The Rules of Netball

What is netball?

Netball is a fast passing sport played between two teams of seven players. 🏐 Players pass a ball up the court and try to shoot it through a high ring to score a goal. It grew out of early basketball and is now one of the most popular team sports for girls and women, though anyone can play.

The court is divided into thirds, and each player has a position that decides where they are allowed to go.

The aim of the game

Your team wants to score more goals than the other team by getting the ball through the ring. At the same time, you try to stop the other team from scoring.

The team with the most goals at the end of four quarters wins.

The biggest rules: no running, no dribbling

Netball has two rules that surprise new players:

1. You cannot run with the ball. When you catch it, you must stop. You can pivot on one foot but not take steps. This is the footwork rule.
2. You cannot dribble. You may not bounce the ball to yourself or bounce it more than once.

So the only way to move the ball is to pass it to a teammate. And you must pass quickly — within about three seconds.

Why these rules? They make netball a true team game. No single player can carry the ball up the court alone. Everyone has to move, find space, and pass together.

Positions and areas

Each of the seven players wears a position name and can only go into certain parts of the court:

Position	Short name	Job
Goal Shooter	GS	Shoots goals
Goal Attack	GA	Shoots and feeds the shooter
Wing Attack	WA	Sets up attacks
Centre	C	Links the whole team
Wing Defence	WD	Stops the other attack
Goal Defence	GD	Defends the shooter
Goalkeeper	GK	Guards the ring

Only the GS and GA are allowed to shoot for goal, and only from inside the shooting circle.

Scoring a goal

A goal counts only when a shooter, standing inside the shooting circle, throws the ball cleanly through the ring. Each goal is worth one point. Because only two players can score and only from the circle, teams must pass carefully to get the ball into the right hands.

Marking and fouls

When defending, you must give the player with the ball some space — about an arm's length away, called the three-foot rule. You cannot stand too close or push.

These actions are fouls:

• Contact — pushing, holding or bumping another player.
• Obstruction — standing too close to the player with the ball.
• Footwork — moving your landing foot or running with the ball.

When you foul, the other team gets a free pass or a penalty pass.

Why the rules work

The no-running and quick-pass rules force constant teamwork and clever movement. The position areas mean everyone has a clear job and the court never gets crowded in one spot. Netball rewards quick thinking and unselfish passing.

Practice activity: pass-and-freeze

Try this with friends and an adult to supervise:

1. Stand in a small group and pass a ball to each other.
2. When you catch the ball, freeze instantly — you may turn on one foot but not step.
3. Count "one, two, three" out loud and pass before you finish counting.
4. Add a defender who stands an arm's length away, hands up, trying to block.
5. See how many clean passes your group can make in a row.

This trains the footwork rule, fast passing and fair defending.

Now you know the rules

You understand goals, footwork, positions and passing. Grab a ball and some friends and practise passing without running!

Want more sports rules? Read The Rules of Basketball, and learn about Teamwork and Sportsmanship.