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TEAM HANDBALL OVERVIEW
History: Modern team handball had its inception in Germany about 1895. It was originally called “field
handball.” It was played outdoors, while today’s game has basically moved indoors. The earliest
international match was March 8, 1935, between Sweden and Denmark. It was introduced into the
Olympic Games during the 1936 Berlin Olympiad as an eleven-players-per-side outdoor game. When
reintroduced in 1972 during the Munich Olympiad, it was a seven-players-per-side indoor game, which
had been the standard team size since 1952. By 1977, there were some 70 countries affiliated with the
International Handball Federation. They hold a World Cup competition and have over 10 million
participants.
Team handball is a fast and furious court game. It is a rigorous sport with a high level of physical contact
and lots of action. It is considered to be second only to pelota (Jai-Alai) as the fastest team game in the
world, and it is thus an ideal spectator sport. The cantaloupe-sized, stitched-leather ball, similar to a small
soccer ball, is thrown at speeds of 50 m.p.h. or more by the human arm. Goalies are especially dependent
upon quick reaction time. It is a simple and inexpensive game, requiring a minimum of equipment, and is
played by men and women of all ages. The duration of the game depends upon the age and sex of the
participants. Rules of the game are controlled by the International Handball Federation. Participation by
women’s teams in Olympic competition began in Montreal in 1976.
Synopsis: Team handball is played somewhat like soccer, but with hands instead of feet. The aim of
team handball is to score goals, and play is centered almost exclusively around the goal areas rather than
in midfield. This is very similar to basketball as opposed to soccer; in soccer there is a lot of midfield
play.
Players make up two teams, usually seven-per-side, with up to five substitutes, although five-per-side
teams have been recently introduced by the British Handball Association. Players pass or dribble the ball
with their hands until a shooting opportunity is created. The opposition establishes a defensive formation
around their goal area to protect it. The winning team is the one that scores the most goals in the allotted
time. Games may be played individually or in the form of tournaments and normally take place on an
indoor court, although an outdoor field is still acceptable.
Other background sources:
See The Rule Book, pages 188-93, for the best description of the technical rules. It also has some good
illustrations.
See Rules of the Game: The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of All the Sports of the World, pages 1346, for more good facts, illustrations and technical rules.
The Rand McNally Illustrated Dictionary of Sports, pages 52-3, has most of the terms and definitions
characteristic of team handball.
TEAM HANDBALL DICTIONARY OF TERMS
See the Rand McNally Illustrated Dictionary of Sports, pages 52-3, for most basic definitions.
Other definitions:
Attack: An attack on the opponent’s goal. A rush.
Attack Shots: Basically four classic types of shots designed to score goals for the offensive team.
1.
Jump shot
2.
Set shot
3.
Dive shot
4.
Reverse shot
Extra-Time: Overtime periods
Four Meter Line: Goalkeepers line
Handballer: A team handball player
Nine Meter Line: Free throw line
Player Positions: Team handball players are assigned the following positions:
1.
Backcourt players
2.
Wing players
3.
Circle or pivot players
4.
Goalkeepers
5. Shooters. They are the key point makers and usually range in height from 6’3” to 6’9” on men’s
teams in Olympic caliber competition.
Reverse Shot: One of the classic attack shots taken while facing away from the goal and then whirling
around to shoot
Rush: An attack on the opponent’s goal
Safety Zone: A border space around the 40 meter by 20 meter playing court to prevent players from
running into walls during the course of action. This zone is usually at least 2 meters wide beyond each
goal line and 1 meter wide beyond each side line.
Set Shot: One of the classic attack shots taken at the head or shoulder level
Seven Meter Line: Penalty line
Shoot: The act of throwing the ball towards the opponent’s goal
Tackling: This is legal defensive play in which the defensive player may use his hands or arms to gain
possession of the ball. He may use his open hand to play the ball from an opponent. He may use his
torso to obstruct an opponent.
VISUAL SKILLS IMPORTANT FOR TEAM HANDBALL
Visual Acuity: Both static and dynamic visual acuity are important in the fast-moving visual sport of
team handball.
Peripheral Vision: This is a very essential skill for superior performance in a game like team handball.
Depth Perception: This is necessary for accurate attacks on goal, passing and evaluating the defensive
positions of opponents, etc.
Eye Motility: Eye tracking ability is important in team handball. Quick, accurate saccades are needed to
survey rapidly the locations and movements of the other 13 players and the ball in relationship to the goal,
boundary lines, etc.
Eye-Hand/Body/Foot Coordination: All are helpful to performance for a team handball player.
Visualization: This could be very useful for a team handball player, particularly when shooting penalty
throws or free throws or when learning team play schematics. The rest of the game is so fast moving, the
player doesn’t have time to think and visualize using the five step technique. He or she must simply
react.
Speed of Recognition Time: This is an essential visual skill for a team handball player (especially the
goalies). Opportunities to get a shot off, block an attack on goal, make a pinpoint pass in traffic
situations, etc., only present themselves for fractions of seconds.
Speed of Focusing: Also important in team handball because the ball and other players move quickly and
one has to be able to shift focus from near to far or intermediate targets rapidly throughout the contest
while general body stamina is running down due to heavy exertion.
Glare Recovery Speed: Of some minor importance in team handball due to bright lighting inside
gymnasiums. However, rules such as the ball being uniform in color and of non-shiny (matte) surface
finish to prevent reflections, minimize the problem.
Ability to See in Dim Illumination: Not an important factor for team handball players unless it is an
outdoor game (field handball) played near dusk. Most games are in gyms, however.
Ability to Withstand Eye Fatigue Without Decreased Performance: This is important in team handball
because it is a very fatiguing sport that requires a lot of running, jumping, and constant concentration.
Playing periods are two 30-minute sessions of all-out activity separated by a short 10-minute interval.
Color Perception: Color is used in team handball in the following ways:
1.
Colors identify the teams the players are on for accurate passing and defensive play.
2.
Goal posts and crossbars are painted with contrasting bands of color to make them stand out from
the
background. Each rectangle of color is about 20 cm long.
3.
Team captains must wear an armband about 4 cm wide of a color contrasting with their shirts.
Otherwise, color isn’t critical to a team handball player’s performance.
Eye Dominance: Of some interest probably, but it is not as critical a factor in this sport as it is in baseball
hitting, rifle shooting or archery. Could use for placing of team players on floor.
Fixation Ability: Fixation is critical for shooting and passing mainly. Most shots (attacks on goal) in
team handball are made on the run. But in penalty throws and free throws, the player may be more
stationary. The player needs to focus quickly on his/her target (the weak point in the 6 square meters the
defensive position goalie is trying to protect). Then the player must execute the shot and follow through
by retaining fixation on the spot where he/she wants the ball to go after the shot is released. So the sports
vision consultant should advise team handball players to center on their target’s finest detail and then
execute their shot while maintaining their target fixation after the shot is released.
Visual Memory: Past experience and the number of proper shots, passes, fakes, steals, etc., on file in the
visual memory, combined with some good visualization techniques for certain aspects of their sport, etc.,
could be a big factor in the steadiness and consistency of a team handball player.
Central/Peripheral Awareness: This is an essential skill for a team handball player on both defense and
offense. The offensive player has to be peripherally aware of potential teammates to pass to,
opportunities for attacks on goal, and where defensive players (who are ready to steal the ball) are
positioned, etc.
Spatial Localization: Knowing where you are relative to other objects is very important in team handball
because the traffic patterns on the court can become very congested, especially the closer you get to one
of the goals. Team handball is a fast-moving sport in which both the athletes and the targets (especially in
passing the ball) are in constant relative motion.
VISUAL SCREENING/TESTING PROCEDURES INDICATED FOR TEAM HANDBALL PLAYERS
Visual Acuity (Static and Dynamic)
1. Normal Snellen
2. Vectographic
3. Autorefractor
4. Record player with visual acuity disk at three speeds (33, 45, 75 rpm)
5. Tachistoscopic Acuity
Peripheral Vision
Dicon, Synamed Fieldmaster, etc.
Depth Perception
1.
Randot - distance
2.
Stereo Circles - projected at distance
3.
Stereo Fly - near
4.
Randot - near
5.
Consider timing the testing on the Randots
Eye Motility
1.
Eye Track
a. This quantifies graphs on paper
b. Good for before/after studies
c. Athletes and coaches can see if progress has been made.
2.
Wayne Saccadic Fixator
a. Pursuits
b. Saccades
c. Rotations
Eye-Hand/Body/Foot Coordination
1.
Wayne Saccadic Fixator
a. Normal use with the hands
b. Footboard use, which brings in the team handball player’s balance system
2. Strobe Light - Creates more visual noise, so the athlete has to concentrate more
Visualization
1.
No specific testing
2.
The principles can be taught and trained, however.
Speed of Recognition Time
1.
Tachistoscope
2.
Computerized Anaglyphic Trainer
Speed of Focusing
1.
Wayne’s near/far fixation module (in 30 seconds, a good score = 15)
2.
Flippers (for near only) +/- 2.00 D (2 seconds = normal response)
Ability to Withstand Eye Fatigue Without Decreased Performance
1. Ask the team handball player (or their coach) whether he/she is a consistent performer throughout
the game.
2. Do a complete evaluation of all pertinent visual skills before and immediately after a game or hard
workout.
Fixation Ability
1.
Eye Track
2.
Dicon perimeter, which beeps when the subject loses fixation
Visual Memory
1.
No specific testing
2.
The principles can be taught and trained, however.
Central/Peripheral Awareness
1.
Wayne Saccadic Fixator with “stick-ups” and gun you fire at the light
a. Mode 1 = 15 or greater = good
b. Mode 2 = 5 is pretty good
2.
Dicon or Synamed Fieldmaster
Spacial Localization
1.
Phorias
a. Base-In
b. Base-Out
2.
Brock String
3.
Computerized Anaglyphic Trainer
VISION TRAINING TECHNIQUES INDICATED FOR TEAM HANDBALL PLAYERS
1.
Visual Acuity
Keep the athlete in current glasses/contact lenses for best visual acuity if an Rx is needed. Soft
contact lenses are usually the lens of choice for this sport. But firm lenses and glasses are also used
quite frequently when soft contacts are ruled out for some reason.
2.
Peripheral Vision
a. Awareness of peripheral vision can be enhanced (see under central/peripheral awareness).
b. If a visual field defect is present, the team handball player can be counseled as to how to
compensate by orienting his/her game toward negating the weak point.
3.
Depth Perception
Stereopsis is the ultimate of good binocularity. So train binocularity (BI and BO reserves) and
stereo should improve with enhanced visual functions.
b. Red/Green Sports Tranaglyphs from Bernell can help build ranges.
a.
4.
Eye Motility
Pegboard Rotators
Arneson Corrector (Audio Feedback mechanism)
Computerized Anaglyphic Trainer
Wayne Saccadic Fixator
Eye-Hand/Body/Foot Coordination
a. Wayne Saccadic Fixator
a.
b.
c.
d.
5.
Normal use with the hands
Footboard use helps train the team handball player’s balance system in response to the
visual signals he/she is getting off the board.
Strobe Light - The athlete has to concentrate more due to the increased visual noise. This might
be good for drills during practice sessions (especially for goalie drills)
1)
2)
b.
6.
Visualization
An example will be given as to how to use the principles of visualization for enhancing penalty
throws or free throws.
a. Analyze: Move to the 7 m line (penalty throw) or 9 m line (free throw), depending on what
type infringement was made by the opponents. Look at the 6 square meter goal rectangle (2
meters high by 3 meters wide) and study the goalie’s defensive position for any weak points.
b. Visualize: Precede your performance with a visual picture of the desired action. Decide where
you want to place the ball in order to get it past the goalie. See the trajectory of the ball as it
leaves your hand. See it heading toward the smallest possible detail of your target as you
continue to fine tune visually on that spot. This is called “centering.”
c. Centering: Fine center on the smallest possible visual detail you can pick out in the goal area
where you’ve decided to place your shot based on your analysis of the goalie’s weak point.
Develop a solid awareness of your target, but don’t stare at it for a long time before shooting.
Make the fine centering a very brief concentration on the target.
d. Execute: Release your shot while fine centering at the last possible second on your
predetermined small target. Do not break eye contact with that spot until the shot either passes
the goalie’s defense safely for a score...or misses, is blocked and rebounds away.
e. Playback: Try to do this after all penalty throws and free throws in practice sessions (both good
and bad). This may be too difficult to try to do under game conditions because team handball is
so fast moving it’s largely a game of reactions once the game is on. But good shooters are made
in practice — not in games. And the playback portion of the visualization sequence can be used
extensively in practice to develop one’s shooting. Playback is visualizing the complete
sequence of making or missing your shot again and reviewing all the visual images you
centered on. This will help to reinforce whatever there was to learn from that shot (good or
bad) for future visual memory.
7.
Speed of Reaction Time
a. Train this visual skill with the same instruments used to measure or test this skill.
b. Instruments:
1)
Tachistoscope (Targets = shapes, tic-tac-toe, numbers, letters, etc.)
2)
Computerized Anaglyphic Trainer
c. Make progressions for your team handball athletes from easy toward most difficult.
8.
Speed of Focusing
a. Red/Green anaglyphic accommodative rock
b. Wayne Saccadic Fixator
c. Flippers
9.
Ability to Withstand Eye Fatigue Without Decreased Performance
Use the five steps of visualization on all penalty throws and free throws to enhance concentration
and give the player a definite plan of attack for at least that part of his/her game. This will pull the
player through the competition even when he/she is fatigued and at a low emotional level. It should
help provide consistency so the team handball player won’t be so erratic.
10.
Fixation Ability
Counsel the team handball player to fine-focus (center) on the smallest possible detail he/she
can see on his target (whether shooting or passing).
b. The shorter the amount of time he/she fine-focuses on the target, the more intense his/her
focusing ability will be.
c. Maintain your fixation point after you release the ball until it actually reaches its target.
a.
11.
Visual Memory
This is where the playback phase of visualization (Step 6e) pays big dividends. It helps you
build your frame of reference.
b. Later you can use this frame of reference to visualize the things you’ve done to succeed in the
past under similar circumstances.
c. The Memory Book by Jerry Lucas is a good reference book for understanding and applying
principles of visual memory more fully.
a.
12.
Central/Peripheral Awareness
a. Wayne “stick-ups” are good for training.
b. As you go about your day, just concentrating on how much detail you can gather from your
periphery without actually looking over at the details directly (with central vision) is great
training for this visual skill.
c. This skill isn’t something that is developed overnight. You have to work at it daily until you’re
good at it. The skill should transfer well to your team handball game, however.
13.
Spatial Localization
a. Train with the same instruments and equipment you use to measure and test this skill.
b. Instruments:
1)
Brock String (in all 9 positions of gaze)
2)
Computerized Anaglyphic Trainer
SPORTS VISION PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS RELATED TO TEAM HANDBALL
Problems
Solutions
Safety Risks: Probably a finger in the eye is the
most common (or an elbow or another player’s
head). This is particularly likely to occur around
the goal area lines where it is most congested.
Protective goggles with polycarbonate lenses are
probably the ultimate protection from abrasion and
most trauma. Even a soft contact lens is better than
the naked corneas as far as protecting from a
fingernail, etc.
Vision Correction Needed: Playing team handball
with blurry vision could decrease performance,
especially in shooting, passing, avoiding potential
injury, knowing the time on the game clock, etc.
Contact lenses are usually best for team handball
players. Soft contacts are probably the lens of
choice, if possible. Sports straps on glasses are
usually needed if the player is wearing glasses.
Contact Sport: The modern game of team handball
permits a lot of contact and bumping.
Wear soft contacts — they won’t be dislocated as
easily as firm lenses or glasses. Have an ocular
emergency first aid kit with the trainer so eye
traumas can be dealt with swiftly and properly.
High Velocity Projectiles: A team handball can be
a very fast moving object that can easily break
There is not too much you can do about this risk —
it’s just “part of the game.” The quicker the team
noses and create eye trauma despite its rather large
size.
handball player’s vision system can process visual
information, the less likely he/she will be injured in
this fashion.
Fogging of Glasses: This is a sweaty sport and
drops of sweat on the back of a player’s glasses can
be a problem.
Anti-fogging compounds can be helpful. Have a
soft cloth on the bench to wipe off lenses during
time outs and breaks in play. Better yet, wear soft
contacts, if possible.
Playing with Only One Usable Eye: Team
Handball is a sport that has a fairly high risk of eye
injury. Some visual skills will be reduced in a
monocular or amblyopic player.
The player and his parents should be counseled that
this is risky and why.
PROTECTIVE/CORRECTIVE EYEWEAR FOR TEAM HANDBALL
1.
2.
3.
4.
Sports goggles and glasses with polycarbonate lenses
Sports straps for glasses with polycarbonate lenses
Firm contact lenses - preferably gas permeable firm lenses if the player can’t be fit with soft
contacts; also colored lenses for easier location on the court if they are dislodged during a game
Soft contact lenses - the corrective method of choice for most team handball players
MOST COMMON OCULAR INJURIES SUSTAINED IN TEAM HANDBALL
1. Corneal abrasion
2. Trauma to the globe from fingers, ball, elbows, knees, other players’ heads, etc., with subsequent
secondary complications
3. Lacerations around the orbit, lids, or globe itself
EMERGENCY FIRST-AID FOR OCULAR INJURIES SUSTAINED IN TEAM HANDBALL
Trainers should be taught how to perform the following:
1)
Proper lavage and rinsing of an eye with a foreign body
2)
Instillation of ophthalmic drops
3)
Application of a proper lubricant to an injured eye prior to application of a pressure bandage
4)
Handling contact lenses (hard and soft) and removal of them from the eyes
OCULAR SUPPLIES FOR THE TEAM HANDBALL TRAINER’S FIRST-AID KIT
Sterile saline eyewash
Artificial tears
Q-tips
DMV (hard contact lens remover)
Fluorescein strips
Black light penlight
Regular penlight
Polysporin ointment
Oval eye pads
Dermacel tape 1”
Spare contact lenses for all players wearing
contact lenses (properly labeled)
Trial size storage/disinfectant solution for soft
contact lenses
Some butterfly tape strips to hold lacerated skin
areas together
Small mirror for application/removal of contacts
by the players themselves
MISCELLANEOUS COMMENTS
1. If you knew your athletic income could be over a million dollars over the next 10 years, would you be
willing to remove any obstacles to improve your performance?
2. Vision is the dominant sense for team handball and most other sports.
3. Five times as much brain cortex is related to vision as all other senses combined.
4. As much as 80% of all information reaches the human brain through the eye gate.
5. 80% of the optic nerve fibers connect directly to the cortex.
6. 20% of the optic nerve fibers connect to balance and posture control centers in the brain.
REFERENCES
1.
Diagram Group. Rules of the Game: The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of All the Sports of the
World. New York, NY: Paddington Press, 1974:134-6.
2.
Wright G. Rand McNally Illustrated Dictionary of Sports. Chicago, IL: Rand McNally & Co.,
1978:52-3.
3.
Diagram Group. The Rule Book. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1983:188-93.
4.
McWhirter N. Guinness Book of Sports Records, Winners and Champions. New York, NY:
Sterling Publishing, 1980:174-5.
©1998 American Optometric Association