Netball is a team game that was originally created shortly after basketball. It was developed with women in mind to fit the social conventions of women’s participation in sports at the time, in 1892. Although originally derived from the game of basketball, netball has far more differences than similarities. The rules of basketball developed slowly and gradually to form this new sport ‘Net ball’ in England. In the 1960s, the rules were standardized internationally and the International Netball Federation was formed. Ever since its popularity increased, it has been a popular game within the Commonwealth nations. There has been a long and continuous effort to include Netball within the Olympic Games and this continues to be a goal for the INF.

The game is made up of two teams of seven players, who compete against each other to keep possession of the ball and score points. It is played on a court slightly larger than a basketball court and each game lasts 60 minutes. This is divided into four quarters, with a five-minute interval at halftime. The court itself is made up of three different areas, each area dictating different movement rules for positions. Within the seven players on each team there are different positions you could play. Each position has its own restrictions and rules on the pitch.

Defend, attack, score!

It is a fast-paced, energetic and skillful game. Whichever team has possession of the ball, they have the objective of getting the ball from one end of the field to the other, where their goal circle is located. They can do this by jumping, throwing, running, and catching the ball. While the objective of the opposing teams is to defend the team and gain possession of the ball. The winning team is the one that has scored the most goals at the end of the match.

While the ball is being passed between players, all players at any time can only hold the ball for a maximum of 3 seconds before they must pass it. If the ball is in your possession, you must not take more than 1.5 steps while holding the ball. To score a goal during the match, the ball must be passed to a player inside the goal circle. Once the participant is passed, he must shoot the ball into the opponent’s goal hoop. For it to count as a touchdown, the ball must go through the hoop. The only two people who can score a goal are the shooter or the attacker, and they only do so when they are in the goal circle.

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