Are you new to netball or looking to refresh your knowledge of the game? Netball is a popular sport played by millions of people around the world. It’s a fast-paced game that requires quick thinking, agility, and teamwork. In this article, we will explain the basic rules of netball to help you understand the game better.
The Objective of the Game
The objective of netball is to score more goals than your opponents by shooting the ball into the opposition team’s net. The game is played by two teams, each consisting of seven players. The team with the most goals at the end of the game wins.
Court and Equipment
Netball is played on a rectangular court measuring 30.5 meters in length and 15.25 meters in width. The court is divided into three sections, with two shooting circles at each end. The goal posts are 3.05 meters high and are positioned at each end of the court.
Each player is required to wear a bib with a number on it to identify their position on the court. The positions in netball are:
- Goalkeeper (GK)
- Goal Defense (GD)
- Wing Defense (WD)
- Center (C)
- Wing Attack (WA)
- Goal Attack (GA)
- Goal Shooter (GS)
Starting the Game
The game starts with a center pass. The team that wins the toss gets to choose which end they want to attack. The other team takes the center pass. The player with the ball must pass it within three seconds.
Scoring Goals
Goals are scored by shooting the ball through the opposition team’s goal post. A goal is worth one point. The player shooting for goal must be within the shooting circle to score. If the shooter steps out of the shooting circle while shooting for goal, the goal will not count.
Netball Rules
Here are the basic rules of netball that you need to know:
1. Obstruction
Obstruction is when a player gets in the way of an opposing player who is trying to move into a space or take the ball. A player cannot obstruct an opponent within 0.9 meters of the ball. If a player obstructs an opponent, a free pass is awarded to the opposing team.
2. Contact
Contact is when a player makes physical contact with an opposing player. This includes pushing, hitting, or holding an opponent. A player cannot make contact with an opponent. If a player makes contact, a free pass is awarded to the opposing team.
3. Footwork
Footwork is when a player moves their feet illegally. A player cannot take more than one step while holding the ball. If a player takes more than one step, a free pass is awarded to the opposing team.
4. Out of Court
If the ball goes out of court, the opposing team is awarded a throw-in. The throw-in must be taken from where the ball went out of court.
5. Over a Third
A player cannot hold the ball for longer than three seconds. If a player holds the ball for longer than three seconds, a free pass is awarded to the opposing team.
6. Offside
A player cannot enter a section of the court they are not allowed to be in. Each player has a designated area they are allowed to be in, and if they enter a different section, a free pass is awarded to the opposing team.
7. Breaking
A player cannot move before the umpire has blown the whistle to start play. If a player moves before the whistle, a free pass is awarded to the opposing team.