NETBALL

1. NETBALL Learn the fundamentals

2. The aim of the game • The winning formula for netball is simple - good team-work and the ability to score lots of goals! • The aim of the game is to rack up a bigger score than your opposition. • But although each team has seven players to help achieve this, only TWO players are allowed to try and score goals. • Each member of the team has their own job to do on the netball court. • And to make sure they do that job players are only allowed to go into certain zones on the court. • Don't panic - the rules are not as complicated as you think!

3. RULES • ::Positions on the court • ::The rules of the game • ::Discover the basics of netball • ::Looking the part on court!

4. Positions on the court • Goal Shooter • Goal Attack • Wing Attack • Centre • Wing Defence • Goal Defence • Goal Keeper

5. Goal shooter • The goal shooter's main job is simply to score goals! • They are allowed in the attacking third and the goal circle BUT nowhere else on the court. • The GS must have sharp shooting skills. • They have to be able to react quickly, dealing with passes and rebounds. • Goal shooters have the steadiest hands on the court and are often among the taller players.

6. Goal attack • The goal attack is also allowed to try to score goals. • They can play in the centre third, the attacking third and the goal circle but NOT the defensive third. • The GA's main duty is to feed the goal shooter so they can fire the ball into the net close to the post. • But if the defenders are marking the GS then the GA will often have a shot from nearer the edge of the goal circle. • The GA must have both strong passing and shooting skills.

7. Wing attack • The wing attack is the key play-maker of the netball court. • It is their job to create as many goal-scoring chances as possible by passing the ball to the shooters. • The WA can move in the attacking and centre third BUT not in the goal circle or the defensive third. • The wing attack has to have solid passing and collecting skills. • They also need good footwork and the ability to open up space on the court.

8. Centre • Centres are able to move in the whole court, with the exception of the goal circles. • They have to help out in defence and attack. • But they are mainly relied upon to shift the ball away from the defensive area into attack. • Centres also restart the game each time a goal has been scored. • They do this by making a pass from the centre circle. • The centre is the engine of the team so they have to be quick and creative with their passing. • Centres are normally the swiftest player on the court which means they are often among the smallest.

9. Wing defence • The wing defence can go into the centre and defensive thirds, but NOT in the attacking third or the goal circle. • Their main job is to stop the ball reaching the opposition's goal circle. • They must intercept passes and feed them back to the attacking areas. • As well as getting the ball forward they have to mark the opposite wing attack. • The wing defence must be focused and good at controlling the ball.

10. Goal defence • The goal defence patrols the defensive third, the goal circle and the centre third. • Their main job is to stop the opposition from scoring and to get the ball out of the danger area! • The Goal Defence has to keep a close eye on the other team's goal attack. • They must have good skills of anticipation so they can block passes and get the ball out to their own attacking players.

11. Goal keeper • The goal keeper is the last line of defence. • They guard the goal circle and the defensive third and must stop the goal shooter from scoring. • They have to stay alert so they can collect rebounds off the post and intercept passes. • Goal keepers are also responsible for taking throw-ins from the goal-line. • They are often tall and physical players who are prepared to fiercely protect their goal post!

12. Rules of the game • Major and minor rules • The rules of netball are pretty straightforward, and fall into two basic categories: minor (or "technical") rules and major rules. • If a player breaks a minor rule the opposition is awarded a free pass, which is a pass taken from the same spot where the rule was broken. • Breaking a major rule is more serious, and results in the opposing team being awarded a penalty pass. • A penalty pass is similar to a free pass, except the player who broke the rule must stand out of the way until the pass is taken. • If a player gives away a penalty pass in the goal circle then the shooter can take a free shot at goal. • If you're careful you should be able to steer clear of trouble, so click on the buttons above for the Academy's guide to the rules of netball.

13. Minor or 'technical' rules • Ball control • Three second rule • Making space • Footwork • Court boundaries • Toss ups

14. Ball control • When a player receives a pass they have to act quickly, but they are not allowed to run with the ball or dribble it. To gain control of the ball, a player can bat or bounce the ball once, but they CANNOT bat and bounce the ball, or do either more than once. • It is also against the rules to push the ball into the air before batting or bouncing it. • And don't think you can get away with untidy play either. • A player has to be standing before they throw the ball - so no chucking the ball when you're kneeling down or sprawled on the floor of the court!

15. Three second rule • To make sure the game stays pacy and competitive there's the three second rule. • This means players have only three seconds between catching the ball and making a pass

16. Making Space • This rule aims to cut down on short passes between team members, and effectively stops the ball being handed from one player to the next at close range. • The player holding the ball must leave enough room for another person to move between their hands and those of the catcher. • This gives the opposition a chance to get the ball!

17. Footwork • One of the trickiest rules to remember in netball is getting your footwork right. • If a player catches the ball with only one foot on the ground then that foot is called the landing foot. • A player can then choose to step with the other foot, lift the landing foot and throw the ball before the landing foot returns to the ground. • Or they can pivot on the landing foot and move the other foot any number of times - depending on how flexible the player is! • But they are NOT allowed to move or hop on the landing foot until they have thrown the ball. • A player can also jump, switching from the landing foot to their other one, and then jump again to throw the ball. • If a player has both feet on the floor when catching the ball they will choose their landing foot and follow the rules as above. • If a player breaks the footwork rule it is usually called stepping and a free pass is awarded.

18. Court boundaries • Each player is only allowed in certain areas of the court and if they stray out of position then they are offside. • A player can still be offside even if they don't have the ball. • Long ball tactics that work so well in basketball and football also won't get you very far in netball! • That is because the ball must be handled in each third of the court. • A player cannot throw the ball from the defensive third to the attacking third, for example. • At least two passes also have to be made before a player can have a shot on goal.

19. Toss ups • There are 14 players on a netball court, so you can occasionally expect two players to get tangled up reaching for the ball at the same time! • This is called simultaneous contact and the umpire will use a toss up to restart the game. • The two players face each other while the umpire stands in between them. The umpire then throws the ball and both players try and catch it. • You might think taller players would always win toss ups. • But the umpire throws the ball no more than two feet into the air from just below the shoulder height of the shorter player. • Toss ups also help solve incidents on the court when the umpire is unsure exactly what happened.

20. Major rules • Physical Contact • Moving the ‘goalposts’

21. Physical Contact • Netball is a non-contact sport, and players cannot make physical contact with one another on the court. A good thing about this rule is that it stops taller and bigger players using their size to unfair advantage. • Defenders have to stand 0.9m (3ft) away from the player with the ball. • From this distance a player can try and win the ball back, but ONLY when it has been thrown into the air. • Players can defend a member of the other team who does not have the ball but they cannot touch them or snatch the ball from under their nose! • If a player makes physical contact and disrupts play then a penalty pass is awarded. • But remember to be careful, because even if you trip over your shoelaces and knock another player over by accident - the referee will still give a penalty pass!

22. Moving the ‘goalposts’ • No-one would notice if you just moved that 3m (10ft) goalpost just a little nearer would they? • Well, if a player is caught leaning on a post then a free pass will be given. • But if you try and move the thing then you will give the other side a penalty pass. So moving the goalposts is definitely not allowed!

23. Discover the basics of netball • Aim of the game • The court • Duration • The Officials • Lets get started

24. Aim of the game • Netball is played by two teams and the aim of the game is simply to score more goals than the other side. You score by shooting the ball through the opposing team's net. • Sounds easy? Well the net hangs off a metal post ten feet (3.05m) high! • Teams There are seven players in a team and they each have their own position. • Each player is only allowed to move in a certain area of the court. • This means team-work and strong passing skills are very important. • There's extra help on the sidelines too as each team are allowed five more players who can come on as substitutes.

25. The court • You can't play netball without a proper court to play on. That is because many of the rules involve how the court is divided up. • Don't worry, it's not as confusing as it sounds! • The court is divided up into three sections: the defensive third, the centre third and the attacking third. • Also marked on the court is a centre circle and at each end two goal circles. • Inside each goal circle sit the goalposts.

26. Duration • How long does a game last? A game of netball lasts for an hour. The match is split into fifteen minute quarters with a three-minute break between the first and second and the third and fourth quarters. • Half-time between the second and third quarters lasts five minutes. • Teams will change ends after each quarter.

27. Officials • Whether you are playing at school, with a local club or at international level you will have to get used to an umpire making sure you stick to the rules! Professional games will often have two umpires, two timekeepers and two scorers! • Netball is a fast-paced game so umpires have a lot to keep their eyes on. • They have to make sure the players don't cross over their boundaries and stick to the footwork rules and that the ball is handled correctly.

28. Let's get started! • The umpire will toss a coin to decide which team will take the first centre pass. The centre starts the game standing inside the centre circle while the opposing centre stands at least 3 feet (0.9m) away. • The rest of the players stay out of the centre third completely until the referee has blown the whistle. • But the first pass must be caught inside the centre third - so make sure you're ready for action!

29. Looking the part on court! • One of the best things about netball is that it shouldn't eat up too much of your pocket money! Most schools play netball and it usually doesn't cost too much to join a local club. • The kit is pretty basic too - clubs usually have a uniform of shirts, skirts and trainers. A good netball to practice with will cost around £10. • The most important piece of equipment is the court but most of you probably won't have enough cash to build one in your garden! • Don't panic! There are over 6,000 school and local sides in the country so there should be a court near you. • Click the buttons above to find out more about the equipment you need.

30. The clothes show • What to wearIt's important that you look your best even on the netball court, so here's what to wear! Most players wear a loose polo shirt with short sleeves and a short pleated skirt. • The skirt is designed to give you more freedom of movement so you can jump up and reach the ball more easily. • Some professional teams wear an all-in-one bodysuit so they can move around the court even faster. • You also need short sports socks to give you extra bounce and support on court. • Look out for special sports socks which are designed to give you extra padding in all the right places.

31. Get ready to bounce • CourtNetball should put a spring in your step - that's because it is designed to be played on sprung wooden floors indoors! But it is also played outdoors - usually on a concrete court with painted white lines. • Whether indoors or outside the court is always the same size. It is 30.50m (100ft) long and 15.25m (50ft) wide. • And even the lines should be a certain width - no more than five centimetres (2inches). • There are even rules about how much space should be left around the edge of the court. • This is called the run-off space and should prevent players banging into the wall or fence!

32. Reach for the sky! • PostsAt each end of the court in each goal circle stand the goalposts. They will tower over most players at 3.05m (10ft) high, though beginners can train with smaller posts. • The net is attached to a metal ring at the top of the post. It has to be open at both ends so that the ball can drop out again. • When the game was first played the umpire had to shimmy up the post to get the ball out of the net! • The posts are either held in place in the ground or are supported by a base which sits outside the court. • If you want to be a shooting star you could pick-up a post to practice on in your garden. • Or if you've not got enough room then you can even buy a ring to attach to a wall for around £20.

33. About a ball • BallThe balls are about the same size as a football - so if you haven't got a netball you can start off practising with one of those. The first netballs were made of leather, but in wet weather they became slippery and less easy to pass. • So now they are made from rubber or a waterproof material which allows players to get a better grip. • The balls are made up of panels which help improve the flight of the ball in the air. • The colour of the balls has also evolved. They started off brown, then orange, and then went two-tone in white and black before an all-white ball was decided upon.