Designed by a professional tennis player to be played on a handball court, racquetball gained popularity because it could be played in existing facilities. USA Racquetball, or USAR, is the domestic governing body for the sport. Racquetball offers players a fast-paced game with almost constant physical exertion, making it an effective aerobic activity and a test of endurance. The New York Times reports that playing racquetball burns about 800 calories an hour.
Types
The Official U.S. Racquetball Association Website describes three types of games. A game of singles has two players on the court, while a game of doubles has four. Nontournament play features a three-player game called cut-throat.
History
Racquetball was originally called paddle rackets, according to the New York Times. Invented by Joseph Sobeck, he and his friends first played the game at the Greenwich, Conn., Y.M.C.A. In 1952, he printed a book of official rules and founded the National Paddle Racquets Association. A combination of squash, handball and paddleball rules, racquetball became official in 1969 with the formation of the International Racquetball Association.
Popularity
The executive director of the United States Racquetball Association and secretary general of the International Racquetball Federation reports approximately 7 million people play racquetball in the United States.
Scoring
The object of racquetball is to score more points than your opponent in two out of three games. Only the serving side can score a point in racquetball, as stated in the USAR Official Rules of Racquetball. Score a point when you ace the serve or win a rally. Play the initial two games until one side reaches 15 points. You only need 11 points to win the tie-breaking third game.
Serve
Depending on division you play in, the server has the opportunity to serve one or two times. The winner of the coin toss performed before the game starts determines who serves first in the first game. The loser of the coin toss serves first in the second game. Should you need to play a third game, a tiebreaker, the player with the highest point total from the first two games wins the option of deciding who serves first in the third game. Should their cumulative scores be equal, a coin toss becomes the decider.
Rally
The successful return of a serve starts a rally. A ball that hits the head of the racquet is a legal hit. The rally ends when a player fails to return the ball or when her return touches the floor before hitting the front wall. If the ball is hit out of play or hits a player, it's not considered a legal hit. The rally also ends if before being hit, the ball bounces on the floor more than once.
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