Social sports club in Wimbledon, London

Netball Rules

Netball is played by 2 teams of 7 players.

Each team aims to score as many goals as possible whilst, at the same time, preventing the opposition from scoring.

The court is split by two lines that divide the court into thirds.

At both ends of the court there is a shooting semicircle (called the Goal Circle) and a 10ft goal post with a hoop. Goals are scored from within the Goal Circle by throwing (shooting) the ball through the hoop from above.

Each team member has a specific position that is restricted to an area on the court. These restricted areas have an attacking and defending player in them, each from an opposing team.

Only 2 players from each team may score goals, the Goal Attack and the Goal Shooter.

To start the game, the umpire tosses a coin to decide which team will take the first centre pass.

The Centre player 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.

The first pass must be caught inside the centre third.

A player may catch the ball with one or both hands and must pass it or shoot for a goal within 3 seconds.

Once a player has caught the ball only 2 steps may be taken.

A defending player must be 3 feet away from an attacking player with the ball.

The rules of netball fall into 2 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 results in the opposing team being awarded a penalty pass, which 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.

Minor ('technical') rules

Ball control: When a player receives a pass they can gain control of the ball by batting or bouncing the ball once, but they CANNOT bat and bounce the ball, or do either more than once. It's also against the rules to push the ball into the air before batting or bouncing it.

A player has to be standing before they throw the ball.

Three second rule: players have only 3 seconds between catching the ball and making a pass

Making space: the player holding the ball must leave enough room for another person to move between their hands and those of the catcher. This is to prevent the ball being handed from one player to the next at close range & fairly gives the opposition a chance to get the ball.

Footwork: 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. 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.

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.

The ball must be handled in each third of the court, so a player can't throw the ball from the defensive third to the attacking third.

At least two passes have to be made before a player can have a shot on goal.

Toss ups: If 2 players to get tangled up reaching for the ball at the same time then this is a simultaneous contact and the umpire will use a toss up to restart the game. The 2 players face each other while the umpire stands in between them & throws the ball up and both players try and catch it.

Major rules

Physical contact: Netball is a strictly non-contact sport and players can't make personal contact with an opponent in a way that will interfere with the opponent's play, either accidentally or deliberately. This stops 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 to get the ball back, but ONLY when it has been thrown into the air. Players can defend a member of the other team who doesn't have the ball but they can't touch them or snatch the ball from them. If a player makes physical contact (even accidental) and disrupts play then a penalty pass is awarded.

Moving the goalposts: If a player is caught leaning on a post then a free pass is given to their opponents. If a player moves or tries to move a post then their opponents receive a penalty pass.

Player positions on court

Player positions explained

Goal Keeper

The Goal Keeper is the last line of defence. The Goal Keeper (GK) defends the goal circle and the area of the goal third & any attacking player within it, especially the Goal Shooter (GS). The Goal Keeper takes throw-ins from the goal line and half way up sidelines in goal third. They are often tall and physical players who are prepared to fiercely protect their goal post! A good Goal Keeper (GK) should be able to anticipate, intercept, rebound and play good one-on-one defence.

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.

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.

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.

Goal Attack

The Goal Attack (GA) should be able to move in attacking goal third & center third. The GA along with the GS shoots for goals. The GA also works closely with the Wing Attack (WA) so as to gain centre passes which is usually fed to the Goal Shooter. 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 also defends the GD one-on-one. A good Goal Defense should be able to use space wisely, communicates with the WA and execute good shooting & rebounding skills.

Wing Attack

The Wing Attack (WA) should be able to move in attacking goal third & center third (but not in goal circles). The WA is the key play-maker of netball & deliverer of the ball to the shooters. She is often needed at centre pass and must defend the Wing Defense (WD) one-on-one. 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. A good Wing Defense should be able to execute quick dodges, passing, footwork, vision & sharp movement in small areas.

Goal Shooter

The Goal Shooter moves in and around goal third & goal circle. The Goal Shoot's main goals are to shoot goals and be available in the goal circle. She has to maintain communication with the Goal Attack (GA) and defend the Goal Keeper one-on-one. A good Goal Shooter (GS) should be able to execute, short, sharp movements and accurate shooting & rebounding skills. Goal shooters have the steadiest hands on the court & are often the taller players.

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