Netball

History:

In 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts a 30-year-old Canadian immigrant to the USA, James Naismith, was ordered to invent an indoor game for high-spirited young men and so basketball was born.

In 1895 the current game of netball was well and truly shaped, when Clara Baer, a sports teacher in New Orleans, wrote to Naismith asking for a copy of the rules. The subsequent rules package contained a drawing of the court with lines pencilled across it, simply to show the areas various players could best patrol. But Baer misinterpreted the lines and thought players couldn't leave those areas!

In 1899 her mistake was ratified into the rules of women's basketball as zones. Three-bounce dribbling had quickly been extended in the men's game (which didn't have no-go zones), but it was seldom used in the women's version when it reached Britain and the Empire. In fact, there was no pressure to increase that form of ball movement and in the end dribbling simply ceased to exist. Netball was first played in England in 1895 at Madame Ostenburg's College.

In the first half of the 20th century, Netball's popularity continued to grow, with the game being played in many British Commonwealth countries. There were no standard rules at that time with both nine-a-side and five-a-side versions of the game.

During an Australian tour of England in 1957, discussions took place concerning standardising the rules of the sport and this led to representatives from England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and The West Indies meeting in Sri Lanka in 1960, to establish The International Federation of Women's Basketball and Netball.

Formal rules were established at this inaugural meeting and it was decided to hold World Championship tournaments every four years, beginning in Eastbourne, England, in 1963.

As part of the Australian Bicentenary Celebrations in 1988, a Youth Tournament took place in Canberra, for players aged under 21. Its success led to this event being held once every four years as the World Youth Netball Championship, At the 2005 World Youth Netball Championship, held in Florida, New Zealand Won Gold, England Silver and Australia took the Bronze. In 1995 Netball became a "recognized" sport of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and one of the Federation's objectives is to ensure this status is retained and to encourage the International Olympic Committee to include Netball in the Olympic Games Programme in the future.

Netball was included in the Commonwealth Games programme, for the first time, in 1998 in Kuala Lumpur, where Australia took the Gold medal, New Zealand Silver and England the Bronze.

Netball is now a core sport in the Commonwealth Games,

2008 saw the launch of Fast Net World Netball Series, a shorter, sharper version of the game which in 2012 evolved into Fast5, attracting new audiences around the globe. 2012 also saw the sports governing body unveil a new logo and renamed itself as the International Netball Federation (INF).

Netball Explained:

Netball is an exciting, fast and skilful game of fair contest. It is a game in which two teams of seven players each strive to keep or gain possession of the ball.

The team with the ball, through running, jumping, throwing and catching, attempts to move the ball into its goal circle from where a goal may be scored, while the opposing team uses defensive movements and strategies to prevent this and to gain possession. The team with the greater number of goals is the winner of the match.

Players have specified areas in which they can move. Play restarts after each goal with teams having alternate possession.

The Rules are based on the core values of equal opportunity, fair play and respect for an opponent’s skill and safety.

It is the responsibility of players to ensure that they are physically and technically prepared in a manner that enables them to play the Game, comply with the Rules and participate safely in a sporting and fair manner.

It is the responsibility of those who coach or teach the Game to ensure that players are prepared in a manner that ensures compliance with the Rules of the Game as well as an understanding of both sporting behaviour and safe practices.

It is the responsibility of umpires to apply the Rules of the Game with impartiality, fairness and consistency.

It is the responsibility of controlling bodies at all levels to ensure that the Game is conducted and developed in accordance with disciplined and sporting behaviour.

While Netball developed first as a game predominantly played by women and girls, it is now played by boys and girls, women and men.

If you are interested in finding out more about Netball you can access the Rules of Netball hereon this site, from any of the national netball associations that are affiliated to The International Netball Federation or from the INF itself - 

INF Website