American Handball is a competitive game, with thousands of fans in the New York area. Either hand can be used to hit the ball, and the objective is to win each rally by serving or returning the ball in such a way that your opponent cannot keep the ball in play. Points can only be scored while you are serving, and losing the serve is known as an ‘Out’. Although handball requires endurance, agility, and a good sense of timing, it is still simple enough to be enjoyed by anyone. If you plan on playing, just be prepared to have a swollen palm the first few times out.

There are handball courts all over New York, and during the summer they can get to be pretty crowded. It is always best to get to a court with the expectation that you will have to wait for a few minutes before playing. One of the larger facilities in the area can be found in Central Park, where there are 12 regulation-size courts to play on. And of course there’s also the West 4th Street courts in the West Village (also known as ‘The Cage’), which are available for American Handball players – if you can persuade the basketball players to give you some court time, that is. There is also the Mayor’s Cup Handball Tournament which takes place each year in New York, so if you get good enough you may just want to sign up. The tournament is one of the largest in the city, and attracts hundreds of players of all different ages and abilities.

For more information about the sport and where you can play it, visit the website of the US Handball Association (www.ushandball.org).