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Forget Basketball: Try Melbourne Social Netball for a Different Athletic Challenge

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Basketball is a game that’s been around for as long as anyone can remember. As soon as a child is able to grip a basketball in his two small hands, the primary instinct is always to either throw the ball towards something at a respectable distance or to drop it to the ground and attempt a crude dribble to keep it moving. When the child is old enough to be able to perform the rudimentary skills required by the game, all it takes is a ball and a hoop installed in the backyard to start his after-school rituals of throwing a few hoops.

In the 1890s, however, women seeking to play the game took steps to modify the rules to allow them to comfortably engage in the sport (while wearing the allowed attire at the time, which translated to long dresses with long sleeves). Melbourne social netball is the present form of this sport,  which has travelled from the United States to England and to the rest of the countries in the British Empire. It is now a popular athletic activity among young people and adults alike all over Australia.

Players already used to performing basketball drills will already have a basic idea of the skills needed for the sport — running or sprinting, suddenly making changes in direction, marking opponents, passing the ball to a teammate, and attacking and defending the team goal are the essential moves and can be practised on common level grounds.

Compared to basketball, netball is less strenuous for its players. Most of the players will be restricted to their specific position’s assigned one thirds of the pitch. Generally, players in the goal shooter and goal attack positions are the only ones allowed to score goals. A goal means shooting the ball through a hoop attached to a pole standing 3.1 metres.

Melbourne social netball provides a good leg and cardiovascular workout with all the running and sprinting involved in a standard court that is 100 feet long and 50 feet wide. Shooting and leaping for the ball develops the upper body, while making quick changes in direction improves agility and overall flexibility on the court.

While the sport was originally designed for girls and women, there are now plenty of mixed teams that include men and boys, especially in the indoor arena. Interested individuals can visit their local sports centres to sign up for a team or a competition that they can join with a team made up of their friends. Netball is a healthy and productive team activity that offers plenty of physical and social benefits, so why not give it a try with your mates? Challenge yourself with a new sport and get into the team spirit.


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