Netball is a popular team game that is similar to basketball but does not involve any dribbling or running with the ball, know its rules, players, court and positions
Players move the ball up the court by passing it around to attempt shots in the last third area. The ball is shot into a ring with a basket similar to the one in basketball but without a backboard.
In netball, players do not adhere to tight defensive plays or formations, and ball steals are not allowed. Defenders must maintain at least 3 feet between them and the opposing players with the ball. It is played out between two sets of teams with seven players each across a court of three zones.
Netball Rules, Players, Positions, Court Size, Ball And Ground Meaning Explained As Game Makes Commonwealth Games 2022 Debut
South Africa begin their Netball campaign at the Commonwealth Games with a 49-68 loss to Jamaica.
They're in action again tomorrow afternoon against Barbados. pic.twitter.com/9OBiTm6D7K
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 30, 2022
I am all about this steward at the netball absolutely loving life in his orange hi-vis. @birminghamcg22 pic.twitter.com/Z31PcEnojP
— Denise Evans (@DeniseKEvans) July 29, 2022
What is netball? History, Equipment, Objectives, Rules, Lingo, Players, Leagues, And Events
It was a pleasure telling this story. Joan Nampungu is a Ugandan netball player & she’s dedicated time to teach young people how to play in villages in Uganda. She will be playing at the Commonwealth Games. Great to have the heart of her home in some of these shots too. #BBCNews pic.twitter.com/BJePo2epp8
— Parisa Qurban (@ParisaQurban) July 28, 2022
#HooraySheCranes Ex Netball player Faridah Male, a resident of Birmingham, at the NEC Arena to cheer the girls. #NBSSportUpdates @NBSportUg New Zealand Vs Uganda coming up. pic.twitter.com/MY5dsAS8z5
— Web Daniel Sebakijje (@DSebakijje) July 30, 2022
Let us take a close look at how the sport is played out.
Netball: A Brief History
The first recorded game was back in 1895 in England at Madame Ostenburg’s College. Women first formed the game after the eventual rise of basketball as a popular sport among men. Over the years, “The International Federation of Women’s Basketball and Netball” has formed as the governing body. In 1985, the International Olympics Committee recognised it as a sport and, currently, the International Netball Federation governs the sport.
Netball Equipment
Given here is a list of the important equipments used in Netball:
- Proper ball from popular brands like Mitre or Gilbert
- Proper Goal Posts with nets
- Comfortable athletic clothes including a bib or jersey
- Suitable laying surfaces with proper lines
- Proper shoes, ideally high-top shoes to avoid injuries
The Objectives And Format Of The Game
Simply put, the objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposition’s team. Teams must pass the ball around in an attempt to shoot the ball into the opponents’ goal while avoiding dribbling.
Since the goals do not have backboards, unlike in basketball, players need to get into a close position to score. The total game time is 60 minutes and is divided up into four 15-minute quarters. Players are divided into certain positions, and only some are allowed to shoot.
The Rules and Regulations
Netball has particular defensive rules; here are some of the most important netball rules:
- Each team consist of seven players each
- Players holding the ball must keep at least one foot planted on the ground
- A player can only hold the ball for 3 seconds
- The ball must be touched in all the three sections of the court. Balls cannot go past two line without a single touch
Besides this, some important strategies are:
- Teamwork
- Court Awareness
- Communication
Popular Lingo
Let’s get to know some popular Netball lingo:
- Bibs: Bibs are jerseys that each player wears with the initials of the position
- Obstructions: When defenders get too close to the ball, they need to distance themselves three feet apart
- Positions: There are 7 positions, namely: goals shooter, goal attack, wing attack, center, wing defense, goal defense, and goalkeeper
- Pivot: The motion of players moving with one feet planted on the ground.
Popular Netball Players:
Some popular players are:
- Gretel Tippet: A Queensland Firebirds member, who was a part of the Super Netball Team in 2018 and 2019.
- Laura Longman: Former New Zealand national team captain with the record for the most number of games in national team as well
- Caitlin Bassett: Twice a part of the Australian team that won the Netball World Champion and currently a member of the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic
Popular Leagues And Events
- Netball Superleague: Largest netball league in the world consisting of 11 teams located in the UK
- Suncorp Super Netball: Australian Netball league with 7 teams which began in 2017
- ANZ Premiership Netball: New Zealand netball league with 6 teams.
- Netball World Cup: The largest netball event where all of the world’s best teams come together
- Commonwealth Games: The best teams in the world compete in the Commonwealth Games
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