Handball terms

Every actor, action, place, thing and concept in handball.

Actors

• ActorServerThe player who puts the ball in play.
• ActorReceiverThe player who must return the serve.
• ActorPlayerA competitor in a singles, doubles or cutthroat match.
• ActorPartnerYour teammate in doubles.
• ActorOpponentThe player or side you are playing against.
• ActorRefereeThe official who controls the match and makes the calls.
• ActorLine judgeAn official who assists the referee on the lines.
• ActorScorerThe official who keeps the score.
• ActorFloor managerThe tournament official who manages the courts and match flow.
• ActorTournament directorThe official in charge of a tournament.
• ActorChief of refereesThe official who assigns and oversees the referees.

Actions

• ActionServePutting the ball in play to start a rally.
• ActionSecond serveThe serve a server gets after a fault serve.
• ActionReturn of serveThe receiver’s first shot after a legal serve.
• ActionRallyThe exchange of shots after the serve, until the point ends.
• ActionChange of serve (side-out)When the serve passes to the other player or side.
• ActionHinderInterference that stops play so the rally is replayed (dead-ball hinder).
• ActionAvoidable hinderA hinder a player could have avoided, which costs the rally.
• ActionReplayPlaying the rally over after a dead-ball call.
• ActionFault serveA defective serve that gives the server a second chance.
• ActionOut serveA serve that loses the serve immediately.
• ActionShort serveA serve that lands short of the short line.
• ActionLong serveA serve that goes past the long line (in four-wall: rebounds to the back wall before touching the floor).
• ActionThree-wall serveA serve that hits the front and two side walls before the floor.
• ActionFoot faultStepping outside the service zone while serving.
• ActionSkipA ball that hits the floor before the front wall.
• ActionTime-outA short stoppage a player may request.
• ActionDelay of gameTaking too long between rallies.
• ActionTechnicalA penalty for unsporting or improper conduct.
• ActionWarningA caution before a technical.
• ActionAppealA player’s request to have a call reviewed.
• ActionForfeit / defaultLosing a match by not playing or by penalty.
• ActionHand-outA lost serve. In GAA rules a side-out means both doubles partners have lost it.
• ActionAceA point won outright on the serve, when the receiver cannot return it legally.

Places

• PlaceCourtThe playing area (one-, three- or four-wall).
• PlaceFront wallThe wall the ball must hit first.
• PlaceBack wallThe rear wall of a four-wall court.
• PlaceSide wallThe walls along the sides of a three- or four-wall court.
• PlaceCeilingThe overhead surface of a four-wall court.
• PlaceShort lineThe line a served ball must pass beyond.
• PlaceLong lineThe line furthest from the front wall; a serve that lands beyond it is a long serve.
• PlaceService lineThe front edge of the service zone.
• PlaceService zoneThe marked area the server stands in to serve.
• PlaceReceiving lineThe line behind which the receiver waits.
• PlacePlaying zoneThe in-bounds area of the court.
• PlaceSide linesThe boundary lines along the sides of a one-wall court.
• PlaceService boxWhere the server’s partner stands in four-wall and 60×30 doubles.
• PlaceReceiver’s restraining lineThe line behind which the receiver waits until the ball is struck.

Things

• ThingBallThe ball in use (Big Blue, Smallball, Softball).
• ThingGlovesHand protection players wear.
• ThingEye protectionRequired protective eyewear.
• ThingUniformWhat players must wear.
• ThingTowelA towel for wiping moisture from the court surfaces; in tournament play one should be made available.
• ThingSoftballThe 60×30 adult ball (red) and juvenile ball (green).
• ThingHardballThe 60×30 ball: rubber-and-yarn windings in a goatskin or similar hide cover.
• ThingJersey / shirtA shirt must be worn in GAA championships; doubles partners must match.
• ThingHeadbandRequired to have, not to wear: players must have access to a headband, and only wear it if the referee deems it necessary to keep the floor from getting wet.
• ThingCoinThe coin tossed before a match to decide who serves first, and tossed again if the first two games finish level on points.
• ThingClockThe rulebooks name no clock, only limits the referee times: 10 seconds to serve, a one-minute timeout, two minutes for a glove change and five between games.
• ThingWallThe vertical surface the ball is hit against. One-wall courts have a single front wall; four-wall courts add the back and side walls.
• ThingFloorThe court floor, where the lines are marked and the ball bounces; a ball that bounces twice on it before being returned ends the rally.
• ThingFieldThe players entered in a tournament event. The rulebooks never say field, only entrant and draw.

Concepts

• ConceptPointScored by the server (or either side in rally scoring) when a rally ends in their favour.
• ConceptGame, match, tiebreakerA game is played to a set number of points; a match is a set of games; a tiebreaker decides a deciding game.
• ConceptSinglesTwo players, one against one.
• ConceptDoublesTwo teams of two.
• ConceptCutthroatA three-player practice game; not an official tournament game.
• ConceptDraw & seedingHow a tournament bracket is set up.
• ConceptRound robinA format where everyone plays everyone; ties are broken by tiebreaker scoring.
• ConceptConsolation matchesExtra matches for players knocked out early.
• ConceptMedical controlThe staff the tournament director appoints (a trained health care provider) to decide whether a hurt or concussed player may continue; the director acts as Medical Control if none is appointed.
• ConceptRisk assessmentThe concussion evaluation Medical Control performs when a player may have been concussed.
• ConceptConcussion protocolIf a player may be concussed, play stops and Medical Control decides whether they may continue; no timeout or injury time is charged during the evaluation.
• ConceptUSHAUnited States Handball Association, the source of these rules.
• ConceptGAA HandballThe governing body for handball in Ireland and the source of the 60×30 rules.

Games

• GameOne-wall (GAA: Wallball)Handball on a single front wall with an open floor.
• GameThree-wallFront wall plus two side walls; follows the four-wall rules.
• GameFour-wallThe fully enclosed game.
• Game60×30 (Irish)The Irish court, 60 ft long and 30 ft wide, played with a softball or hardball under GAA rules.