Learn About Sports

Handball is a game of quickness, endurance, hand-eye coordination and quick
decision-making that forces competitors to work together if their team is to be
successful.  Why not grab a group of friends and try it out at your local recreation
centre or school gymnasium?  For more information on the rules of the sport or
how you can get involved on a competitive level contact the National Team
Handball Federation at http://www.handball.ca.

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Handball teams include up to 14 members, but only 7 players are allowed on the
court at any one time with a unlimited number of substitutions. Teams compete
against one another attempting to score more points than the opposition.  The
court is 40m long by 20m wide with two goals placed at either end of the court.  
In front of each goal is a goal area, a continuous, semi-circular line 6 m from
each goal.  Only the goalkeepers are allowed to enter this area. Players dribble,
pass, throw and catch the small ball with their hands while moving end to end in
this fast-paced sport. Players are only permitted to hold the ball for 3 seconds
before they must dribble, pass, or shoot.  Teams can battle for the ball by using
their body and hands, however players are not permitted to hit, push or fall on
their opponents.  The game is divided into two-thirty minute halves separated by
a ten-minute half time and the team with the highest point total at the end of the
match wins the game.

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Although relatively new to the Olympic program, Handball is one of the oldest
organized sports – with origins that can be traced back to Ancient Greece.  
Handball first appeared on the Olympic program as a demonstration sport in
1936 at the Berlin Olympic Games, with teams competing on a large turf football
field. It wasn’t until the 1972 Munich Games that the current indoor version of
the sport was introduced.  Women’s handball was added to the Olympic program
in 1976 and has quickly developed into one of the most highly attended
competitions at the Olympics.

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