A Guide to Netball

Netball is a team game which originally was created shortly after basketball. It was developed with women in mind in order to accommodate the social conventions of women’s participation in sports at the time, in 1892. Although originally stemming from the game of basketball, netball has a lot more differences than similarities. The basketball rules were slowly and gradually developed in order to form this new sport ‘Net ball’ in England. In the 1960’s the rule were internationally standardized, and forming the International Netball Federation. Since its popularity rose, it has been a popular game to be played within Commonwealth nations. There has been a long and ongoing effort to have Netball included within the Olympics and this continues to be a goal for the INF.

The game is made up of two teams of seven players, competing against each other in order to keep possession of the ball and score points. It is played on a court slightly larger than that of a basketball court and each game lasts for 60minutes. This is split into four quarters, with an interval lasting five minutes at halftime. The court itself is made up of three different areas, each area dictates different rules of movement for the positions. Within the seven players on each team there are different positions you could play in. Each position has its own restrictions and rules on the court.

Defence, attack, score!

It is a fast paced, energetic and skilled game. Whichever team has possession of the ball, has an objective to get the ball from one end of the pitch to the other, where their goal circle is positioned. They may do this by jumping, throwing, running and catching the ball. While the opposing teams objective is to defend the team and gain possession of the ball. The winning team is the one which has scored the most number of goals by the end of the match.

While the ball is being passed between players, all players at any time are only allowed to hold the ball for a maximum of 3 seconds before they must pass it on. If the ball is in your possession, then you must not take more than 1.5 steps while holding the ball. In order to score a goal during the match the ball must be passed to a player inside of the goal circle. Once it is passed to the participant, they must shoot the ball into the opponent’s goal ring. For it to be counted as a score, the ball must go through the hoop. The only two people who can score a goal are the goal shooter or the goal attacker, doing so only when in the goal circle.