Sandball – Handball on the sand

In 2013 Newquay Handball Club hosted the first ever Sandball tournament in Cornwall on Watergate Bay beach. It was a brilliant success and introduced many people to the world of Handball and Sandball. This year we will be doing the same but this time inviting teams from around the country to take part. Currently the date for this is August 2nd 2014 and will be at Watergate Bay beach again.

Team size

On the field of play, teams consist of three outfield players and a goalkeeper. However squads are ideally around 6/7/8 players. Substitutions are regular and often on, a roll-on-roll-off off basis.

When a team has possession the goalkeeper becomes an outfield player, when the attack ends goalkeepers quickly substitute so not to leave the goal unattended for the opposition attack.

Players must be 16 or over.

Scoring system

There are no draws in Sandball, even at the end of each half. If the first half finishes in a draw a golden goals decides who wins the half, that team is awarded a point. Same format for the second half. If it ends 2-0, as you’d expect the team who got two points wins. If it ends 1-1 a penalty shootout decides the overall winner.

The field

The playing area is 27m x 12m with a 6m line that players can’t step into. Similar to the 6m ‘D’ semi-circle in regular Handball.

3 steps

Players are allowed 3 steps in possession of the ball before passing, shooting, or bouncing (won’t get you far on the beach).

Thats the basic format of the game, other rules can be picked up by playing – so get involved!