Netball Rules

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Written By Jess Mills

Match

A match lasts for 1 hour. The match is broken up into 4 quarters. The breaks are times for the players to rest.  

Start the game

At the beginning of a netball match the umpire will do a coin toss with the captain of each side will choose either heads or tails. If you win the toss you get to choose whether to take the first centre pass or to choose which way your team shoots. 

Team and squad

The amount of players on court is 7. You should have a few subs. Subs are the people not on court but might be on soon. 

Substitutions 

You can only make a sub in each quarter break unless someone is injured. If someone is injured they can be subbed.

 Players and positions

GS (Goal Shooter) – Main role is to score goals.

GA (Goal attack) – Main roles are to get the centre pass, help get the ball down to the shooting D and score.

WA (Wing attack) – Main roles are to get the centre passes and help get the ball to the shooting D.

C (Centre) – Main roles are to take the centre passes, get the ball down to the shooting D and when the other team are trying to get the ball down to the D they shoot in is to defend and intercept their passes.

WD (Wing defence)-Main roles are to stop the other teams WA from receiving the centre pass and getting the ball down to their D.

GD (Goal defence)– Main roles are to stop the GA from receiving the centre passes and if the other team does not score then to catch the rebound. A rebound is when GS or GA tries to score but misses and it hits the rim of the net and someone catches it. 

GK (Goal keeper)– Main roles are to catch the rebounds and when the other team tries to pass the ball to GS they need to intercept it.

Offside 

Offside is when a player goes where they are not allowed to go.

Obstruction 

If you are marking someone who has the ball and your feet are less than a metre away from the player with the ball that is called obstruction.

Contact

There are two different ways to do contact. One way is if you touch the person with the ball. The second way is if you are physically contesting a player and they are not doing it to you.

Footwork 

Footwork is if you walk or run with the ball. Also if you move the foot you landed on first when you catch the ball then put it down then that is footwork.

Penalty 

A penalty is given when the other team does footwork, held ball, offside, contact, obstruction or repossession.

Held ball

Held ball is if you have the ball in your hand for more than 3 secs.

Repossession

Repossession is if you get the ball and you either bounce it or it goes in the air and you catch it again.

Throw in

A throw in is given if the ball goes out of court.

Umpires 

Umpires are the people who make all of the decisions like if someone has done contact or footwork.

Shooting

Only GA and GS can shoot. A goal is counted when the ball goes through the net.

Jewellery

You are not allowed to wear jewellery or watches while playing netball in case it hurts you.

Nails

Before every match the umpire will do a nail check. A nail check is to see if your nails are to long. Your nails have to be below the top of your fingers. The reason your nails cannot be long is so when you play you do not scratch anyone and so no one scratches you.