University of Minnesota Intramurals
University of Minnesota Intramurals Racquetball Rules The following set of rules addresses gameplay for racquetball. Any additional situations that arise will be governed by the USA Racquetball Official Rules. Additionally, the intramural handbook addresses intramural policies that apply to all sports and should be read prior to registering an intramural team. The Intramural Handbook can be found online. Postings:
Schedules, league updates, game results, and playoff brackets will be posted on IMLeagues as that information becomes available. Team captains should check the site regularly to check for changes.
Pre-Game:
All players must check in at the table with a University of Minnesota or government issued photo identification card. There are no exceptions to this rule. Using another person’s ID is grounds for suspension from Intramurals.
Uniforms:
All uniforms must follow the Recreation and Wellness Center Dress code. The following items are required while playing intramural racquetball: Athletic-style shoes with non-marking soles, closed toes, and closed heels. Athletic-style pants or shorts. Shorts must be of sufficient length to cover the gluteal fold. Shirts that reach the top of the pants or shorts and fully cover the torso (chest, stomach, back, and sides.) All clothing must be free of profanity, offensive language, and offensive graphics. The following items are prohibited while playing intramural racquetball: Tear away pants Metal barrettes or bobby pins Hats or bandanas Jewelry
Forfeits:
There are no forfeits in singles and doubles sports.
Defaults:
Teams must have one player for singles and two players for doubles by five minutes past game time. Otherwise, a default will be awarded. A default will result in a 2.5 sportsmanship rating. If the game begins late because of one team’s lack of players, that team can get no higher than a 2.5 sportsmanship rating for that game. Team captains may call the intramural office by 4pm on the day of the game or 4pm on Friday for weekend games to default the game ahead of time. In this case, the team will receive the loss, but will not need anyone to show up at game time.
A second default by the same team in the same season will require the team be removed from the league and no refund will be given. Equipment:
All players must wear non-marking footwear and goggles. Players must provide their own equipment; some equipment is available for rent from the North Equipment Room.
General:
Matches are best of three games. Games are played to 15 points. Singles games are played with one player on each team. Doubles games are played with two players on each team.
Service:
The first server of the initial game is determined by a spin of the racquet. For each subsequent game, the previous game’s winner will begin serving. The server may serve from any place in the service zone. The server must stay inside the zone until the serve crosses the short line. The serve begins as the ball leaves the server’s hand. It must bounce in the service zone and then be struck by the server before a second bounce. It then must bounce off of the front wall and then hit the floor behind the short line.
Dead Ball Serve:
A dead ball serve is one in which no points are awarded and the serve is redone. The serve hits the server’s partner in the service box before touching the floor. The serve passes too close to the server or their partner and screens the returners. Any ball that passes between the server’s partner and the side wall is an automatic screen.
Fault Serve:
Two consecutive fault serves result in a side out. The server or their partner leaves the service zone before the ball crosses the short line. The serve contacts the floor before passing the short line. The serve contacts both side walls on the fly after contacting the front wall. The serve contacts the ceiling on the fly after contacting the front wall. The serve contacts the back wall before contacting the floor.
Out Serve:
An out serve results in an automatic side out. The server bounces the ball more than three times before initiating the serve. The server misses the ball completely or the server contacts the ball with a body part instead of their racquet.
Return of Serve:
The serve contacts the back wall, ceiling, floor, or side wall before contacting the front wall. The serving team serves out of order. The serve contacts directly in the corner of the front wall.
The returner must stand five feet behind the short line, and they may not return the ball until it passes the short line. The returner may strike the ball on the fly or after the first bounce. In making a fly return, no part of the returner’s body shall enter into the service zone. The return may not strike the floor before the front wall, but it may strike any other surface on its way to the front wall. Failing to return the serve or illegally returning the serve results in a point for the serving team.
Scoring:
Only the serving team may score. To score, the serving team’s opponent must commit a rally fault. If the serving team commits a fault during the rally, it is a side out and the opposing team is awarded control of the serve.
Rally:
Once the serve is made legally, the remainder of the point is considered the rally. Faults made during the rally will result in a point or a side out.
Rally Faults:
The following are faults that cause the rally to end. The ball contacts the floor before the front wall or does not contact the front wall during a return. The player strikes the ball with anything except the head of the racquet. The player or team strikes the ball twice in succession during one return attempt. The ball bounces twice before the player returns it. The player deliberately wets the ball. The player switches which hand they hold the racquet in during the rally. The player carries the ball with their racquet. A player commits an avoidable hinder.
Dead Ball Hinders:
Dead ball hinders result in replaying the rally. No points are awarded. The return hits an opponent on the fly on its path to the front wall. There is unavoidable body contact that interferes with returning the ball. There is unavoidable screening that interferes with seeing the ball.
Avoidable Hinders:
An avoidable hinder results in a point or side out and includes the following. A player fails to move sufficiently to allow the opponent to make a return. A player moves into a position that blocks the opponent from completing a return. A player moves into the way of a ball that has just been played by the opponent.
Timeouts:
Each team is allotted three timeouts per match. Timeouts may only be taken between rallies and they may not exceed 30 seconds.
Schedules, league updates, game results, and playoff brackets will be posted on IMLeagues as that information becomes available. Team captains should check the site regularly to check for changes.
Pre-Game:
All players must check in at the table with a University of Minnesota or government issued photo identification card. There are no exceptions to this rule. Using another person’s ID is grounds for suspension from Intramurals.
Uniforms:
All uniforms must follow the Recreation and Wellness Center Dress code. The following items are required while playing intramural racquetball: Athletic-style shoes with non-marking soles, closed toes, and closed heels. Athletic-style pants or shorts. Shorts must be of sufficient length to cover the gluteal fold. Shirts that reach the top of the pants or shorts and fully cover the torso (chest, stomach, back, and sides.) All clothing must be free of profanity, offensive language, and offensive graphics. The following items are prohibited while playing intramural racquetball: Tear away pants Metal barrettes or bobby pins Hats or bandanas Jewelry
Forfeits:
There are no forfeits in singles and doubles sports.
Defaults:
Teams must have one player for singles and two players for doubles by five minutes past game time. Otherwise, a default will be awarded. A default will result in a 2.5 sportsmanship rating. If the game begins late because of one team’s lack of players, that team can get no higher than a 2.5 sportsmanship rating for that game. Team captains may call the intramural office by 4pm on the day of the game or 4pm on Friday for weekend games to default the game ahead of time. In this case, the team will receive the loss, but will not need anyone to show up at game time.
A second default by the same team in the same season will require the team be removed from the league and no refund will be given. Equipment:
All players must wear non-marking footwear and goggles. Players must provide their own equipment; some equipment is available for rent from the North Equipment Room.
General:
Matches are best of three games. Games are played to 15 points. Singles games are played with one player on each team. Doubles games are played with two players on each team.
Service:
The first server of the initial game is determined by a spin of the racquet. For each subsequent game, the previous game’s winner will begin serving. The server may serve from any place in the service zone. The server must stay inside the zone until the serve crosses the short line. The serve begins as the ball leaves the server’s hand. It must bounce in the service zone and then be struck by the server before a second bounce. It then must bounce off of the front wall and then hit the floor behind the short line.
Dead Ball Serve:
A dead ball serve is one in which no points are awarded and the serve is redone. The serve hits the server’s partner in the service box before touching the floor. The serve passes too close to the server or their partner and screens the returners. Any ball that passes between the server’s partner and the side wall is an automatic screen.
Fault Serve:
Two consecutive fault serves result in a side out. The server or their partner leaves the service zone before the ball crosses the short line. The serve contacts the floor before passing the short line. The serve contacts both side walls on the fly after contacting the front wall. The serve contacts the ceiling on the fly after contacting the front wall. The serve contacts the back wall before contacting the floor.
Out Serve:
An out serve results in an automatic side out. The server bounces the ball more than three times before initiating the serve. The server misses the ball completely or the server contacts the ball with a body part instead of their racquet.
Return of Serve:
The serve contacts the back wall, ceiling, floor, or side wall before contacting the front wall. The serving team serves out of order. The serve contacts directly in the corner of the front wall.
The returner must stand five feet behind the short line, and they may not return the ball until it passes the short line. The returner may strike the ball on the fly or after the first bounce. In making a fly return, no part of the returner’s body shall enter into the service zone. The return may not strike the floor before the front wall, but it may strike any other surface on its way to the front wall. Failing to return the serve or illegally returning the serve results in a point for the serving team.
Scoring:
Only the serving team may score. To score, the serving team’s opponent must commit a rally fault. If the serving team commits a fault during the rally, it is a side out and the opposing team is awarded control of the serve.
Rally:
Once the serve is made legally, the remainder of the point is considered the rally. Faults made during the rally will result in a point or a side out.
Rally Faults:
The following are faults that cause the rally to end. The ball contacts the floor before the front wall or does not contact the front wall during a return. The player strikes the ball with anything except the head of the racquet. The player or team strikes the ball twice in succession during one return attempt. The ball bounces twice before the player returns it. The player deliberately wets the ball. The player switches which hand they hold the racquet in during the rally. The player carries the ball with their racquet. A player commits an avoidable hinder.
Dead Ball Hinders:
Dead ball hinders result in replaying the rally. No points are awarded. The return hits an opponent on the fly on its path to the front wall. There is unavoidable body contact that interferes with returning the ball. There is unavoidable screening that interferes with seeing the ball.
Avoidable Hinders:
An avoidable hinder results in a point or side out and includes the following. A player fails to move sufficiently to allow the opponent to make a return. A player moves into a position that blocks the opponent from completing a return. A player moves into the way of a ball that has just been played by the opponent.
Timeouts:
Each team is allotted three timeouts per match. Timeouts may only be taken between rallies and they may not exceed 30 seconds.
