Recreatinal Sprts Racquetball Rules Mdificatins have been made t suit BYU-Idah Recreatinal Sprts prgrams. Rule 1: Players Racquetball is an individual sprt, as such each team shall cnsist f ne (1) player. Participants must prvide their wn racquets. Rental racquets are available at the Equipment-Etc. desk. Balls must be prvided by the participants and must be mutually agreed upn befre the match. Rule 2: Play Game A match is wn by the first side t win tw (2) games. The first tw (2) games will be played t twenty-ne (21) pints, and the deciding game t fifteen (15) pints. Games may be wn by ne pint. Service A cin tss r ther suitable means will determine first serve f the match. The individual wh did nt serve in the first game will serve in the secnd game. If a third game is necessary, the individual/team that has scred the mst cmbined pints frm the first tw (2) games shall serve first in the deciding game. In the event that bth player's/teams' scres are equal, the serve will be determined by anther cin tss. The service is started frm any place within the service zne. N part f either ft may extend beynd either line f the service zne. An individual may step n but nt ver the line. The server must remain in the service zne frm the mment the service mtin begins until the served ball passes the shrt line. The server must call the scre prir t beginning the mtin fr serve. Service shall nt be made until the receiving team is ready. The server must cntact the ball n the first bunce. The served ball must hit the frnt wall first and n the rebund hit the flr behind the back edge f the shrt line, either with r withut tuching ne f the side walls. A balk serve r fake swing at the ball shall be deemed an infractin and be judged an "ut", "hand ut" r "side ut". A server is entitled t serve until: The player cmmits an ut serve. The player cmmits tw (2) fault serves in successin. The player hits his/her partner with an attempted return. The player fails t hit the ball n the fly r first bunce r fails t return the ball t the frnt wall n the fly (with r withut hitting any cmbinatin f walls and ceiling). The player cmmits an avidable hinder. Defective Serves There are three (3) types f defective serves: Dead Ball Serve Fault Serve Out Serve Dead Ball Serves There is n penalty fr a dead ball serve, nr d dead ball serves cancel any previus illegal serve. The fllwing are examples f dead ball serves:
Recreatinal Sprts Racquetball Rules Hits partner: The ball hits the server's partner n the fly n the rebund frm the frnt wall while the server's partner is in the service bx crrectly psitined Curt hinders: The ball hits any part f the curt that, under lcal rules, is a dead ball. Fr a curt hinder t be called there must be n attempt t return the ball. Brken ball: If the ball breaks n the serve, a new ball shall be substituted and the serve shall be replayed, nt canceling any prir fault serve. Fault Serves The fllwing serves are faults and any tw in successin result in a side-ut (singles): Ft Faults The server des nt begin the service mtin with bth feet in the service zne. The server leaves the service zne befre the served ball passes the shrt line. In dubles, the server's partner is nt in the service bx with bth feet n the flr and back t the wall frm the time the server begins the service mtin until the ball passes the shrt line. Shrt Serve: A shrt serve is any served ball that first hits the frnt wall and n the rebund hits the flr n r in frnt f the shrt line (with r withut tuching a side wall.) Three Wall Serve: Any served ball that first hits the frnt wall and n the rebund hits the tw (2) side walls n the fly. Ceiling Serve: Any served ball that first hits the frnt wall and then tuches the ceiling (with r withut tuching a side wall). Lng Serve: Any served ball that first hits the frnt wall and rebunds t the back wall befre tuching the flr (with r withut tuching a side wall). Out Serves Missed ball: Any attempt t strike the ball that results in a ttal miss r in tuching any part f the server's bdy ther than the racquet. Nn-frnt serve: Any served ball that des nt strike the frnt wall first. Tuched Serve: Any served ball n the rebund frm the frnt wall that tuches the server (r server's partner nt prperly psitined in the service bx including the racquet) n a fly, r any ball intentinally stpped r caught by the server r server's partner. Crtch Serve: If the served ball hits the crtch f the frnt wall and flr, frnt wall and side wall, r frnt wall and ceiling; it is cnsidered "n gd" and is an ut serve. A serve int the crtch f the back wall and the flr is gd and in play. A served ball hitting the crtch f the sidewall and flr (as in a "Z" serve) beynd the shrt line is "gd" and in play. Illegal hit: Any illegal hit (cntacting the ball twice, carries r hitting the ball with the handle f the racquet r part f the bdy r unifrm) results in an ut serve. Fake r Balk Serve: Such a serve is defined as a nn-cntinuus mvement f the racquet twards the ball as the server drps the ball fr the purpse f serving and results in an ut serve. Out f Order Serve: In dubles, when either partner serves ut f rder, any pints which may have been scred during an ut f rder serve will be autmatically vid with the scre reverting t the scre prir t the ut f rder serve.
Recreatinal Sprts Racquetball Rules Out f Curt Serve: Any served ball that first hits the frnt wall and, befre striking the flr, ges ut f the curt that has been declared ut f play fr a valid reasn. Safety Zne Vilatin: If the server, r dubles partner, enters int the safety zne befre the served ball passes the shrt line, it shall result in the lss f serve. Return f Serve After the ball is legally served, ne f the players n the receiving side must strike the ball with the racquet either n the fly r after the first bunce and befre the ball tuches the flr the secnd time. The ball must be returned t the frnt wall, either directly r after tuching ne r bth side walls, the back wall r the ceiling r any cmbinatin f thse surfaces. A returned ball may nt tuch the flr befre tuching the frnt wall. Failure t return a serve results in a pint fr the server. Rallies Each legal return after the serve is called a rally. Play during rallies shall be accrding t the fllwing rules: Only the head f the racquet may be used at any time t return the ball. The racquet may be held in ne r bth hands. Switching hands t hit a ball, tuching the ball with any part f the bdy r clthes, r remving the wrist thng result in lss f the rally. In attempting returns, the ball may be tuched r struck nly nce by a player r the result is a lss f rally. The ball may nt be "carried". (A carried ball is ne which rests n the racquet in such a way that the effect is mre f a "sling" r "thrw" than a hit.) Failure t make a legal return during a rally includes: The ball bunces n the flr mre than nce befre being hit. The ball des nt reach the frnt wall n the fly. The ball exits the curt via the pen area f the back wall results in a pint r side ut. A ball, which bviusly did nt have the velcity r directin t hit the frnt wall, strikes anther player n the curt. A returned ball that hits r tuches the player s partner n the same play befre the ppsing team plays the ball. The player r partner cmmits an avidable hinder. Return Attempts: In singles, if a player swings at but misses the ball, the player may cntinue t attempt t return the ball until it tuches the flr fr the secnd time. In dubles, if ne player swings at but misses the ball, bth partners may make further attempts t return the ball until it tuches the flr the secnd time. Bth partners are entitled t return the ball. If there is suspicin that a ball has brken n a rally, play shall cntinue until the end f the rally. In singles a single hand ut equals a side ut and retires the server. In dubles a single hand ut equals a side ut n the first service f each game; thereafter, tw handuts equal a side-ut and thereby retires the serving team. Dead Ball Hinders Dead ball hinders result in the rally being replayed withut penalty and the server receiving tw serves. A dead ball hinder ccurs when: Hitting an Oppnent: Any returned ball that tuches an ppnent n the fly befre it returns t the frnt wall. The player that has been hit r nicked by the ball may make the call. It must be made immediately. Any ball, which hits an ppnent, that bviusly did nt have the velcity r
Recreatinal Sprts Racquetball Rules directin t reach the frnt wall shall nt result in a hinder (and shall cause the player r team that hit the ball t lse the rally). Bdy Cntact: If bdy cntact ccurs which was sufficient t stp the rally, either fr the purpse f preventing injury by further cntact r because the cntact prevented a player frm being able t make a reasnable return, it shall be declared a hinder. Bdy cntact, particularly n the fllw thrugh is nt necessarily a hinder. Either player invlved in the cntact shall make the call. This is an hnr call and shuld nt be abused r taken advantage f. Screen Ball: Any ball rebunding frm the frnt wall clse t the bdy f a player n the side which just returned the ball which interferes with r prevents the returning player side frm seeing the ball. Back Swing Hinder: Any bdy cntact either n the back swing r in rute t r just prir t returning the ball which impairs the hitter's ability t take a reasnable swing. Safety Hldup: Any player abut t execute a return wh believes she/he is likely t strike his ppnent with the ball r racquet may immediately stp play. Interference: A player lses a she r ther equipment r any ther utside interference ccurs. Avidance While making an attempt t return the ball, a player is entitled t a fair chance t see and return the ball. It is the respnsibility f the side that has just served r returned the ball t mve s the receiving side may g straight t the ball and have an unbstructed view f the ball after it leaves the frnt wall. Hwever, the receiver must make a reasnable effrt t mve tward the ball and have a reasnable chance t return it in rder fr a hinder t be called. Avidable Hinders An avidable hinder will result in the lss f a rally. An avidable hinder des nt necessarily have t be an "intentinal" act and is a result f any f the fllwing: The individual des nt mve sufficiently t allw an ppnent an pen sht. The individual mves int psitin affecting a blck n the ppnent abut t return the ball, r in dubles, ne partner mves in frnt f an ppnent as the partner f that ppnent is returning the ball. The individual intentinally mves in the way and is struck by the ball just played by the ppnent. The individual deliberately pushes r shves the ppnent during a rally. The individual mves s as t restrict ppnent's swing s that the player returning the ball des nt have a free unimpeded swing. Deliberate shuting, stamping f feet, waving f racquet r any manner f disrupting the player whm is hitting the ball. Time Outs During games t 21, each player r team is allwed tw (2) 30-secnd time-uts; ne additinal 30-secnd time-ut in the tie breaker. A time ut may nt be called nce the server begins the service mtin. In case f injury, (ther than muscle cramps and pulls, fatigue and ther ailments that are nt caused by direct cntact n the curt) individuals will be awarded an injury time ut. If the injured player is nt able t resume play, the match will be declared a default. In the case f equipment prblems, individuals must use a time-ut t change equipment. In unusual situatins, players shuld cnsult the sprt supervisr n duty. Between games, a five (5)-minute rest perid will be allwed. If bth parties are ready t play sner than five (5) minutes, they may start the next game.
Recreatinal Sprts Racquetball Rules Rule 4: Playffs Teams must maintain a 3.5 sprtsmanship average and have zer frfeits during the regular seasn t be eligible fr the playffs. Sprtsmanship pints fr each regular seasn cntest will be added tgether and divided by the ttal number f cntests held t find each team s sprtsmanship average. NOTE: See Plicy and Prcedure fr mre infrmatin n captain s respnsibilities, participant s respnsibilities, league definitins, registratin infrmatin, rster infrmatin, rescheduling requests, defaults, frfeits, sprtsmanship, hnr cde plicy, prtests, pst seasn scheduling and eligibility.