Netball
The Game
Each team must attempt to score goals by throwing the ball through the net at the end of the opponent's side of the court. The team which has scored the most goals by the end of the game wins. Netball is played by two teams of seven players.
The court is divided into thirds. Each player has a specific role on court, and they must remain in their own area of the court, according to which position they play.
There are four fifteen minute quarters. There are intervals of 3 minutes between quarters one and two, three and four, with a 5 minutes break between two and three. At the end of the intervals, the teams change ends.
Matches for different age groups have different length of playing times. For school competitions, ten minutes quarters are common, as well as fifteen or twenty minute halves.
Starting The Game
Before the game starts, the captains of each team meet to toss a coin. The winner of the coin toss decides whether to take the first centre pass, or they choose which net to shoot into. The game begins with a centre pass taken by the centre player who must have a foot entirely within the centre circle. The opposing centre may stand anywhere inside the centre third, providing they are at least 3 feet away from the opposing centre.
All other players must be outside the centre third until the umpire has blown the whistle to start play. The first pass must be caught or touched in the centre third.
When the ball reaches a shooting player in the goal semi circle, a shot may be taken. A goal is scored if the ball is thrown through the ring. Goals count as one point. If a goal is scored, play is restarted with a centre pass taken from the centre circle each team has turns to play the centre pass.
If the ball does not go in the net but rebounds, it remains in play. If the ball does not go in the net, and goes off the edge of the court, it is out of play and a throw in is taken. A throw in is taken by a member of the team which did not touch the ball last.
The player who receives the ball has restricted movement when landing after catching the ball. The foot that the player lands on may be used a pivot or can be lifted, but cannot be put back on the ground until after the ball has been released.
If the player lands on both feet, then one foot may be moved and the other used as a pivot, or lifted, but cannot be put back on the ground until after the ball has been released.
The players are allowed to take only one step when they have the ball, and they must release the ball within three seconds.
Netball is essentially a passing game, and running and dribbling with the ball is not permitted. The ball must be passed between players, and must be handled in each third of the court.
Netball is a non-contact sport. When a player has possession of the ball, the opposing players can only get the ball when it is in the air. Physical contact with other players is not allowed.
When a player has the ball, the opponent must be at least 3 feet away. Failure to do this is an obstruction and will led to a free pass where the obstructing player must stand beside the player taking the free pass. This does not have to be the player that was obstructed.
Player Positions
GS - Goal Shooter: one of two players who can shoot.
GA - Goal Attack: Secondary goal shooter who also assists in centre court.
WA - Wing Attack: Passes the ball from centre court across to the shooters.
C - Centre: General workhorse who links team members. Must be able to work in attack and defence and switch between the two quickly.
WD - Wing Defence: Defends the top of goal area, and attacks in mid-court. GD - Goal Defence: Defends the back third, and blocks attacks.
GK - Goal Keeper: Counters goal shooters and stops shots, gets rebounds.
When the ball goes out of court, play is restarted by a throw in by the team who did not touch the ball last before it went out of court. This is taken from behind the line at the point where the ball went out of court. Any player taking the throw in has to be standing behind the line. Umpires will pick up on throws taken on the line and will give the ball to the other team to throw.
A player cannot play the ball while lying, sitting, or kneeling on the ground, deliberately kick or punch the ball, lean on the goalposts.
Almost all technical infringements in netball result in a free pass. This is taken at the spot where the incident happened, and is taken by any member of the non-offending team. If the rules regarding personal contact, contact with the ball, obstruction and moving the goalposts are infringed upon, a penalty pass will be given. If the incident took place inside the goal circle, a penalty shot is awarded.
For both cases, the offending player is taken out of play and stands next to the player taking the penalty until the ball has been released.
If any two players catch the ball at the same time infringe a rule at the same time, or the umpire is unsure of what happened, the toss up is used to restart play. The two players involved are the ones who take part in the toss up, unless, of course, one or both players have been injured during the foul.
The players face each other, and their own shooting ends 3 feet apart. The umpire stands in between the players, and flicks the ball up, blowing the whistle at the same time. The ball is released from a point below the shoulder level of the shorter player, and is flicked up no more than 2 feet in the air. Both players must then try and get the ball. The taller player does not have an advantage.
The other players cannot move until the whistle has been blown. The ball can be hit to other players rather than caught.
Substitutions
In any one game a team can make up to three substitutions. A player who has been substituted can return to play, but this of course counts as one substitution. Players can only be substituted during intervals between play, or in a stoppage due to illness or injury. When an injury occurs the captain of the team must ask the umpire for time to be stopped or play will continue.
Officials
An official scorer keeps a record of the scores, and a timekeeper keeps a record of the duration of play. In addition to the scorer and timekeeper, the game is presided over normally by two umpires, whose job it is to ensure that the rules of the game are followed.
Players who commit serious fouls, for example, causing danger to other players, may be sent off the court for the remainder of the game. The team must then continue with one less player.
The Court
The court is flat and has a hard surface. Either tarmac or an artificial non-slip hard surface is used. The court measures 30.5 metres (100 feet) long, 15.25 metres (50 feet) wide.
The goal circle has a radius of 4.9 metres (16 feet). The centre circle is 0.9 metres (3 feet) in diameter. All the lines on the court are part of the court, and are no more than 50 millimetres (2 inches) wide.
Younger players often play on smaller courts.
Goalposts
The goalposts stand 3.05 metres (10 feet) high, and are placed at the centre of each goal line (the line along the two shorter edges of the court). There is a metal ring at the top of the posts which has a diameter of 380 millimetres (15 inches). There is a small bar that joins the ring to the post, which is 150 millimetres (6 inches) long. A net is attached to the ring which should be clearly visible. It is open at both ends. The post itself can be tubular or square-edged, and should be between 65 and 100 millimetres (2.5 to 4 inches) in diameter or square.
The post can be free-standing, it can have a base, as long as the base is not on any part of the court, or it can be placed into a post in the ground. This is what is done for international matches.
Younger junior players often play with a post height of either 2.7 metres (9 feet), or 2.4 metres (8 feet).
Useful Information
Advantage - If a team commits a foul, the umpire may let play continue if they think that the non-offending team would not benefit from a stop in play.
Double Marking - When two defending players work together.
Feed - Any pass to the attacking player in the shooting circle (goal circle).
Marking - Staying close to the opponent to try and stop them from getting the ball.
Obstruction - Not moving at least 3 feet away from an opponent when they have the ball. This also applies when neither player has the ball, arms must be kept close to the body unless playing the ball or trying to get it.
Offside - When a player touches a part of the court not in their area.
Protecting Space - When a player uses their body to block an opponent from getting the ball or moving into an area of court.
Rebounding - Jumping to retrieve a missed shot which has hit off the ring.
Recovery Step - A step back to avoid obstructing another player when they have possession of the ball.
Repositioning - Moving after releasing the ball to be ready to play it again often occurs in the semi circle and shooting player will move closer to the goals.
Umpire - The official who is present to ensure that rules of the game are followed.
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