Netball - an overview and history of the sport
Overview
Netball brings together a combination of speed, skill, agility, balance and tactics. The game is contested by two teams of seven players and involves one team invading another team’s territory with the aim of shooting a ball through their opponent's net. However, different to most invasion games, a netball court is broken into different sections and a player's position in the team affects what area they are allowed in.
The game today has a number of different formats and can be played competitively and recreationally in a range of different disciplines.
History
The origins of netball can be traced back to 1891 when Dr James Naismith created the game of basketball. Although basketball was originally designed for men, in 1892 it was adapted for female students with the aim of maintaining female etiquette. The modified version of women's basketball became very popular and by 1895 had spread in different forms across the United States.
The gradual transition from basketball to netball was first made at Madame Österberg's college (in Dartford, England) in 1897. An American teacher introduced a game that used basketball rules and an outdoor court but replaced basketball hoops with basic netted rings without backboards. This equipment change gave the sport a new name of 'netball'.
From this point, the game has continued to grow with thousands of children and adults playing both professionally and recreationally every week.
- 1891 – The game was invented in USA and called basketball.
- 1897 – Netball was played for the first time.
- 1900 – The Physical Education Association creates the first set of rules.
- 1926 - The All England Net Ball Association is formed.
- 1932 – The first national competition was played.
- 1949 – The first international matches were played between England, Scotland and Wales.
- 1960 – A new international code of rules was adopted, with the names of positions and match length changed.
