Netball is a two team, seven-a-side game in which goals are scored by throwing a ball through a netted hoop. Unlike in basketball, a player receiving the ball must stand still whilst they are holding the ball, until they have passed it to another player. There is no dribbling, bouncing of the ball or throwing to yourself. You may bounce the ball to another player, this is called a ´bounce pass´. Netball also shares some similarities with another team ball sport; korfball. In netball the ringed net is on a pole 3.05 metres (10.0 ft) high, whereas in korfball, a ball is thrown into a netless basket that is mounted on a 3.5 m (11.5 feet) high pole.
Each team is made up of 7 players: Goal Keeper (GK), Goal Defence (GD), Wing Defence (WD), Centre (C), Wing Attack (WA), Goal Attack (GA) and Goal Shooter (GS). Bibs are worn to indicate teams and players positions.
The court is divided into thirds; a goal third, a centre third and a defending third. Each end has a shooting circle. Only the goal attack and goal shooter from each team can score goals. The goal keeper and goal defence try to stop goals being scored. Only ´goal´ players (GK, GS, GD & GA) may enter the shooting circles. Wing defence, wing attack and the centre help their attackers and defenders to move the ball around the court. Wing attack may come up to, but not into, the shooting circle on the side where their attackers are shooting (along with the WD who is marking them from the opposing team). At the other end of the court, they may only move up to the line that shows the start of the ´defending third´. Centres may go up to, but not over, both shooting circles.
Court lines confine netball players to restricted areas. Going beyond the boundaries means you have strayed into an ‘offside’ position and the opposite team takes possession of the ball.
Each player on court has a corresponding position to an opposing team member, who they will mark or try to intercept/ stop receiving the ball. A goal keeper from one team, for example, will mark the goal shooter from the other team and try to stop them scoring goals. A goal defence is paired with a goal attack and will try to stop them entering the shooting circle, to score goals. Wing defence is paired with the opposing wing attack and the centres from each team mark each other. The remaining players from team A will mark the players from team B in the same way (GK/GS, GD/GA, WD/WA etc).
It takes practice, skill and determination to win a game of netball. The better you know your team members and how they play will increase your chance of scoring goals and keeping possession of the ball. Teamwork is the key to success!
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