Get One Past the Goalie

Goalkeepers don't have it easy in handball. They must defend a goal that measures 3 meters wide by 2 meters high (10 feet by 7 feet), and although they have a large swath of the court to themselves - everything within the 6-meter (20-foot) perimeter known as the goal area is off-limits to court players - the action is so fast-paced and the shots so crisp that games tend to be high-scoring. As in soccer, the goalkeeper is easily distinguishable in that his or her uniform differs from those of his or her teammates. Unlike court players, goalkeepers don't have to dribble when moving the ball inside the goal area. Goalkeepers are also allowed to leave the goal area without the ball - but once they do, they are considered court players and are subject to the rules governing the playing area. if they have the ball in their possession, goalkeepers may not step over the goal-area line.