Netball is played by two teams of seven players. The game is most popular in Commonwealth nations, especially in schools, and is chiefly played by girls or women. A netball court has raised goal rings at either end. The ball used is similar to that used in basketball, but slightly lighter. Players pass the ball to other members of their team and attempt to score by shooting the ball through the goal ring at the opposing end. Netball games are 60 minutes long, divided into four 15-minute quarters. At the end of the game, the team that has scored the most goals wins. Breaking a minor rule in netball results in the opposing team being awarded a free pass, taken from the same spot where the infringement occurred. Breaking a major rule results in the opposing team being awarded a penalty pass (or a penalty shot at goal if the offence took place in the shooting circle). In this case, the offending player must stand out of the way until the pass or shot is made.

Court

Goals are scored when a player positioned in the attacking shooting circle—actually semi-circular in shape—shoots the ball through the goal ring. The goal rings are fixed to the top of 10-foot (3.05-metre) posts that have no backboards. The netball court is 100 feet (30.5 metres) long, 50 feet (15.25 metres) wide, and divided into thirds.

Positions

Each player is assigned a specific position, indicated by the two-letter abbreviation on their bib. A player’s position limits her movement to certain areas of the court. Only two players, Goal Shooter (GS) and Goal Attack (GA), are permitted in the attacking shooting circle, and only these two can shoot. Similarly, only two players, Goal Keeper (GK) and Goal Defence (GD), are permitted in the defensive shooting circle.

Play

At the beginning of every quarter and after a goal has been scored, play begins with a player passing the ball from the centre of the court. The ball must be caught or touched in the centre third. These “centre passes” alternate between the teams, regardless of which team scored the last goal. The ball is then moved around the court through passing. When a player receives a pass she is not allowed to run with the ball or dribble with it. She has to be stationary before she can pass it or shoot. The ball cannot be thrown over a third of the court (that is, crossing two transverse lines) without being touched or caught by a player.

A player may hold the ball for only three seconds at any one time. The ball must be released before the foot she was standing on at the time it was caught touches the ground again. An infringement of this rule, known as stepping, results in a free pass being awarded to the opposing team.

History

Netball evolved from early versions of basketball, which was invented in 1891 by James Naismith in the United States. In 1893, Martina Bergman-Österberg introduced a version of basketball to female students at the Physical Training College in London. The rules of the game were adjusted over several years, with the game now being played outdoors and the baskets replaced by rings with nets. It thus became known as “net ball”. The first rules of the new game were drawn up in the UK in 1901.

Competitions

Two major international competitions, the World Netball Championships and the Commonwealth Games, take place every four years. The World Netball Series is contested annually. The Netball Superleague (in the UK) and the ANZ Championship (Australia and New Zealand) are two important national competitions. The International Olympic Committee recognized netball as an Olympic sport in 1995, but it has never been played at the Olympics.