A lot of things have changed for school kids throughout the generations, but handball — and the fights that break out over the rules — has remained a constant.
Across ages, between schools, towns, states, and down to friendship groups, there are varieties of rules for rolls, doubles, and fulls.
So how is it possible to stage an inter-school handball championship where everyone is on the same page?
For Robertson Public School in the southern highlands of NSW, it took negotiation, planning, and a lot of goodwill and good sports.
The competition was an election promise of Robertson Public’s vice-captain Elly Feggans.
“It took some time [to organise] because we were trying to figure out the rules,” Elly said.
The competition, with neighbouring Barrawang and Kangaloon Public Schools, was held in the last week of term.
Elly said she was already planning another.
“Everyone had a good time and we definitely want to do it again,” she said.
Rules are rules
When the students realised just how contentious the rules of handball could be, they decided to enact what would become the Robertson Handball Tournament Rules 2023.
Eva, another Robertson student, said the negotiations took some time.
“With ‘lines’, typically, other schools say you get out straight away, but we like to play the point again,” Eva said.
Handball Australia, which oversees more than 200 rules of the game, even has differing rules for different states.
“For instance, in NSW, you can do ‘headers’, which is hitting the ball on the full with your head; I’ve never seen that in Queensland,” Dan Freak from Handball Australia said.
“And you can call ‘slack’ if your serve is too hard to return.”
The school enlisted Handball Australia to work on which rules would apply for their competition.
Mr Freak said there were always plenty of options to consider.
“We’ll turn up at a meeting with the competing schools and say ‘Here are the rules that most schools follow, but it’s up to you to talk about it and vote,” he said.
“We can do whatever you decide’.”
Settling the score
The democratic process continues on the court.
If there is a disputed call, the four players in the square vote on the outcome.
“And in the event of a tied vote, we revert to scissors, paper, rock,” Robertson principal Gordon Parrish said.
Mr Parrish said the competition and formulating the rules was a learning opportunity as well as a bit of fun.
“It builds resilience and, in the end, the four people on the court get to decide.”
This time, Robertson came out on top in the handball competition.
For those not competing in handball, there was a hobbyhorse gymkhana.
Mr Parrish said there were three words being repeated by just about every student who took part:
“Best. Day. Ever.”
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