Passing and Receiving

1What is handball?

Handball (in Kinyarwanda, umupira w'amaboko) is a fast team game. Each team has 7 players on the court: 6 court players and 1 goalkeeper. You move the ball by passing it with your hands, and you score a goal by throwing it into the other team's goal. Court players may not kick the ball or touch it with their feet.

2Warm up first

Jog around the court, then side-step and skip. Handball uses your shoulders a lot, so do big arm circles forwards and backwards, roll your wrists and stretch your fingers. Then pass the ball gently from hand to hand around your waist.

3The shoulder pass

This is the main pass in handball. You throw with one hand, a bit like throwing a stone a long way.

1. Stand side-on: if you throw with your right hand, your left shoulder points at your teammate. Left-handers do the opposite.
2. Ball up: hold the ball beside your head in your throwing hand, fingers spread. Your elbow is up, at shoulder height or higher.
3. Look at your teammate's hands. That is your target.
4. Step towards your teammate with your opposite foot. Right-handers step with the left foot.
5. Whip your arm through, elbow first, and flick your wrist as you let go. Your hand follows the ball towards your target.

4The bounce pass

If a defender's arms are in the way, push the ball down with one hand so it bounces once and comes up to your teammate's waist. Make it bounce closer to your teammate than to you. For this pass you need a ball that bounces, on hard ground.

5Receiving the ball

1. Show a target: hold both hands up in front of your chest, fingers spread.
2. Make a window: bring your thumbs and first fingers close together, in a triangle shape. The ball lands in this "window" and cannot slip through.
3. Watch the ball all the way into your hands, and step towards it.
4. Give: bend your elbows and bring the ball in to your chest, so it does not bounce away.
5. Get ready: lift the ball straight back up into the passing position.

6Games with little equipment

• Pass, then jog: two lines face each other 5 metres apart, as in the picture. A cone or a stone marks the front of each line. Pass, then jog to the back of your own line. When everyone catches well, move back to 7 metres.
• Name circle: stand in a circle. Call a friend's name, then shoulder-pass to them. They catch, call a new name and pass. Nobody gets the ball twice until everyone has had it once.
• Five passes: two teams in a small square. Your team scores a point for 5 passes in a row. Stand still when you have the ball. Defenders may catch a pass in the air, but there is no snatching and no pushing.

7Cool down

Walk slowly around the court. Stretch each arm across your chest and above your head, and gently shake out your hands. Then drink some water.

Try it yourself

Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.