A fast-paced sport that’s enjoyed by all ages and genders, netball is a game that is played all over the word. Head to any netball courts on the weekend and you’ll find a bustling hub of activity with multiple courts and loads of whistles blowing.

First played in England in the early 1900s, netball is particularly popular in countries like Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa. With these same countries usually the ones dominating the biggest tournaments like the Netball World Cup and Commonwealth Games.

If you’re new to the game of netball, it’s easy to get confused with exactly why the whistles are blowing and what it means when the umpire says things like “contact” and “obstruction”. In this simple guide well do our best to explain some of the more common rules, terms and positions on the court.

There are seven players on the court for each team, with players on the bench for each team – the number of players on the bench being dependant on the ages and standard of play.

A netball court is similar to the size of a basketball court and is broken up into thirds – the defensive third, the centre third and the attacking third.

Each player on the court wears a bib over their shirt which displays their position on the court.
The positions on the netball court include –

• Goal Shooter (GS): Scores goals within the shooting circle - cannot leave the shooting circle.
• Goal Attack (GA): Assists in scoring and moves in the attacking third. 
• Wing Attack (WA): Supports the attack and feeds the ball into the circle – not allowed into defensive third of the court.
• Centre (C): Moves across all thirds (except shooting circles) and controls the game's pace.
• Wing Defence (WD): Prevents the ball from entering the attacking circle – not allowed into attacking third of the court.
• Goal Defence (GD): Guards the opposing Goal Attack and defends the shooting circle - cannot leave their defensive third of the court.
• Goal Keeper (GK): Defends the goal post and stops scoring attempts – cannot leave their defensive circle.

The aim of a game is simple – score more points than the opposition. The netball ring sits atop a 3.05 meter-high post, with a backboard as per basketball. Only the Goal Attack and Goal Shooter are allowed to score goals. Each time a goal is scored, the ball returns to the centre circle with each team retaining the ball after a goal until they lose possession. 

It really depends on the level of play and the gender of the competition. Players typically wear comfortable uniforms that include a dress or top and skirt/shorts combination. They also wear bibs to identify their position on the court, along with netball shoes from brands like Asics and Mizuno that are specially designed for the sport, however if you’re just starting out or playing casually, running shoes are fine.

Join a team by visiting and contacting local clubs or social leagues to find others who love netball. Take a little time to get to know the rules of the game by attending some games and watching some tutorials on YouTube. Get yourself a netball and practice passing, shooting, and positioning to have a few skills up your sleeve before you hit the courts.

There you have it, all the basics you need to get started. Look through our accessories for socks and check out our full range of sports shoes to  tear up your weekend sports this year.