| | Netball Info
This section features basic rules of the sport and it's history. |
| Basic Rules
Court Areas
Offside: This is when a player moves out of their own area, with or without the ball. On a line counts as within an area.
Over a Third: The ball may not be thrown over two transverse lines without a player touching it. For example, the ball cannot be thrown by the GK directly to the GS.
Out of Court: The ball is out of court when it contacts anything outside the court area. The ball is returned to play by a throw-in taken at the point where the ball went out of play. This throw-in must be taken within 3 seconds.
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Starting or Re-Starting the Game
Centre passes are taken alternately by the Centre, after a goal has been scored. All players must start in the goal thirds except the two Centres.
The Centre with the ball starts with either one or both feet in the Centre Circle (if on one foot then the other must not have contact with the ground outside the Centre Circle) and must obey the footwork rule after the whistle has been blown. The opposing Centre stands anywhere within the Centre Third and is free to move. The Centre pass must be caught or touched by a player in or landing in or jumping from a stance in the Centre third.
Playing the Ball
1. A player who has caught or the ball must play it or shoot for goal within three seconds.
2. A player may bounce or bat the ball once to gain control.
3. There must be room for a third player between hands of thrower and catcher.
4. The ball may not be played when the player is on the ground.
Footwork
Having caught the ball, a player may land or stand on:
1. One foot - while the landing foot remains grounded, the second foot may be moved anywhere any number of times, pivoting on the landing foot if desired. Once the landing foot is lifted, it must not be re-grounded until the ball is released.
2. Two feet (simultaneously) - once one foot is moved, the other is considered to be the landing foot, as above. Hopping or dragging the landing foot is not allowed.
Scoring a Goal
Only the GS or GA may score and they must be completely within the circle when the ball is received in order to shoot on goal.
Any infringement of the above rules results in a free pass being given. This free pass may be taken by any player allowed in that area and they must be in a stationary position. If a free pass is awarded in the goal circle, the player cannot shoot directly at goal from this free pass. |
| Obstruction & Contact
Obstruction
Player with ball: the nearer foot of the defender must be 0.9m (3ft) feet from the landing foot of the player with the ball, or the spot where the first foot had landed if one has been lifted. The defender may jump to intercept or defend the ball from this 0.9m (3ft) feet distance.
Player without ball: the defender may be close, but not touching, providing that no effort is made to intercept or defend the ball and there is no interference with the opponents throwing or shooting action. Arms must be in a natural position, not outstretched, and no other part of the body or legs may be used to hamper an opponent.
A standing player is not compelled to move to allow an opponent a free run, but dangerous play must be discouraged, e.g. moving into the landing space of a player already in the air or stepping late into the path of a moving player.
Intimidation: of any kind, is classed as obstruction.
Contact
No player may contact an opponent, either accidentally or deliberately, in such a way that interferes with the play of that opponent or causes contact to occur.
A PENALTY PASS (or PENALTY PASS/ PENALTY SHOT if in the shooting circle) is awarded for the above infringements taken from where the infringement occurred. The offending player must stand out of play beside the thrower until the pass or shot has been taken. Any opposing player allowed in that area may take the penalty.
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| The History of Netball
Netball was invented when Clara Baer, a sports teacher in New Orleans, mis-interpreted the rules of the new sport of basketball. She had written to basketball's creator (James Naismith) to request a copy of the rules and received a package with pencilled-in areas, showing what areas the players could best patrol. She wrongly assumed that the players could not leave these areas and this mistake was ratified into womens basketball in 1899 as zones.
Three-bounce dribbling had quickly been extended in the men's basketball game (which didn't have no-go zones), but it was seldom used in the women's version when it reached Britain and the Empire. In fact, there was no pressure to increase that form of ball movement and in the end dribbling simply ceased to exist.
In England netball was first played at Madame Ostenburgs College in 1895. The popularity of the sport grew quickly in many Commonwealth countries, although there were no standardised rules at the time and matches of 9 and 5-a-side were common.
The rules of netball were not standardised until 1960. Representatives from England, Australia, New Zealand, The West Indies and South Africa met in Sri Lanka and formed the International Federation of Basketball and Netball. It was agreed that World Championships would be held every four years, starting in Eastbourne, England in 1963.
In 1995 netball became recognised as an Olympic sport and in 1998 it was included in the Commonwealth Games of Kuala Lumpur for the first time. Netball was included in the Manchester Commonwealth Games of 2002 and will be played in the Games of 2006 in Melbourne. |
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