Getting Started
Netball is a popular participant sport, particularly in countries of the Commonwealth of Nations such as New Zealand, Australia, Malawi, Jamaica, and the United Kingdom. Over 20 million people play netball in more than 70 countries. Netball is commonly played by Commonwealth children during their years at school.
Netball requires speed, strategy, team work and co-ordination, thus its appeal is not limited to women. Representative men's teams exist, but attract less attention. At primary home level, mixed teams are not uncommon. As adults, men and women can compete with each other on reasonably fair terms as the restrictions on defence, limitations of numbers and positions of male players, and the women's greater familiarity with the game, prevent those men of superior strength and size gaining an overly large advantage.
Netball was first played in England in 1895 at Madame Ostenburg's College and soon spread throughout Australia, the then-British colonies of Jamaica and Antigua, and indeed most British Commonwealth territories. It did not yet have hard-and-fast rules. So loose were the regulations, in fact, that some games were played by nine players in each team, while some were played with only five players in each. The nets used were also ineffective—they were not open at both ends, so after each goal was scored, the umpire had to retrieve the ball from the top of the post. Netball has been played at the Commonwealth Games since 1998 after becoming a recognised Olympic sport in 1995.
Kit you'll need
Clubs or schools will provide all the equipment you will need to get started, so you will just need some comfortable kit and training shoes initially. As you progress you will probably want to invest in your own kit with your team colours and badges.
As always, you should stay hydrated when you are training so take a drinks bottle in your bag…
What's Good
Levels of participation are growing fast and millions of women and girls play netball every week. There is a strong network of clubs which make Netball an easily accessible and inclusive sport for all.