Isn't that just basketball for girls?? (Netball)

Member Name: josarah

Product:	Netball
Date:	04/03/05 (1305 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun, Keep you fit

Disadvantages: Need 14 for a game!

As some of you will know I am a keen Netballer and have been since the age of 11. Netball is a unique game and is played at a tremendously fast pace. In a nutshell netball is played by 2 teams of 7 players, with each player playing in one position. Each position has restricted areas of the court (which is divided into thirds by the way). The aim of the game is to beat your opponent by scoring more goals than them, simple really.

Netball developed from Basketball which in turn was invented in 1891. By 1897 the game had moved outdoors and the court had been split into 3 sections. By 1924 the London and Home Counties Netball Federation was formed with the aim of organising clubs around the capital and establishing a national organisation. By 1932 the first All England Inter County Tournament took place. So, as you can see netball has been around for yonks and yonks and is a sport that England are actually quite good at, currently ranking 3rd internationally behind Australia and New Zealand. The Welsh are alright too, currently ranking 14th.

***So now you know how it all started – what are the rules?***

Well, as mentioned above netball is played by teams of 7, each with their own positions. The positions are
Goal Shooter – GS: allowed in the attacking goal third and shooting cirvle
Goal Attack – GA: allowed in the attacking goal third, the shooting circle and the centre third
Wing Attack – WA: allowed in the centre third and the attacking goal third but not in the shooting circle
Centre – C: allowed in all thirds but neither shooting circle
Wing Defence – WD: allowed in the centre third and the defensive goal third but not in the shooting circle
Goal Defence – GD: allowed in the defensive goal third, the opponents shooting circle and the centre third
Goal Keeper – GK: allowed in the defensive goal third and the opponents shooting circle

Each of these players has basic roles, the GS and GA are the only ones that are allowed to shoot goals, the GS should really stay in the shooting circle leaving the GA free to move around the circle aiding the ball towards the post. The WA’s main job is to feed the ball into the shooters as accurately as possible. The C has to be the fittest of the lot as she usually has the most running to do. Her job is to help move the ball down the court smoothly. The WD needs to try and stop the WA from getting into positions where she can feed the ball accurately into the circle. The GD and GK’s job is to stop the ball coming into the opponents shooters.

Rules of netball include not running with the ball. If you catch the ball in the air the first foot that touches the floor is known as the landing foot. This foot must not be moved around the floor or lifted up and put down again. This would be footwork and give your opponents a free pass. Another rule which is commonly breached is the contact or obstruction rule which means that you cannot be within 3ft of your opponent when they have the ball. You are able to mark the ball from this distance however. As netball is a non-contact sport you are not allowed to push your opponent out of the way either! This does not mean however that you can’t be competitive.

Those are really general rules, of which more can be found at the England Netball website www.england-netball.co.uk .

***Does netball keep you fit?***

The answer to this question must be a definite yes. Netballers have to have excellent all round fitness to be able to play at a high standard. They should be good runners, jumpers, catchers and throwers. Playing netball will also contribute to your activity levels, helping you keep fit. Netballers can get injured quite easily as the game puts a lot of strain on ankles and knees as you are quite often landing or turning your body at speed. This doesn’t mean that you should be put off playing though!

***How do I find a local team?***
To find a local team your best bet is to look on the internet for the name and number of your county secretary. They should know who to get in contact with. Alternatively contact a sports centre that has netball courts on its grounds and see who uses them. There are over 50,000 registered players in England, there will surely be something near you.

***What if I want to coach or umpire?***

Each area should have a netball development officer who will organise coaching and umpiring courses. If you contact them they should be able to point you in the right direction.

***I’m a bloke, can I play?***

Of course you can, www.england-netball.co.uk has a section on men’s netball which details about the men’s game. There is even an England men’s team.

***So what’s it actually like then?***

Well in my opinion netball is one of the most enjoyable sports to play. It’s fast and furious and very quick scoring. The international games are amazing to watch and Sky have started showing them recently. I really enjoy playing netball, but I enjoy the social side as well. Netball has given me the opportunity to make some really good friends alongside playing a game I really enjoy. I know that a lot of people were forced into playing netball at school and that has put them off for life. My advice would be to give it a go again; you might actually find you like it after all, especially if you’re not being forced to be outside playing in the middle of a blizzard. A lot of areas run summer leagues so that you get to play throughout the year, much better than freezing mid winter! In short I love this sport and hope you see it like that too!

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