Young Wrexham

Netball

• Netball is a game played on a hard court with scoring hoops at both ends and with a fairly large, round throwing ball, slightly smaller than a basketball or football
• It is played by two teams of seven players
• Netball is mostly played by women although men's and mixed teams are becoming popular
• The aim of the sport is to score by shooting the ball through the hoops
• The team with the most goals at the end of the match wins
• The netball court is divided in to three thirds
• There is a semi-circle at each end of the court from which all scoring shots must be taken
• The thirds show where players in each team are allowed to move
• The rules are strict and players are penalised if they move outside their allocated area
• Netball rules do not allow players to take more than one step when they are in possession of the ball - if the ball is thrown to you, you must become stationary, except you can rotate, keeping one foot in the same spot, in order to choose someone to throw the ball to
• The ball cannot be held by one player for more than three seconds
• Bouncing of the ball is not allowed
• The only way to move the ball towards the goal in netball is to throw it to a teammate
• The other players can run around in to better positions while you have the ball in your hands
• Netball is a non-contact sport
• This makes defence restricted - players must be at least three feet away to defend If contact is made, the ball must be passed to the opposing team
• Men and women can compete with each other fairly because the rules of the game don't allow male strength to be an advantage, although men's height can be an advantage with the goal shooting position
• You can get involved in netball at your school or at a local club -w contact your local sports centre for more information

Did you know...?

• Netball is the most popular women's sport in Wales in terms of playing numbers
• Australia and New Zealand are the world's best netball teams