Racquetball Essay Example

service line is parallel to and positioned five feet ahead of the back edge of the short line. The service zone is a 5' x 20' area enclosed by the bottom edges of the side walls, as well as the outer edges of the short line and service line. For doubles play, there are service boxes at each end of the service zone, indicated by lines parallel to the side walls that should be placed 18 inches from the closest side wall towards court center. Drive serve lines create a drive serve zone within the service zone running parallel to the side wall. The inner edge of these lines closest to center court should be three feet away from nearest side wall. The receiving line consists of a broken line parallel to the short line with its back edge positioned five feet from short-line's back edge. It starts with a 21-inch long line extending from each side wall, connected by alternating six-inch spaces and six-inch lines forming a pattern: 17 six-inch spaces, followed by sixteen six-inch lines, ending with two 21-inch lines. During serve only, there is a safety zone which refers to a 5' x 20' area defined by bottom edges of side walls, back edges of short-line and receiving-lineThe standard racquetball should have a diameter of 2 1/4 inches and weigh approximately 1.4 ounces. The ball used in USRA sanctioned tournaments must have a hardness ranging from 55-60 inches durometer and bounce between 68-72 inches when dropped from a height of 100 inches at a temperature of 70-74 degrees Fahrenheit. The referee is responsible for selecting a ball for each match, and during the

match, they have the discretion to replace the ball or fulfill player/team requests. Balls that are not round or exhibit erratic bouncing should not be used. Ideally, an alternate ball that is agreeable to both the referee and players should be chosen so that it can be immediately substituted in case of breakage.

The length of the racquet, including its bumper guard and all solid handle parts, must not exceed 22 inches. The racquet frame may be made using any safe material. A cord securely attached to the player's wrist must be present on the racquet frame. The string used for the racquet can consist of gut, monofilament nylon graphite plastic metal or any combination thereof as long as it does not cause marks or deface the ball.

If an illegal racquet is discovered in use during gameplay, then forfeiting of both current game (if applicable) as well as preceding games will occur.

All players, including those who wear corrective lenses, are required to wear lensed eyewear specifically designed for racquetball.
The eyewear used must meet or exceed the full ASTM F803 standard or the Canadian (CSA) impact standard. The manufacturer or distributor of the eyewear needs to provide a warranty that cannot be altered. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in a technical foul and a timeout to obtain proper eyewear. If there is a second violation in the same match, it will lead to an immediate forfeiture of the match. The USRA maintains a list of warranted eyewear from manufacturers for sanctioned events. However, if the eyewear list is dated more than 90 days before the tournament, it will not be considered valid for compliance

with this rule.

For sanctioned competition, protective eyewear must meet specific requirements:
- It should have a permanent "ASTM-F803" citation stamp on the frame.
- It should appear on the ASTM reference listing.
- It should bear the "Protective Eyewear Certification Council" PECC seal of approval for the ASTM standard.
- Written certification can be provided by the maker of the eyewear stating that it complies with the required ASTM standard.

Regarding clothing and shoes, players are allowed to wear any color of clothing but may need to change wet, extremely loose fitting, or distracting garments if required by the tournament director. In terms of clothing, insignias and writing must be in good taste. As for shoes, they must have non-marking soles.During warm-up sessions, players must wear appropriate eyeguards and use wrist cords. Failure to comply with these rules may result in a technical warning from the referee, which could escalate into a technical foul if not corrected.

In the Open Division competition, the server has one chance to put the ball into play, while in other divisions they have two chances. The winner of the coin toss can choose whether to serve or receive first in the first game, with the second game played in reverse order. If there is a tiebreaker, the player or team with the highest total points from games 1 and 2 will decide who serves or receives first. If both players or teams have an equal number of points in games 1 and 2, another coin toss will determine who serves or receives.

While serving, it is not allowed for the server to start until either "second serve" is announced by the referee or until the

score is announced. They are allowed to make their serve from any location within the service zone but cannot cross its lines with both feet or with the ball during their service motion (although stepping on these lines is permitted). However, once they complete their service motion and as long as both feet remain on or inside the front line until afterthe ball crosses it, they can step beyond this line.
The server cannot step beyond the short line until after the ball crosses it. Inside the service zone, a player can initiate their service motion through continuous movement that ultimately results in serving the ball. The ball must bounce within the designated zone and be struck by racquet before it bounces for a second time. After being struck, the ball must hit the front wall and then hit the floor beyond the back edge of the short line, with or without touching one of the side walls.

The service motion cannot begin until the referee calls and visually confirms the score or second serve. The referee will call out the score when both server and receiver are getting ready to return to their positions after a rally has ended. If there are delays lasting more than 10 seconds, a technical foul may be called by the referee.

Both server and receiver have 10 seconds from when the score is announced to either serve or be prepared to receive. It is solely up to the server to ensure thatthe receiver is ready. If not, acceptable signals include raising their racquet above their head or completely turning their back towardsthe server.Servingwhile thereceiver signals unpreparedness will result in afaultserve.After announcingthe

current score out loud, if it is clear upon looking at themthat theyare not signaling unpreparedness, then serving can continue as usualIf the receiver indicates not being ready after that point, it will not be acknowledged and considered legal for serving purposes. The drive serve lines in each side wall of the service zone will be positioned 3 feet apart. Each individual drive serve line divides this area into two zones: a 3-foot zone and a 17-foot zone for drive serves. The player can hit a drive serve between their body and the nearest sidewall as long as they start and remain outside of the 3-foot zone. If the service motion extends from one 3-foot zone to another, a drive serve cannot be executed. However, cross-court drive serves, hard-Z, soft-Z, lob, or half-lob serves have exceptions to observing the drive serve zones. It is important that while making contact with the ball, the racquet must not cross over into boundaries of the 17-foot zone. Note that the drive serve line itself is not part of this zone. Committing an infraction includes dropping the ball on or standing on this line while serving to same side. Defective serves are classified as dead-ball serves, fault serves, or out serves; each type incurs specific penalties. A dead-ball serve has no penalty and allows another attempt without canceling a previous fault serve. Two fault serves result in an out - either a sideout or handout situationThe text describes various rules and situations related to serving in racquetball. It explains that an out serve can result in a sideout or handout situation, and clarifies that dead-ball serves do not cancel

fault serves. It also states that if the court has a wet spot or irregular surface causing an unpredictable bounce during serving, it is considered a court hinder and treated as a dead-ball serve. The text further mentions that any serve hitting an obstruction designated by local rules does not count as being out-of-play.

In the case of a broken ball on the serve, a new ball will be substituted and the serve will be replayed without nullifying any previous fault serves. The text then lists three specific types of faults: foot faults (when the server does not start with both feet in the service zone or steps completely over the service line before the served ball crosses), short service (when the served ball hits the front wall and lands on or in front of the short line without touching a side wall), and three-wall serve (when the served ball hits the front wall and strikes both side walls before touching). Two consecutive faults result in an out.

Additionally, there is mention of a "Screen Serve," which occurs when a served ball comes close to obstructing the receiver's view by hitting near either their partner or themselves. To ensure proper visibility, receivers should position themselves near center court.If a serve is called a screen in open division play, the server will be given another chance to serve legally. However, if there are two consecutive screen serves, it will result in an out. When serving before the receiver is ready, certain actions can lead to an out as well. This includes two consecutive fault serves or a single fault serve in open division play. A fault serve can

occur when the server completely misses attempting to hit the ball or touches any part of their body during the service motion. The rule also applies when the ball makes contact with the server or their racquet before hitting the floor on its rebound from the front wall, or when intentionally stopping or catching it.The following rules apply in racquetball:

- A fake or balk serve, which involves non-continuous movement of the racquet with intent to deceive, is considered an out. However, if the referee determines that a balk serve was not done deceitfully, the option to declare "no serve" and replay without penalty is available.
- Various illegal hits include contacting the ball twice, carrying it, hitting it with any part of one's body or uniform other than using only the racquet's strings for striking purposes.
- A non-front wall serve occurs when the served ball does not hit the front wall first.
- A crotch serve refers to a serve where the ball hits either the crotch of the front wall and floor, front wall and side wall, or front wall and ceiling. This type of serve results in an out because it did not hit the front wall first.
- If either the server or their doubles partner enters the safety zone before the served ball passes the short line, they will lose service.
- Regarding receiving position rules:
- The receiver must not enter the safety zone until after thhe ball bounces or crosses tthe receiving line.
- To make an immediate return attempt, tthe receiver must wait for tthe ball to cross thhe receiving line before striking it. Howeverr,during follow-through,the receiver oor their racquet

may go past thee receivingg line..
- Breakingg tthe plane off thee shortt linne iss prohibitedd for bothh thereceiiver andd raacquett unlesss thee baall has rebounded off a backwall.Violation of any of these rules results in a point being awarded to the server. In the event of a faulty serve, the receiving player cannot intentionally catch or touch the ball until either the referee makes a call or the ball touches the floor for a second time. If this rule is violated, a point is awarded to the server. After a legal serve, the receiving player must strike the ball while it is in the air or after its first bounce before it touches the floor again. The ball must be returned to any combination of surfaces including the front wall, one or both side walls, back wall, or ceiling. The ball must make contact with the front wall before hitting the floor. Failing to return a serve also results in a point forthe server. The server can continue serving until one of four events occur: an outserve, two consecutive fault serves, failure to returntheball ,or an avoidable hinder which occurs whena player orteam commitsan obstructive action that causes an out.This is known as asideout andin singles play retiring asserveris referredto as such.When there'sasideout roles switch with thereceiverbecomingserverand vice versa.All actions that take place followinga successfulreturnofserve are consideredpartofrallyplay.Duringthis play phase,certainrules applyincluding:(a) Onlyusingracquet headto hit and returningtheball; holding racquetwithone handorbothhandsispermissible.Thefollowing rulesandguidelinesapplytoplayingagame,pos- siblyaracquet sport:1The text below outlines the rules of the game, including violations and consequences for both serving players/teams and receivers.

1. The rally is lost by the serving player or team if they switch hands,

touch the ball with any part of their body or uniform, or remove the wrist safety cord.

2. The player or team trying to return the ball can only touch or strike it once; otherwise, they lose the rally.

3. Carrying the ball occurs when it remains on the racquet for too long and resembles more of a sling or throw than a hit.

4. Failing to make a legal return includes scenarios such as: (a) The ball bouncing on the floor more than once before being hit; (b) The ball not reaching directly to the front wall; (c) Hitting the gallery, wall opening, or an out-of-play surface above normal playing area.

5. There are additional rules stated in this text:
- A violation occurs when a ball lacking sufficient velocity or direction hits another player.
- Striking a teammate with a ball is considered an infringement for that player's team.
- Committing preventable hindrance during gameplay is prohibited.

6. If serving players/teams violate any of these rules and lose the rally, it results in an out for them.

7. Conversely, if receivers fail to return properly and violate any of these rules causing them to lose their rally, one point is awarded to
the servers/team who served last.In the game, the ball remains in play until it touches the floor for the second time, regardless of how many walls it hits. Even if a player swings and misses, they can continue trying to return the ball until it touches the floor again. If there is suspicion that a ball has broken during a rally, play will continue until the end

of that rally. The referee or any player can request an examination of the ball. If manual squeezing confirms it is broken, it will be replaced and the rally will be replayed. The server then gets two serves. It's important to note that checking if a ball is broken by striking with a racquet is not valid and goes against the player/team who struck it after that rally. In case of stoppage due to foreign objects entering or outside interference like losing apparel/equipment, referees declare a dead-ball hinder or an avoidable hinder depending on circumstances. When a rally is replayed for any reason, the server receives two serves regardless of previous serving faults. A replay without penalty happens if there's a dead-ball hinder and server resumes with their first serve. An avoidable hinder may result in losing the rally.Hindrances on the court, such as when the ball hits designated hindering areas like vent grates, can result in a hinder declaration. Play should also be stopped if the ball bounces irregularly due to contact with rough surfaces like court lights or vents, or after hitting a wet spot on the floor or wall. The referee has the authority to stop play if they believe that an irregular bounce affected the rally.

If an opponent is hit by a return shot while it is in flight, it is considered a dead-ball hinder. However, if the opponent is hit by a ball that clearly lacks velocity or direction to reach the front wall, it is not considered a hinder and results in losing the rally for the player who hit it. The player who was hit can stop play

and make this call but must do so immediately and have it acknowledged by the referee.

It is important to note that under certain circumstances, the referee may declare this interference as an avoidable hinder if there is enough body contact believed to stop the rally, either for preventing further injury or because it prevented a player from making a reasonable return shot. Incidental body contact that clearly gives offensive players an advantage should not be considered a hinder unless play visibly stops. Contact with racquets during follow-throughs are generally not considered hinders.The term "screen ball" is used to describe when a ball rebounds from the front wall close to the defensive player, obstructing the offensive player's view. However, referees should exercise caution in quickly making this call as it can take away a good offensive opportunity. It should be noted that if a ball passes between the legs of a player who just returned it, it does not automatically qualify as a screen. The impact of such calls depends on whether it impairs the other player, with generally the offensive player benefiting from these calls.

A hindrance that occurs during a player's backswing or while returning the ball and hampers their ability to make a reasonable swing is called a "Backswing Hinder." The player attempting to return can make this call but must do so immediately and have it approved by the referee. It is important to note that this interference may be seen as an avoidable hinder.

If players anticipate striking their opponent with either the ball or racquet, they can request a dead-ball hinder referred to as a "Safety Holdup." The referee's acceptance and approval

of this call are necessary. A dead-ball hinder can be granted by the referee if it was deemed a reasonable holdup and if the player would have been able to return the shot. The referee also has authority to call an avoidable hinder when necessary.Any unintentional interference that obstructs an opponent's view or ability to return the ball is classified as "Other Interference." Examples of this include when a ball from another court comes into play or if a referee's call on a nearby court distracts a player. Only hindrances specified in rules (2), (5), and (6) can be called by players, but they must first be approved by the referee.

If there is an occurrence of dead-ball hinder, play stops and the rally is replayed with the server starting again with their initial serve. Both players have equal rights to see and return the ball when attempting to do so. The hitting side bears the responsibility of moving out of the way and creating a clear path for the receiving side once the ball is struck. However, it is also expected for the receiver to make an effort to move towards the ball and have an opportunity to return it in order to avoid any hindrances.

In cases where there is an avoidable hinder taking place, the rally is lost and intentionality does not need to be considered. Failure to move appropriately can result in an avoidable hinder, which can occur in various ways. Obstruction occurs when a player's movement interferes with their opponent's swing, unintentionally preventing them from taking a shot. Blocking occurs when a player strategically positions themselves to impede their opponent from reaching

or returning the ball, particularly in doubles when one partner moves ahead of another during a return.Another type of hinder occurs when a player obstructs their opponent by getting in their way and being hit by their shot. This is known as moving into the path of the ball. Pushing involves intentionally pushing or shoving the opponent during a rally, while intentional distractions include actions like shouting, stamping feet, waving racquets or any other disruptive behavior. View obstruction takes place when a player crosses their opponent's line of vision just before they strike the ball.

It is important to avoid wetting the ball, especially for servers, as it can lead to an avoidable hinder. Players must ensure that the ball is dry before serving because its wetness may cause unnecessary hindrance.

If a player loses any apparel, equipment, or other article during play, they must immediately stop and may be called for an avoidable hinder unless they have just hit an unretrievable shot. In cases where the opponent is responsible for the loss of equipment, a dead-ball hinder should be called. If the opponent's action could have been avoided but caused hindrance anyway, they should be called for an avoidable hinder.

In each game to 15 points, each player or team has three 30-second timeouts. In games to 11 points, there are two 30-second timeouts per player or team. It is important to note that timeouts cannot be requested after the service motion has started.

Calling for a timeout when there are no timeouts left, after the service motion has started, or exceeding 30 seconds in a timeout will result in a technical foul for delaying the game.During a

match, if a player sustains an injury from contact with the ball, racket, wall, or floor, an injury timeout will be given. It is possible to request multiple timeouts for the same injury or additional injuries throughout the match. However, these timeouts cannot exceed a total of 15 minutes in rest time during the entire match. If a player who has rested for 15 minutes due to an injury is unable to continue playing, their opponent will win by default. If there is external bleeding during play, the rally must end and play must stop immediately. The person bleeding will be charged with an injury timeout and play will not resume until the bleeding has stopped.

In order for an injury timeout to be granted, injuries sustained during gameplay must be directly caused by court contact. Conditions such as muscle cramps, pulls, and fatigue that are unrelated to court contact are not considered as injuries. Pre-existing conditions also do not qualify for injury time.

Players are expected to keep their clothing and equipment in good condition during gameplay. Regular timeouts and breaks between games should be used for making adjustments or replacing equipment when necessary.

If a player or team has exhausted all of their timeouts, the referee may grant them an equipment timeout lasting up to 2 minutes (with additional time possible under exceptional circumstances). This ensures fair and safe continuation of the match.

There is a 2-minute break between the first two games of a match. If a tiebreaker is needed, this break extends to 5 minutes.
If referees postpone a game, it must resume with the same score as when it was postponed. The referee can deduct

one point from a player's or team's score if they engage in overt and deliberate abusive behavior. The referee themselves make the judgment for this deduction. Failing to promptly resume play after receiving a technical foul may result in forfeiting the match to the opponent. Some actions that can lead to technical fouls include using profanity, excessively arguing, making threats towards opponents or referees, forcefully striking the ball between rallies, slamming racquets against walls or floors, slamming doors, or any similar actions that can damage the court or harm other players.

Actions that delay the game are also prohibited. These include prolonging court drying time, excessively questioning referees about rules, exceeding time limits for timeouts or between games, calling a timeout when none are available, and taking more than ten seconds to serve or be ready to receive serve.

Penalties include intentionally committing a front line foot fault to nullify a bad lob serve, engaging in unsportsmanlike behavior determined by the referee, and failing to wear appropriate eyewear for racquet sports.

The first instance of not wearing lensed eyewear results in both a technical foul and a mandatory timeout until proper eyewear is obtained.A second offense by the same player during the match will result in forfeiting the entire match. If a player's behavior needs to be addressed but does not warrant a technical foul, they may receive a technical warning without any deduction from their score. When a technical foul is given, one point will be deducted from the offender's score. However, if only a technical warning is given instead of a foul penalty, no points will be deducted. Both technical fouls and warnings should be explained

briefly in both cases.

The serving order remains unchanged when play resumes after a technical foul or warning has been issued. If an offender receives a technical foul with no points involved or between games, their score will be reduced to minus one (-1). Doubles teams must consist of two players who meet the age or player classification requirements for that specific division. If teammates have different skill levels, they should compete in the division of the higher-skilled player.

In adult age divisions, teams must play in the division of the younger player, while in junior age divisions, they must play in the division of the older player. Changing playing partners is allowed as long as their first listed match has not started yet; however, this change must be communicated to the tournament director before starting the match. Prior to commencing a match, each team needs to inform the referee about their chosen serving order.The serving order will remain consistent throughout.