Racquetball Rules & Regulations

Racquetball has long been a staple of office manager workouts and high intensity gym sessions. Yet it can be a somewhat daunting and confusing game for those on the outside looking in. A quick glance at some racquetball rules shows that what might initially seem like an odd and confusing game is actually a fun and fast paced sport. For beginners and curious observers, here is an overview of racquetball rules.

The first key to understanding racquetball rules is understanding what racquetball is. Racquetball is a sport that, like tennis, uses a stringed racquet to serve and return a ball to another player in order to score points. The main difference in racquetball rules is that the players stand side by side inside a walled court, and the hitting of balls into the ground, walls, and ceiling is necessary.

Racquetball is played officially in two different styles. Singles competition puts one player against another in a head to head contest, while doubles plays out as a two on two affair. Yet players often play a variation called Cutthroat where the racquetball rules are varied to account for a third player. There are official tournaments for both men and women world wide, and racquetball is a recognized Olympic sport.

A racquetball court is a small walled and ceilinged room, 20 feet wide, 40 feet long, and 20 feet high. Racquetball rules specify that a short line be placed 20 feet from the back wall. Five feet behind that is the service line. The area between these two areas is called the service box, and it is from this box that serves are made. Five feet behind this is the receiving line, where the returner awaits the serve.

According to the official racquetball rules, scoring is handled in much the same way as volleyball insofar as only the serving player or team may score. Professional players play five 11-point games, while amateurs tend to play two 15-point games, with an 11-point tiebreaker if necessary. Points are scored if the non-serving player fails to continue a rally.

Rallies are exchanges of ball strikes between the two sides until the ball is ruled out of play. In racquetball rules, a ball is ruled out of play if it hits the floor more than once without being struck, does not hit the front wall on the fly, leaves the playing court, or hits another person. When the ball is declared out, either the point is awarded to the serving player, if the returner was unable to make the return, or the serve is awarded to the returner.

To meet racquetball rules and regulations, every player must have a netted racket, resembling a small, more angular tennis racket of no more than 22 inches. Additionally, the racquet must be secured to the player's hand with a wrist strap. In tournament rules, racquetball rules specify that every player must wear protective eyewear. This is also suggested for any amateur players, as the ball travels at great speeds and might cause significant eye injures.

Though racquetball is a difficult game that can take years to learn and master, racquetball rules are deceptively simple to learn. With the right equipment and a firm understanding of racquetball rules, it can be a fast paced, fun sport for anyone looking for a good workout or a little competition.


Sources:
Hickok, Ralph. Sports Rules - Racquetball. Hickok Sports. Hickok Sports.com. 4 Feb.2005. 3 Feb. 2007 .
Racquetball Rules. La Mesa Racquetball. 3 Feb. 2007 .
Racquetball. Wikipedia. 2 Feb. 2007. 4 Feb. 2007 .
USA Racquetball Rule Book. USA Racquetball. 1 Sept. 2005. 4 Feb. 2007 .