Netball is a sport played between two teams composed of seven players per team. It began in England in the 1890s and emerged from the early versions of basketball. To give way to international competition, playing rules have been standardized in 1960. Netball has restricted movement as compared to basketball that is why even in the early days of the sport it was socially appropriate for women (wearing dresses) to play it.
Melbourne social netball is a fast and thrilling game. It is similar to basketball but uses an official netball that is smaller and lighter. The goal of a netball team is to score more goals than your opponents by shooting the ball through a ring that is attached to a post. Unlike basketball, netball has no backboard behind the hoop and players are not allowed to dribble. You need to have great skill in passing the ball so that you can make a goal. The team with the most number of goals is declared the winner. The game is played on the hard court and each game has four quarters, lasting for fifteen minutes each.
The court is divided into areas and players are assigned specific positions. Their positions identify their roles within the team and limit their movement in certain areas of the court. To distinguish the player’s position, a two letter abbreviation is written on the bib which is worn by the players. The positions are: the goal shooter, wing attack, goal attack, goal defense, wing defense, center and the goal keeper. The game allows only two positions in the defensive shooting circle; their role is to prevent the opponent from making a goal.
At the start of every quarter or when a team scores, play commences with a player in the center position and passes the ball from the center of the court. The umpire blows the whistle to restart a play each team will have four players in the center third to receive the pass. As a rule, a player can only hold the ball for three seconds before making an attempt on the goal or passing it to a teammate.
The game can be played outdoors or in a covered stadium and balls used in this game come in various colors and sizes. The social netball can be played among family, friends, co-workers and any group who are interested in the game. You can play the sport with people who are close to you and you will definitely have a great time bonding with them.