1 Courts (One-wall)

The specifications for the standard one-wall handball court are:

## A. Dimensions

Drawings of standard one-wall courts and their surroundings are on file with the U.S.H.A. on www.ushandball.org. The dimensions of a standard one-wall handball court are:

1) Wall. The wall shall be 20 feet wide (from the outside edge of one side line to the outside edge of the other side line) and 16 feet high including any top line. Courts should be numbered

2) Floor. The floor shall be 20 feet wide from the outside edges of the sidelines. It shall be 34 feet from the wall to the back edge of the long line. The side lines should extend at least 10 feet. beyond the long line. There also should be a minimum border of at least 10 feet (but ideally 20 feet of floor beyond each side line, as well as 16 feet beyond the long line) to allow for playing space. In addition, to keep from losing the ball, outdoor courts should be surrounded by a 12-16 foot high 1-inch chain link fence.

## B. Lines and zones

Handball courts shall be divided and marked on the floors with 2-inch wide lines. Recommended colors are white, yellow, or red. The lines shall be marked as follows:

1) Short line. The short line runs parallel to the wall, between the side lines, with its back edge 16 feet from the wall.

2) Long line. The long line runs parallel to the wall, between the side lines, with its back edge 34 feet from the wall.

3) Top line. The top line runs parallel to the floor, between the side lines, with its top edge 16 feet from the floor (See 2.1B8).

4) Service markers. There shall be service markers, lines of at least 6 inches in length extending inward from the side lines, parallel to the short and long lines and located midway between them. The imaginary extension of these lines across the court indicates the service line (See Rule 4.4A).

5) Service zone. The service zone is the floor inside and including the short, service, and side lines.

6) Receiving zone. The receiving zone is the floor area behind the short line, inside and including the side and long lines.

7) Playing zone. The playing zone is the floor area between the wall and the outside edges of the side and long lines.

8) Wall edge. The top edge of the wall, if any, is not part of the court. A ball striking the top edge is an out.

## C. Towels

In tournament play a towel should be made available for wiping moisture on the court surfaces. Reasonable time should be allowed by the referee for this purpose only. Players should obtain a towel and proceed directly to the surface to be wiped, then directly return the towel. Players are not to interrupt this procedure to wipe any part of their body or eye guards. The respective 10 seconds allowed per  Rule 4.1.E.Time and regular time outs are for this purpose.

In the event the referee determines reasonable time is being exceeded or abused he/she shall request the towel be returned, then declare “play ball” and proceed explicitly per  Rule 4.1.E.Time; that is, the receiver shall be allowed a maximum of 10 seconds to assume a receiving position, after which the score shall be called and the server allowed a maximum of 10 seconds to put the ball in play.

Any failure to adhere to or abuse of this procedure may be subject to  Rule 4.9.A.9 Technical. At no time is a player allowed to leave the court except at the referee’s direction to directly obtain a towel and return directly to the court. A player otherwise leaving the court is subject to  Rule 3.4.D.3) Forfeitures.

## 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)
- [Time-out](https://handball.theperfectship.com/time-out.md)
- [Technical](https://handball.theperfectship.com/technical.md)
- [Court](https://handball.theperfectship.com/court.md)
- [Short line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/short-line.md)
- [Long line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/long-line.md)
- [Service line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/service-line.md)
- [Service zone](https://handball.theperfectship.com/service-zone.md)
- [Receiving line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/receiving-line.md)
- [Playing zone](https://handball.theperfectship.com/playing-zone.md)
- [Side lines](https://handball.theperfectship.com/side-lines.md)
- [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md)
- [Towel](https://handball.theperfectship.com/towel.md)
- [One-wall (GAA: Wallball)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/one-wall.md)
- [Clock](https://handball.theperfectship.com/clock.md)
- [Wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/wall.md)
- [Floor](https://handball.theperfectship.com/floor.md)

Source: USHA official rulebook, used with written permission — https://www.ushandball.org/