The five basic skills in handball are dribbling, passing, shooting, defense and position. It's similar to the basic skills that basketball players learn to play their sport. 

Dribbling in handball allows players to maintain ball control and passing lets the ball move accurately between teammates. Shooting is also important because better accuracy gives players a good chance to score a goal. Defense and positioning go hand-in-hand in the sport — with good defensive positions, it will allow players to intercept the ball, break up plays or initiate a counterattack. 

The U.S. has men's and women's Olympic handball teams. However, both teams failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

There are 24 teams total - 12 on the men's side and 12 on the women's side - comprised of no more than 14 players. During play, each team has seven athletes on the court at one time - six field players and a goalie.

When on offense, most teams use three backcourt players, two wingmen and a pivot.  Backcourt players are usually tall with good leaping abilities and are often the leading goal scorers. Wingmen are typically smaller, quicker players who position themselves toward the sidelines and shoot from more difficult angles.  The pivot is often a strong, aggressive player, who hovers near the 6-meter line, sets blocks and is a master at the diving shot.

Contests consist of two 30-minute halves with a halftime separating the pair. If there is a draw in the quarterfinals and onward in the tournament, the match goes into overtime. The extra-time consists of two periods of play, each lasting five minutes. If the match remains tied at the end of the first overtime, the two sides will play a second overtime.

If there is a draw after both overtimes, a shootout competition is used to break the tie. In the shootout, five players from each side alternate taking shots from seven meters away from the net. If the match is still tied after both teams' players shoot, the shootout continues in a sudden-death format. In the sudden-death shootout, the winner is decided as soon as a goal differential is reached with each team having the same number of throws.

A player in possession of the ball may stand stationary for only three seconds before shooting, passing or dribbling. A player may not touch the ball more than once, unless it has touched the ground, touched another player or bounced off a goal post. In other words, a player can't pass to himself/herself.