Racquetball Intramurals at St. Norbert College

General rules

• The tournament will be a single elimination tournament.
• A match is won by one team winning the best of 3 games. The first two games are played to 15 points, if a third game is needed, that game will be played to 11 points.
• The serve is started from any place within the service zone. Neither the ball, nor any part of either foot may extend beyond either line of the service zone when initiating the service motion. Stepping on, but not over, the line is permitted. When completing the service motion, the server may step over the service line provided that some part of both fee remain on or inside until the served all passes the short line. The serve may not step over the short line until the ball passes the short line.
• After taking a set position inside the service zone, a player may begin the service motion (any continuous movement which results in the ball being served). Once the service motion begins, the ball must be bounced on the floor in the zone and be struck by the racquet before it bounces a second time. After being struck, the ball must hit the front wall first and on the rebound hit the floor beyond the back edge of the short line, either with or without touching one of the side walls.

Dead ball

• A dead ball serve results in no penalty and the server is given another serve.
• A serve that takes an irregular bounce because it hit a wet spot or an irregular surface on the court is a dead-ball serve.
• If the ball is determined to have broken on the serve, a new ball shall be substituted and the serve shall be replayed, not canceling any prior fault serve.

Fault serve

• Two fault serves result in an out.
• Foot faults result when the server does not begin the service motion with both feet in the service zone or the server steps completely over the service line before the served ball crosses the short line.
• A short serve is any served ball that first hits the front wall, and on the rebound, hits the floor on or in front of the short line either with or without touching a side wall
• A three wall serve is any served ball that first hits the front wall and, on the rebound, strikes both side walls before touching the floor.
• A ceiling serve is any served ball that first hits the front wall and then touches the ceiling.
• A long serve is a served ball that first hits the front wall and rebounds to the back wall before touching the floor.
• A served ball that first hits the front wall and on the rebound passes so closely to the server that it prevents the receiver from having a clear view of the ball.

Out serve

• Any attempt to strike the ball that results in a total miss or in the ball touching any part of the server's body. Also allowing the ball to bounce more than once during the service motion.
• Any served ball that on the rebound from the front wall touches the server or server's racquet, or any ball intentionally stopped or caught by the server.
• An illegal hit is a hit that includes contacting the ball twice, carrying the ball or hitting the ball with the handle of the racquet or part of the body or uniform.
• Any served ball that hits the crotch of the front wall and floor, front wall and side wall or front wall and ceiling is an out serve because it did not hit the front wall first. A serve into the crotch of the back wall and floor is a good serve and in play. A served ball that hits the crotch of the side wall and floor beyond the short line is in play.
• After a legal serve, a player on the receiving team must strike the ball on the fly or after the first bounce, and before the ball touches the floor a second time; and return the ball to the front wall either directly or after touching on or both side walls, the back wall or the cling, or any combination of those surfaces. A returned ball must touch the front wall before touching the floor.
• The failure to return a serve results in a point for the server.
• Only the head of the racquet may be used at any time to return aa ball.
• If a player swings at the ball and misses it the player may continue to attempt to return the ball until it touches the floor a second time.
• When an opponent is hit by a return shot in flight, it is a dead ball