How to Play Netball - A Beginners Guide to the Game

This is just a brief guide on how to play netball. Netball is a team game played on a netball court, which is 100ft by 50ft in dimension. A match lasts for 60 minutes, which is split into 15 minute quarters. The aim of the game is to score goals in the oppositions goal net, which is a metal hoop atop a 10ft metal pole. The team with the most goals at the end of 60 minutes wins the match. Netball is played by teams of 7, which consist of the following positions: Goalkeeper (GK) Goal Defence (GD) Wing Defence (WD) Wing Attack (WA) Centre (C) Goal Attack (GA) Goal Shooter (GS) Each position is interchangeable throughout the match, with players able to swap positions at the end of each quarter, or as a result of an injury substitution. A netball court is divided into thirds, with a semi-circular shooting area around each goal net. Players are restricted in their movements around the netball court. Restrictions on player movements are as follows: Goalkeeper - can move within their own semi-circle, and their own defensive third. Goal Defence - can move within their own semi-circle, and their defensive third, and the middle third of the court. Wing Defence - can only move within their defensive third, and middle third of the court - not within the semi-circle. Wing Attack - can only move within the middle third, and the oppositions third of the court - not within either semi-circle. Centre - can move within all three thirds of the court, but not within either of the semi-circles. Goal Attack - can move within the middle third, oppositions third & oppositions semi-circle. Goal Shooter - can move with the oppositions third, and oppositions semi-circle. The ball cannot be thrown from first to last third of the court, it can only travel a maximum of two-thirds at a time. Players cannot travel with the ball. When in possession of the ball, players have a maximum of three seconds to release it, and must be in contact with the ground at the time of release. Netball umpiring consists of 2 umpires who govern the on court area, and the sidelines. The netball governing body is the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA), based in Manchester, England. Currently there are three international competitions. The word series, the World Netball Championships held every four years, and the Olympics, again held every 4 years. The current world champions are Australia. Netball is played in over 80 countries worldwide, but is most popular in Australia, New Zealand & the UK. Each has their own Superleague, with the UK championship currently being held by Hertfordshire Mavericks. Tony is a netball widower of three years, leading to a hermit lifestyle every Tuesday & Wednesday night! Having listened to umpteen match reports & anecdotes over that period of time, I have decided to impart some of the knowledge that I have garnered on to you, with a simple guide on the basics of how to play netball.