Liverpool Hope
Community Handball Club

Handball (or "olympic handball") is a fast-paced game involving two teams of seven players who pass, throw, catch and dribble a small ball with their hands while trying to score goals. The team with the most goals wins the game. A full game consists of two 30-minute halves with a 10-minute half-time break, although this can be reduced for junior teams.

Handball is an extremely fast hybrid of football, netball and basketball.

You can play handball indoors or outdoors. Players are encouraged to be athletic, flamboyant and inventive, but above all, to work together as a team.

The court for handball is 40 metres long and 20 metres wide. There is a centre line across it with a goal area at each end. The goal area is D-shaped, arcing from the corners to a straight line six metres in front of the goal. The arcing sides similarly create a six-metre distance from the nearest part of the goal at all points. The actual size of the playing court can be reduced to suit the size of the sports hall, but for safety reasons the goal area should always remain at 6 metres.

The object is to get the ball past their goalkeeper and into their goal more often than your opponents can get it into yours. The ball is moved by passing in the style of netball/basketball. Players can take three steps and hold the ball for three seconds. Dribbling is allowed as in basketball, but the very fast pace of the game means that passing is usually the quicker option.

High-scoring, dynamic and athletic, it is an outstanding spectator sport. Working the ball into a shooting position can be eye-catching enough, but handball’s greatest spectacle comes when the best players in the world wind up to shoot.  The best can leap in the air and uncoil their bodies like springs, the explosive nature of the move propelling the ball at speeds of around 100 kilometres an hour.

Handball is one of the most popular sports in the world - perhaps second only to football. It's played the world over - around 150 nations play the game. At least 15 million people from all walks of life get involved. And with good reason! There's something in it for everyone: it keeps you fit and healthy; it's fast and fun; and it promotes diverse strategies and tactics.

So what are you waiting for? There are competitions for men, women and children of all ages. Just visit our contacts page to find out how to start.