A Game Like None Other – Talking Netball Skills and Techniques

1. A Game Like None Other – Talking Netball Skills and Techniques netballcoach.tv/ Did you know – Netball derived from early versions of basketball and began in England in the 1890s? Well, that you might know. But, what you might not know is that according to the INF netball is played by more than 20 million people in more than 80 countries. Despite such massive fan following there are not a lot of people who know about Netball skills and techniques or in some cases even completely about the game. For those of who you lack the necessary knowledge, here is some information that might be of some help. Netball – The Game Netball is a ball sport played on a rectangular court with raised goal rings by two teams of seven players each. The object is to score goals from within a defined area, by throwing a ball into a ring attached to a 3.05 metres (10 feet) high post. On the court the players are assigned specific positions, defining their roles during the game. The role restricts the movement of the players on the court. During general play, a player with the ball can hold onto it for only three seconds before shooting for a goal or passing to another player. Netball games are 60 minutes long but variations have been developed to increase the game’s pace and appeal to a wider audience. The winning team is the one that scores the most number of goals. Traditionally the game was defined for women but over the years it witnessed a number of male players being involved and actively participating. In 1995 netball became a recognized sport by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Whether you’re a beginner at the game or a professional there are certain rules and techniques that you need to practice to go a long way with the game. For the beginners here are a few netball tips that can be really helpful –

2. -> Know the Kit and Have Your Own– Like every other game Netball too requires a set of equipments that the players are expected to carry. Feeling comfortable and use training shoes that give you good grip and support, so make sure you use the right kit to begin with. -> Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Warm Up - Warming up before the start of the game is considered to be a very important point. Netball is the kind of game that is known for injuries due to the movement and abrupt stopping required by players. Warming up will help bring your body’s muscles into action, and that is how they remain for the rest of the game – thus, reducing the number of injuries.

3. -> Practice ball Passing– The thing that runs the game of Netball is ball passing so you need to be perfect in this field or you will fail to do the justice to the game. Practice the ball passing with a friend who is also a player in this game to get a better idea of your mistakes and plus points. -> Practice Whenever You Can–The game requires a lot of practice if you’re really looking forward to going with it in the longer run. Practice as much as you can, even if that means practicing alone for a few hours – understand the shoots and running. Do the Netball drills that you can do alone. Remember – practice will be the key to your success in the game. -> Get Fit for the Game - Netball is normally played at a fast pace and you’ll be expected to move about a lot, so it's important to get fit overall. Try some jogging to get you started. You will have to do a lot to improve your speed and maintain a balance between the feet, movement and balance –make sure you’re fir for the same. -> Practice Various Styles– Netball requires you to have a lot of practice in the various styles that can be involved in the game, so make sure you’ve practiced absolutely everything including - sprinting, jogging, running backwards and sidestepping. -> Be Comfortable at Netball Play Patterns– The game has a number of patterns involved and you need to have complete information about each of these. Even if you’re a beginner make sure you have at least a basic idea about patterns, you can learn and practice as you grow old with the game. Also, it is important that you take instructions from the coach as he

4. will be the right person to tell you about the drills and patterns that you need not to practice. -> Don’t Restrict Yourself– Try Playing in A Different Pattern – Each player on the court has a specific allotted place and that is exactly where he needs to play. However, that doesn’t mean you should completely restrict yourself with the specific position – try playing a different pattern on a different location, remember this would not only help you improve your netball skills but will also take you a long way ahead. -> Watch Others and Learn– Sometimes the best games are the ones that you learn when you watch others play. Keep your ideas wide open and see how a person at your position is playing, even if that means watching a player from the opposing team. Once you’ve watched that particular trick try practicing it but make sure you always have your coach’s permission and guidance when trying to perform the game. -> Enjoy the Game– Last point on the list for some important tips that beginners of Netball need to consider includes a very important points –enjoying the game while you’re still a part of it. The mistake that most people make is being too strict with themselves when it comes to dieting, food, etc; they fail to enjoy the game and that is the biggest blunder ever. Enjoy the slightest aspect of the game and you will surely go ahead with the game then. Consider these points mentioned above as the most important for detailed information about the games, the drills and techniques involved as well as the rules to go any further with the sport. Happy Netball!