USHA REFEREE’S CERTIFICATION
By Rules and Referees Chairman Pete Tyson
In our effort to upgrade the officiating in handball, the USHA now offers five levels of certification for referees.
They are:
Level One: Pass written certification exam or attend a referees’ clinic.
Level Two: Pass written certification exam and attend a referees’ clinic.
Level Three: Pass exam, attend clinic, and receive positive observation report by a qualified official (Level 4 or 5 referee).
Level Four: Pass exam, attend clinic, positive observation officiating Open play by a Level 4 or 5 official.
Level Five: This level of certification is reserved for Level 4 officials who are also qualified to conduct referees’ clinics.
As most of you know, the USHA is now compensating referees at the national four-wall championships for officiating matches from the quarterfinals on in all events. Qualified referees earn up to $20 per match.
Please mail your completed answer sheet to USHA, 2333 N. Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716.
You must be a USHA member to qualify for certification.
Part I — Multiple Choice
On the answer sheet, write the correct letter of the appropriate answer and the page number in the rule book where the answer was found.
1. Server is not ready to serve when referee calls the score.
A. Side-out
B. Fault
C. Referee calls the score again
D. Server has 10 seconds to serve
2. Partner A is first server but partner B serves first.
A. Side-out
B. Partner A loses serve and partner B serves
C. Partner B loses serve and partner A serves
D. Legal, either partner may serve first
3. Before ball is served, it is discovered that the ball is broken.
4. After the score is announced, the server calls a timeout.
A. No penalty, but timeout is not allowed.
B. Timeout is allowed
C. A side-out should be called
D. A technical should be called
5. After serving a fault, server calls timeout before referee announces "second serve."
A. The timeout is allowed
B. No penalty, but the timeout is not allowed
C. A side-out should be called
D. A technical should be called
A. A point for the server
B. A fault should be called
C. The receiver can continue his attempt to return the serve
7. The receiver calls a timeout after the score is announced.
A. The timeout should be allowed
B. No penalty is assessed but the timeout is not allowed
C. A technical should be called
D. An avoidable hinder should be called
8. The receiver is not in a ready position within 10 seconds after the referee has called point or side-out.
A. A point should be awarded the server
B. Referee should call the score and the server may serve
C. Server cannot serve until the receiver is ready
D. A technical should be called
A. No call should be made after the fact if the referee didn’t call a hinder before the shot was missed.
B. A hinder should be called.
A. A hinder should be called
B. An avoidable hinder should be called
C. Player who hit shot is awarded the rally
A. The fault should stand
B. The fault call should be reversed and the server awarded another serve
C. Server should be awarded a point
12. The referee calls a fault but realizes he made a mistake and the serve was good.
A. The fault call should be reversed and the server given another serve
B. The fault call should stand
13. During a rally, the ball hits the front wall, then the back wall, then the floor and then the front wall again.
A. The rally should be awarded to the player who hit the shot
B. The ball is still in play until it bounces on the floor twice
A. The referee should call the shot good
B. The referee should call for a replay of the rally
C. The referee should make his call of good or skip-in without the help of the players
15. The referee can’t determine whether an attempted killshot was good. There are no linesmen and the players disagree.
A. The referee must make a call of good or skip-in
B. The referee should call for a replay
16. A player is injured during a rally and falls down while the ball is still in play.
A. Play should be stopped immediately
B. Player who is injured loses the rally
17. A player gets leg cramps.
A. Play continues
B. An injury timeout should be allowed
A. An avoidable hinder should be called
B. A hinder should be called
C. The player who hit the shot loses the rally
19. A player accidentally runs into his opponent in his effort to make a retrieve
A. An avoidable hinder should be called against the player who ran into his opponent
B. A hinder should be called immediately
C. A hinder should be called only if the ball was retrievable had the interference not occurred
20. A player accidentally loses his shoe during the rally and the ball is still in play.
A. A hinder should be called immediately
B. A hinder should be called only if the shoe poses a threat to the players’ safety
21. A player calls a timeout, but has already used his allotted number of timeouts.
A. A technical should be called
B. No penalty should be assessed, but the timeout is not allowed
C. An avoidable hinder should be called
22. In singles, which player serves first in a tie-breaker?
A. The player who scored the most total points in the first two games
B. The player who served first in the first game
C. The player who won the second game
D. First serve should be determined by a coin toss
23. In singles, which player serves first in the second game?
A. The player who wins the first game
B. First serve should be determined by a coin toss
C. The player who didn’t serve first in the first game
D. The player who didn’t serve first in the first game has the choice of serving or receiving
24. The doubles team wins the coin toss.
A. Team must serve first
B. Team can choose to serve or receive
A. An avoidable hinder should be called if the player had time to move out of the way
B. An avoidable hinder should be the automatic call
26. A player calls two timeouts in a row.
27. A player leaves the court during a timeout.
A. No penalty
B. The player must have permission from the referee
C. It is illegal for the player to leave the court. The match should be defaulted.
28. The time allowed between the first and second game is:
A. 1 minute
B. 2 minutes
C. 5 minutes
D. 10 minutes
29. The time allowed between the second and third game is:
A. 2 minutes
B. 3 minutes
C. 5 minutes
D. 10 minutes
30. The time permitted for a glove change is:
A. 1 minute
B. 2 minutes
C. 3 minutes
D. 5 minutes
31. A player, attempting to make a retrieve, slips on a wet spot. He could have made the retrieve if he hadn’t slipped.
A. A hinder should be called
B. No hinder should be called
A. The player who caught the ball wins the rally
B. A hinder should be called
C. An avoidable hinder should be called against the player who caught the ball
D. A technical warning should be called against the player who caught the ball
33. A player is hit by his own shot on the rebound from the front wall, but the opponent could not have made the retrieve.
A. The player who is hit wins the rally
B. The player who is hit loses the rally
C. A hinder should be called
34. The maximum amount of time for a player to be late for his match before forfeit is:
A. 5 minutes
B. 10 minutes
C. 15 minutes
D. 20 minutes
35. A player does not return to the court within one minute after a timeout has been called.
A. No penalty should be assessed
D. The game that is being played is awarded to the player’s opponent, but the match should continue
A. The player may continue to warm up until he is ready to start play
B. The player can warm up for a maximum of 10 minutes
C. The player should not be allowed to warm up
37. If the matches are running behind schedule, the players should be allowed a warm up period of:
A. Five minutes
B. Ten minutes
C. Until they are ready to start play
38. On any situation not specifically covered by the rulebook,
A. The referee has the final authority
B. A replay should be called
C. Whatever the players agree to do
D. The referee may rule on this matter but may be overruled by the referees chairman or tournament director
39. A technical call results in:
A. The match being defaulted
B. A point is awarded to the offending player’s opponent
C. A point is deducted from the offending player’s score
40. The referee determines that the ball has become defective during a game.
A. The referee has the authority to call for a change of balls
B. The referee should call for a new ball only if both players agree
C. The ball should only be changed between games
41. The referee determines that a player’s shirt is wet and is causing the floor to get wet.
A. The referee should tell the player to change his shirt
B. The referee should wait until a timeout is called and then ask the player to change his shirt
C. The referee can ask the player to change his shirt, but it is the player’s option
42. A player has a bruised hand and wants to tape a piece of metal over the bruise inside his glove.
A. This is illegal. No hard object such as metal may be worn under the glove
B. The referee should allow this as long as he feels the metal doesn’t create an unfair advantage for the player
43. A player uses rubber bands across the palms of his gloves.
A. This is legal
B. This is illegal
44. A player is wearing a shirt that is cut off just below the chest.
A. The shirt is legal attire
B. The shirt is illegal attire
45. A player’s shirt has a pattern of blue polka-dots the size of handballs all over it.
A. The shirt is legal
B. The shirt is illegal
46. A player appeals a referee’s "judgment" hinder call.
A. The referee should allow the appeal
B. The referee should not allow the appeal
47. One linesman disagrees with the referee’s call and the other linesman abstains.
A. The referee’s call stands
B. The referee’s call is reversed
C. The referee shall decide whether his call will stand or be reversed or the rally replayed
48. Both linesmen disagree with the referee’s call.
C. The referee’s call may stand or be reversed or the rally replayed on the referee’s decision
49. One linesman agrees with the referee’s call and one linesman disagrees.
A. The referee’s call stands
B. The referee’s call is reversed
C. The referee’s call may stand or be reversed or the rally replayed on the referee’s decision
50. After a rally is over in amateur play, one player wishes to appeal his opponent’s retrieve that was not a rally-ending shot.
A. The referee should allow the appeal
B. The referee should not allow the appeal
51. The referee calls a hinder and then realizes he made a mistake and a hinder should not have been called.
A. The referee’s call stands
B. The referee can change his call
52. The maximum time allowed for injury timeouts is:
A. 5 minutes
B. 10 minutes
C. 15 minutes
D. 20 minutes
A. The referee should not allow this. The match must be forfeited once the legal time is exceeded
B. The referee should allow this concession by the opponent
A. Court cannot be changed during a match
B. Court can be changed if both players agree to change
C. Tournament director has authority to make the change
55. The referee judges that a player has caused an avoidable hinder, but it is his first offense of the match.
A. An avoidable hinder should be called
B. The referee must give a warning and not call an avoidable until the next offense
C. The referee may give a warning if he chooses
A. Side-out
B. Server has one fault
57. The server serves a fault, then a legal serve but the ball breaks during the rally, and then another fault.
A. Side-out
B. Server has one fault
A. Player who was hit with the ball wins the rally
B. Avoidable hinder should be called
C. Dead ball hinder should be called
A. Dead ball hinder should be called
B. Player who hit shot wins the rally
A. A dead ball hinder should be called
B. There should be no call if the ball does not reach the front wall
C. An avoidable hinder should be called
PART II – MATCHING
From the following list, write in the correct letter of the appropriate answer and the page number where the answer was found in the rulebook.
61. The server leaves the service zone before the ball passes the short line.
62. The server bounces the ball more than three times before serving.
63. The server accidentally drops the ball on his foot when getting ready to start his service.
64. After the score is called, the server throws the ball against the sidewall.
65. When attempting to serve, the server swings at, but completely misses, the ball.
66. The service attempt hits the front and sidewall simultaneously.
67. The service attempt hits the floor before hitting the front wall.
68. The server’s foot touches the service line in his act of serving.
69. The server’s foot is behind the back edge of the short line when he begins his service attempt, but both feet are inside the
service zone when the ball is contacted by the server’s hand.
70. The service attempt hits the short line after contacting the front wall.
71. The service attempt hits the front wall and then rebounds to hit the back wall and floor simultaneously.
72. The service attempt hits the front wall and then hits two sidewalls before hitting the floor.
73. The service attempt hits the front wall and then rebounds over the back wall before contacting the floor.
74. The service attempt hits the front wall and then rebounds over the back wall after contacting the floor.
75. The server does not serve the ball within 10 seconds after the referee has announced the score.
76. After the score is called, the server serves the ball before the receiver is ready.
77. The service attempt hits the front wall and then rebounds past the short line but travels between the server’s legs.
78. The service attempt hits the front wall and then rebounds to hit the floor in front of the short line. The ball then contacts the server before bouncing twice.
79. The service attempt hits the front wall and then travels past the short line, but travels between the server’s partner and the sidewall.
80. The server serves the ball while standing in the same service box that his partner is standing in.
81. The server hits the ball with his fist on his service attempt.
82. The service attempt hits the front wall and then hits the ceiling before contacting the floor behind the short line.
83. The server serves a fault, then a screen, then another fault.
84. The server’s partner leaves the doubles service box before the ball passes the short line.
85. The server’s partner is standing in the doubles service box with his back toward the front wall when his partner serves the ball.
86. The service attempt hits the front wall and the server’s partner catches the ball before it hits the floor. The partner was not in danger of being hit by the served ball.
87. The service attempt hits the front wall and is traveling towards the server’s partner’s head so the partner catches the served ball just before it would have hit him in the head.
88. The service attempt hits the front wall and then rebounds to hit the partner’s foot. The serve would have been short had it not hit the partner’s foot.
89. The server’s partner leaves the service box and is struck by the serve as it rebounds from the front wall.
90. The server commits a foot fault but his serve hits the floor before reaching the front wall.
91. The service attempt hits the front wall, then the left side wall, then the right side wall and floor simultaneously.
92. The receiver is standing four feet behind the short line when the server strikes the ball.
93. The receiver moves in to take a lob serve on the fly but reaches forward of the short line to make contact with the ball, but his feet are still behind the short line.
94. The receiver moves in to take a lob serve on the fly although he makes contact with the ball behind the short line, his follow-through crosses the short line.
95. A player hits the ball with the back of his hand.
96. A player has his two hands together when contacting the ball but only hits the ball with one hand.
97. A player contacts the ball with his wrist but his glove covers his wrist.
98. A player hits his opponent with the ball and the ball would have reached the front wall.
99. A player hits his opponent with the ball and referee is unsure whether the ball would have reached the front wall if the ball had not hit the opponent.
100. After hitting a shot that is apparently going to be a setup for his opponent, the player verbally reprimands himself before his opponent hits the setup.
101. Partner "A" yells to his partner "B" to "Cover the front of the court" just as one of their opponents is moving into position to hit the return.
102. As one player is about to hit his shot, the opponent moves behind him and stomps his feet.
103. A player hits a shot that is going to result in a back wall setup for his opponent. The player takes his eyes off the shot and unintentionally moves into a front court position directly in front of his opponent’s shot and is struck by his opponent’s return.
104. A player dives to retrieve a ball in the front court. In his effort to get back on his feet, he creates interference with his opponent.
105. During a rally, the ball hits a wet spot and "slides." The player makes a legal return in spite of the "slide."
106. A player forcibly shoves his opponent during a rally.
107. A player serves two consecutive screen serves.
108. A player hits a shot that caroms from the front wall out of the court over the back wall.
109. A player hits the ball to the front wall and is pinned against the sidewall as the ball rebounds from the front wall. In his effort to get away from the sidewall and out to center court, he creates interference for his opponent.
110. A player, who is in the front court, hits a shot to the front wall that rebounds from the front wall and travels between his legs interfering with his opponent’s opportunity to play the shot.
111. A player, who is the front court, hits a shot to the front wall that rebounds from the front wall and travels between his legs. His opponent is in deep court and the referee judges that the opponent’s view was unobstructed.
112. A player hits a shot that might reach the front wall, but the opponent catches it before it hits the floor or the front wall.
113. A player receives two technicals during the first game and then receives a third technical in the second game.
114. A player engages in unsportsman-like conduct.
115. A player stops his swing because he is afraid his arm is going to contact the opponent. The referee believes the holdup was reasonable.
116. A player is wearing a hat that comes off during a rally and causes interference with the opponent’s next return attempt.
117. A player fails to properly wear eye protection. It is his first offense.
118. A player fails to properly wear eye protection. It is his second violation in the same match.