Intramural Team Handball Rules
Intramural Office: Hill Center
(607) 274-3320
[email protected]
www.ithaca.edu/sacl/recsports/icintramurals
General Information
Eligibility:
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All teams must have two forfeit bond checks on file to play in an intramural league.
All participants must be a current student or faculty and staff member at Ithaca College.
Participants can be on the roster of only one single sex team and only one co-rec team.
Teams may add new players to their roster up to conclusion of the regular season.
Players must participate in at least one regular season game to be eligible for the playoffs.
** All players are required to present a valid Ithaca College ID Prior to every intramural contest. Those who
fail to show their ID will not be allowed to participate. **
Forfeits & Forfeit Bonds:
A team who does not field enough players within ten minutes after a scheduled game time will receive a forfeit. If a team
forfeits, it will lose its forfeit bond. After the 1st forfeit a team will be e-mailed that their first bond has been deposited, and the
next forfeit will result in removal from the league. A 2nd forfeit will result in the second bond deposited and the team being
dropped from the league. If a team knows ahead of time they will not be able to field a team for a scheduled game, they may
notify the Intramural Office 24 hours before the game if it’s on a weekday, and by 5:00pm on Friday for a weekend & Monday
game. By notifying the office, the game will be cancelled and the team will receive a default loss instead of a forfeit. Defaulted
games will NOT be rescheduled.
Penalty after 5-minute grace period: Opposing team begins with a two (2) goal lead.
Scheduling and Results:
Due to facility and time constraints, the rescheduling of games will only be done under extreme circumstances as
deemed by Recreational Sports.
Teams will normally play between 4-5 round robin games, seeding after for a single elimination tournament.
Any team that doesn’t forfeit twice during the regular season will qualify for the playoffs.
Teams should plan to arrive 10-15 minutes before their scheduled start time, as games will begin on time.
Game results will be posted on the IMLeagues.com website at the first available opportunity.
In an event of a cancellation, team managers will be contacted. You can also call Hill Center general IM office (43320) or Hill Center Program Coordinator office (4-1063) to ask about the status of the game. For outdoor activities,
rainouts may occur, however assume your game will be played unless contacted by the office or informed by the IM
voicemail message.
Player Conduct
All players are expected to remain under control during an intramural event and are expected to treat all other players, officials,
and intramural staff with respect. At any time an official or activity supervisor may eject a player for any reason they deem
reasonable. If a player is ejected he/she must leave the premises immediately and will be ineligible to play the following game.
The player must meet with the Recreational Sports Program Coordinator before they are eligible to play again. Two ejections
will result in a player being disqualified from the league.
Alcohol/Substance Policy
All intramural events fall under the Student Code of Conduct enforced by Ithaca College. Anyone affiliated with an intramural
contest or event must follow the Ithaca College Student Code of Conduct guidelines for Alcohol/Substance policies. This
includes, but not limited to:
Participants,
Coaches,
Spectators,
Visitors
Anyone in violation of the Alcohol/Substance policy will be immediately reported to Public Safety, no questions asked.
Recreational Sports workers, officials, and professional staff members have and will exercise the right to prohibit participation of
an individual under suspicion concerning influence of substances. No alcohol/substances/smoking is permitted at or near
intramural activity sites.
Game Location
All games will be played in the Hill Center.
Rules and Regulations
All further rules are taken from the intramural handbook & National Intramural-Recreation Sports Association (NIRSA) with
Ithaca College modifications.
Teams, Players, Substitutions
A team consists of five (5) players each, including a goalie; four players are needed to avoid a forfeit.
Co-Rec teams must maintain the following ratio:
o [3M, 3F = 6; 2M, 3F = 5; 1M, 4F = 5; 0M, 5F = 5].
Players arriving late can join the game right away.
Boundaries
The court will be designated using the pre-existing lines of a basketball court. The court shall be marked as having
a center line, throw in lines, and two goalie arcs (3-point line). The ceiling will be out of play.
Game Start
The winner of a coin toss will take possession of the first half from half court out of bounds. The other team will take
possession at the start of the 2nd half, and teams will switch goals after half time.
Timing of the Game
Games consist of two (2) 20-minute halves. Halftime will be 2 minutes in duration.
The clock will run continuously except for official time outs.
Each team will have one 30-second time-out per half.
The clock will stop the last two minutes of the second half for out of bounds, penalties and time outs.
Handball will not employ a shot clock. However, in the second half, if a team fails to show forward progress (toward the
opponent’s goal) they will be given a verbal warning followed by a delay of game, which will result in an immediate
change of possession at the spot of the violation.
Overtime
During the regular season, a tie game will remain as such.
For playoffs an overtime period will be 5 minutes.
o A coin toss will decide first possession followed by the possession arrow.
o Teams will defend the same goal as in the second half.
o If the game is still tied after the overtime period 5 players from each team will shoot alternating penalty shots.
All players will shoot at the same goal.
o Winner of coin toss chooses between shooting order or the goal at which to shoot.
Mercy Rule
A ten (10) goal mercy rule will be in effect once the game has eight (8) minutes to go in the second half.
GAME-SPECIFIC RULES
Team Handball combines the elements of soccer, basketball, hockey, lacrosse and water polo. The objective of the game is to
out-maneuver the opponent by passing the ball quickly and then throwing the ball past the defense and goalkeeper to score.
The ball is moved up and down the court through passes and dribbles.
Substitutions
Substitutions are made on the fly. However, there cannot be more than the allotted number on the court at a time. A
player must enter the team box before another can enter the field of play. Penalty: Free throw for offended team.
Excessive violations will result in a penalty throw.
Steps
Players may take 3 steps with the ball after gaining possession (landing after catching a ball is step 0).
Players may hold the ball for no longer then 3 seconds. If held for longer than 3 seconds it will result in a delay of game
warning and loss of possession.
o There is no limit on continuously dribbling the ball. However, players must legally dribble. Violations will be
called similar to basketball (traveling, double dribble, carry, etc.)
A player may do any or all of these things (in order) during one possession:
o Take 3 steps, then..
 Dribble (as many times as desired), then…
Take 3 steps, then…
o
Pass or shoot within 3 seconds
Passing/Touching
A player may not pass to him/herself.
Consecutive possessions by the same player may only occur after a missed or blocked shot or tipped ball by the defense.
Field players may not purposely touch the ball below the knee.
Goalies may use kick saves within the goalie box.
Outside the goalie box, the goalie is a regular field player.
If the ball is knocked down by the opposing team and stays within the boundaries, the ball will change possession at
that spot.
A throw in is awarded to a team when the ball is knocked out of bounds (sideline) by the opposing team at the sideline
nearest to the spot of the last touch. Defending players must remain 3 feet away from the throw in. If the goalie was
last to touch while making a save, the goalie will remain in possession of the ball if it goes out on the end line. Both feet
must be touching the ground during a throw in.
Players may not pull, hit, or punch the ball out of the hands of an opponent. If a defensive player attempts to do so, a
foul is called, and the offensive team will be granted a restart from the spot of the foul.
There is NO DIVING, SLIDING, HOLDING, HITTING, ROUGHING, HITTING THE BALL OUT OF THE HANDS
DURING A SHOT, OR FIGHTING during Intramural Team Handball. This is a non-contact sport. Anyone violating
these rules repeatedly will be removed from the game by the Intramural Supervisor on duty and will be subject to
further sanctions by the Intramural Coordinator.
Basketball picks are allowed.
Boxing out is allowed at the three point arc.
Shooting
Field players may not enter the shooting arc (3-point line) unless their momentum carries them into the area. If this
happens, they must immediately leave the shooting arc once their momentum has stopped.
When shooting, the ball must be released before touching the ground and the offensive player must immediately leave
the arc if the shot is missed and play resumes.
If a rebound is gained by the offensive team, and is scored while an offensive player is within the goal arc, the goal is
removed. a. Breakaway shots can happen without passing to a teammate.
o Co-Rec play, a female must have possession of the ball at least once on any scoring attempt.
o Goals by females count as two points.
o If an offensive player retains possession of the ball due to a rebounded shot outside the arc, the team must
again pass to a girl before attempting to shoot.
Goalie Regulations
A goal is scored when the entire ball has passed over the goal line between the goal post and under the crossbar
The goalie is allowed to leave the goal arc with the ball. Once the goalie has left the arc, he/she is held responsible to
all rules of the other 5 players have.
The goalie may receive a pass from a field player while in the goal arc.
When the goalie throws the ball into play, the pass may not cross the half court line. If done so, then a change of
possession occurs at half court.
A ball blocked by the goalie that bounces once can be retrieved by either team, given that neither team retrieves the
ball within the three point arc. The offensive team must make at least one pass before a shot can be taken after a
rebound.
A ball going behind the goal is an AUTOMATIC goalie throw regardless of whom, offense or defense, touched it last.
A save by the goalie, results in the goalie having a 5 second count to put the ball back in play to his/her team.
Kicking
Not allowed in this league.
PENALTIES/VIOLATIONS:
All fouls will result in a restart granted at the site of the infraction.
Regular fouls result in a penalty shot if in the act of shooting, otherwise a restart will be granted at the site of the
infraction.
o Penalty shots will be taken from the basketball free throw line with both feet set before the throw.
o If a player is fouled during a shot, and the shot is not scored, the player will be awarded a penalty shot.
o If the shot is scored, the shot counts.
Technical Fouls result from excessively rough play such as excessive hitting, pushing, etc. A single conduct technical
leads to penalty shot awarded to the effected person and the offense team maintains possession of the ball.
o A player may not pull, hit or punch the ball out of the hands of an opponent. If a defensive player attempts to
do so, a foul is called, and the offensive team will be granted a restart from the spot of the foul. If the attempt
to steal the ball is during a shot, a penalty will be enforced and a penalty shot will be granted. Excessive
roughness may lead to an ejection.
Flagrant Fouls refer to intent to injure another player through pushing, tripping, hitting, throwing elbows, etc.
Continuous excessive roughness after fouls and warnings may be labeled as flagrant. Flagrant fouls result in an
ejection for the offending player, and a penalty shot for the offended person.
Penalties:
Minor penalties shall be enforced by requiring the offending player to sit out two (2) minutes of play.
o A minor penalty is over when the two (2) minutes has expired or the opposing team scores a goal.
o The team with the minor penalty will play short handed.
Major penalties shall be enforced by requiring the offending player to sit out five (5) minutes of play.
o The team of the offending player must also play shorthanded for the duration of the penalty, regardless of the
number of goals their opponent scores.
Penalties
Diving (2 minutes without contact/ 5 minutes with contact)
Sliding (2 minutes without contact/ 5 minutes with contact)
Pushing (2 minutes)
Holding (2 minutes)
Hitting (2 minutes)
Roughing (2 minutes)
Hitting the ball out of the hand during a shot (2 minutes)
Flagrant foul (5 minutes and game expulsion)
Fighting (5 minutes and game expulsion)
The team captains are the only players allowed to discuss a call with the game officials as long as it is done
courteously. Badgering officials will result in immediate game disqualification. A WARNING IS NOT NECESSARY.
Disciplinary actions involving incidents, ejections and suspensions are brought to the attention of the
Intramural Coordinator and may be forwarded to the Judicial Affairs Committee.
Questions, concerns or interpretations should be brought to the attention of the IM Coordinator by the team captain. Please
read the rules completely and know the policies and procedures in the IM Handbook.