This article is about the Australian schoolyard game. For other games of this name played in schools, see Handball (disambiguation).
Handball is a children'sball game widely documented in Australian schools, similar to downball. The rules of the game vary considerably across different sites and conditions, but it is generally played on a flat game court with lined square zones (occasionally with a wall for rebounds), and involves at least two players, who each occupies a square and take turns hitting a ball (often a tennis ball, squash ball or, occasionally, a bouncy ball) with their bare hands into other player's square(s). The game is very easy to set up and can be conveniently adapted to any environments where square/rectangular-lined flat grounds can be found, such as other gyms/arenas, parking spaces and even concrete slabbeddriveways and footpaths.
On July 4, 1954, the American folklorist Dorothy Howard arrived in Australia. In the next nine months, she visited nineteen primary schools across the country to painstakingly document the folk games the children played. Among the children's games Howard recorded was four square, also known as handball, which was played in seven of the schools. The rules of the game varied between them, and many schools played with considerable deviations.[1][2]
The person in the leading square 'serves' the ball, bouncing it once within their square before it can enter an opponent's square.
Once the serve is complete, the receiver must hit the ball to another player.
The ball must be hit so that it bounces in the player's own square on the first bounce, and into another player's square on the second bounce.
If an outside object interferes with the play, the point will be replayed, known as a 'replay'
When a player is 'out', they must proceed to the lowest square, or to the end of the line of players waiting to enter the court. Players on the court who were in a lower position each move up a square. On 4 square courts there is one relegation square, with 6 or more squares there will usually be two. With two elimination squares it becomes possible for a player who just moved up from the first square to be eliminated and sent back to the line by the player they just pushed down to the first square.
Full/Straight/Lob: when the ball lands in another player's square on the first bounce, the player has 'lobbed' or has hit a 'foul'. In some variants, if a player does not catch the ball and continues to play, they have 'played thelob/foul' also known as a 'full play' and are therefore out.
Out: when the ball lands outside of the court, the last person who touched the ball or the last court the ball touched is out.
Double Bounce/Dubs/Doubles: when the ball bounces twice in a person's square, the person who is in that square is out. Usually known as 'double', 'double bounce'.
If the first bounce lands on a line and is not a 'full' or a 'double', it is known as 'lines/liner'.[3] When 'lines/liner' is called the point is replayed.
Double Touch: when the ball is touched twice in a row by the same person. This typically results in the elimination of the person who touched the ball twice in standard variations of handball.
Grabs/Carry: when the ball is held or scooped instead of a clean hit, resulting in the elimination or demotion of the person who grabbed.
Interference: if a player interferes with another player, they are usually out, or when a non-player interferes with gameplay,[4] usually by walking across the court.
Rolls/Dead Ball: if the player hits the ball in such a manner that it rolls along the ground, without bouncing, "rolls/dead ball" is allowed to be called and the ball is picked up and re-served.
Handball has entered the meme culture. In March 2013, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd released a video of him playing handball at Brisbane State High School,[5] which led to him becoming part of a "handball meme". In late November 2017, Rudd played handball with students in a school in Brisbane, and the accompanying video - claiming he was the "king of handball" - reached 40,000 views on Facebook.[when?][6]
Handball is the main theme of the children's television series, Handball Heroes, which aired on ABC Me (Then ABC 3) in 2013, as well as Hardball which aired on ABC Me in 2019.[7][8]
