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Netball Alberta

Box 270, 7620 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, Alberta  T2V 1K2

Phone: (403) 238-8041

E-mail: contact@netballalberta.com www.netballalberta.com

NETBALL RULES

R1. Equipment

The court is 100 feet (30.5 m) long, and 50 feet (15.25 m) wide. The longer sides are called Side Lines and the shorter sides, Goal Lines. The court is divided into 3 equal parts – a Centre Third and two Goal Thirds. Semi-circles with a radius of 16 feet (4.9 m) are centred at the mid point of each Goal Line; this is called the Goal Circle. A circle, 3 feet (.9 m) in diameter marks the centre of the court. This is called the Centre Circle. The Goalposts are 10 feet (3.05 m) high and are placed at the mid-point of each Goal Line. Both ring and net are considered part of the Goalpost. The Ball is a netball, the same size as a soccer ball (size 5).

The players wear uniforms that include their playing position. No jewellery is permitted and finger nails must be short and smooth.

R2. Duration of Game

The international game is 1 hour in duration – four 15 minute quarters. The intervals are 3 minutes for the first and third, and either 5 or 10 minutes for half time. Game length may vary if teams are playing more than one game a day or time is limited.

R3. Officials

The Match Officials are; Umpires, Scorers, Timekeepers.

The Team Officials are; Coach, Manager, Captain and up to 3 other personnel, one of whom must be a Primary Care Person qualified to diagnose and/or treat injury/illness.

There are 2 Umpires per game, who make decisions in half of the court and along the entire length of their closest Side Line, (the court is divided from Side Line to Side Line). After a goal is scored both Umpires indicate the direction of the next Centre Pass. The Umpire, who blows his /her whistle for a goal, also restarts play for the next Centre Pass.

R4. The Team

There are 7 playing positions on a team, they are – GS, GA, WA, C, WD, GD, GK. A team must play with 5 players present. The maximum number of players on a team is 12.

R5. Late Arrivals

After the game has started, a late arrival may not enter the court to replace another player. However, if a playing position is vacant, a late arrival may enter the court to play in that position, provided they notify the Umpire and enter the court after the next goal. A late arrival may be used as a substitute under the rules governing substitutions/changes.

R6. Substitutions and Team Changes

Both teams may make substitutions/changes during an interval, or when play is stopped for injury/illness. In the last instance, the injured player must be involved in the team substitutions/changes. There is no limit to the number of substitutions/changes per team; however they must come from the 12 players named for the match.

R7. Stoppages

Coaching is not permitted from any person/player on the Team Bench during any stoppage i.e. injury, illness, blood or emergency. The Manager may approach the players at the Side Line but only to provide hydration. Coaching is permitted during play and at intervals.

Play may be stopped for injury/illness after a request from an on court player. The Umpire has discretion, if the reason for the stoppage is not obvious, the Umpire will ask ‘why?’.

The first stoppage for each team in each quarter is up to 2 minutes. During this time the Primary Care Personnel must decide if the injured/ill player is fit to continue. No other Bench Official may enter the court. Both teams may make substitutions/changes, however the injured/ill player must be involved.

The second stoppage for each team in each quarter is up to 30 seconds. During this time the injured/ill player must leave the court and be treated court side. This player may return to the game later under the rules governing substitutions/changes. In the case of more serious injury e.g. spinal cord, common sense will prevail and the player will not be moved unless it is safe to do so.

A team may decide to leave a position vacant temporarily. Any bench player may fill the vacant position provided the player notifies the Umpire before entering the court, and does so after a goal is scored.

The game must be stopped by an Umpire when Blood is noticed and no on-court player has requested time. The ball, court, clothing and wound must be adequately covered before play is restarted. When the Umpire stops the game for a blood injury this is not classified as a 2 minute or 30 second injury. If a Player requests ‘time’ because of blood, this is the same as above; this is not considered an injury. However, if a player calls time for an injury, and subsequently notices blood, the stoppage remains classified as an injury – the Umpire may allow extra time to deal with the clean up of blood. Both teams are entitled to make Substitutions/Changes provided the injured Player is involved.

R8. Playing Areas

Lines bounding each area of the court are part of that area.

R9. Offside

A player is Offside if any part of their body touches the court in a playing area which is Offside to them. A player is not Offside if they lean on the ball in an offside area.

If two players go Offside simultaneously and neither player touches the ball, they are not penalised. If one or both touch the ball, a Toss Up is taken between the two players involved in their own area of play.

R10. Out of Court

The ball goes out of court when it touches something outside the court – the ground, an object, a person, a player. A Throw In is awarded to the opposing team immediately behind the point where the ball crossed the line and was out of court. A player may not jump from out of court, touch the ball in mid-air, then land on court – this is ruled out of court.

R11. Positioning of Players for the Start of Play

The players are responsible for being correctly positioned for each Centre Pass. The Centre taking the Centre Pass stands on one or both feet wholly within the Centre Circle, the defending Centre is free to move within the Centre Third. All other players are positioned in their respective Goal Thirds, and may not enter the Centre Third until the whistle has been blown.

R12. Start of Play

The Centre Pass alternates between the two teams regardless of which team scored last. The Centre Pass must be touched by a player who lands with their first foot, or both feet, completely within the Centre Third. The opposing team may catch the ball in either Third – play continues with no whistle.

R13. Playing the Ball

A player may;

•catch the ball with one or both hands

•rebound the ball off the Goal Post

•bat or bounce the ball once then catch the ball

•tip the ball in an uncontrolled manner any number of times, then catch or direct the ball

•roll the ball to oneself to gain possession

•fall while holding the ball but must regain footing and throw within 3 seconds

•lean on the ball to prevent going Offside

A player may not;

•strike the ball with a fist

•fall on the ball to gain possession

•attempt to gain possession of the ball from the ground, or throw the ball from the ground

•use the Goalpost for any purpose including balance

•kick the ball

•replay the ball after catching it

•replay the ball after missing a shot at goal unless the ball touches some part of the Goalpost

•hold the ball for 3 seconds

If 2 opposing players gain possession of the ball in quick succession the Umpire makes a ruling on which player caught the ball first. This is not a penalty, it is clarification.

When two players on the same team pass the ball, there must be room on court for a third player to move between their hands.

The ball must be touched in each third of the court.

R14. Footwork

When a player catches the ball in mid air, the first foot they land on is called the ‘landing foot’. This foot may not be regrounded before the ball is released. A player may not drag their landing foot or hop on either foot.

If a player receives the ball with 2 feet simultaneously, then moves one foot, the stationary foot is the landing foot. Players may pivot on any part of their landing foot, provided the foot does not move along the court in any direction.

R15. Scoring a Goal

Only the GS or GA on each team may score a goal. Shots must be taken from inside the Goal Circle. If a defending player tips a successful attempt at goal, the goal is counted. If a player throws the ball from outside the Goal Circle and the ball goes through the ring, no goal is scored and play continues.

A defending player may not move the Goalpost so as to interfere with a shot at goal.

R16. Obstruction

A defending player may not defend a player (who has the ball), from less than 3 feet from their landing foot. The distance is measured on the ground not in the air. If the player with the ball lifts their landing foot, the distance is measured from where the foot was lifted. If a player with the ball lands both feet simultaneously, the distance is measured between their closest feet.

A player may not hold their arms away from their body in order to defend an opponent who does not have the ball. Natural body balance is OK. A player may outstretch their arms in order to – catch or intercept a pass, obtain a rebound from an unsuccessful shot at goal, or to momentarily signal a direction of movement.

A player may defend an opponent who has chosen to go out of court, provided the defending player remains on court. No player may defend while out of court.

R17. Contact

A player may not;

•Contact an opposing player (accidentally or deliberately), so as to interfere with their play.

•move into the landing spot of an opponent who is committed to landing there

•position so closely to an opponent that the player can not move without contacting

•push, trip lean or hold an opponent

•knock the ball out of an opponent’s possession

•push an opponent with the ball or place hands on the ball held by an opponent

R18. Awarding Penalties

Netball has 5 penalties – Free Pass, Penalty Pass, Penalty Pass/Shot, Throw In, Toss Up. All penalties, with the exception of the Toss Up, are awarded to a team. The player taking the penalty must – take up the position indicated and verbalized by the Umpire, throw within 3 seconds and obey the Footwork Rule.

A Free Pass is awarded for all minor infringements e.g. Offside, Breaking, Playing the Ball, Footwork. A shooter may not attempt a shot at goal on a Free Pass.

A Penalty Pass or Penalty Pass/Shot, is awarded for all major infringements; Obstruction, Contact and interference with a shot at goal by moving the Goalpost. The penalised player must stand beside and away from the player taking the penalty, and not move or verbalize before the ball has been released.

The player taking a Throw In must – wait for all players to be back on court, stand outside the court immediately behind the point where the ball left the court, throw within 3 seconds, observe the Footwork rule, not step behind any area that is offside to them prior to releasing the ball, not throw the ball Over a Third, not enter the court, or stand on the line prior to releasing the ball.

A Toss Up is taken between 2 opposing players when they simultaneously – gain possession of the ball, knock the ball out of court, go Offside, ‘Break’ at the Centre Pass (one must touch the ball) or Contact each other. The players are responsible for positioning themselves correctly for a Toss Up – face correct goals, arms straight, hands to sides, 3 feet between nearer feet, no movement before the whistle.

R19 Discipline

Players may not – continually break the rules of the game, deliberately Delay Play or dispute an Umpire’s call.

R20 Warning, Suspension and Ordering Off

For rough or dangerous play, persistent and/or deliberate breaking of the rules – in addition to a normal penalty, an Umpire may; warn, suspend, or order off a player. It is usual for a warning to be given before a suspension is assessed. It is also usual for a suspension to be served before an ordering off is assessed. Although in extreme cases, this is not mandatory. The playing position is left vacant of a player who is suspended or ordered off.

R21. Failure to Take the Court

Before the Start of Play and the end of each interval, the Umpire blows 30 second and 10 second warning whistles. Teams must move into position on court when the Umpire blows the 10 second whistle. If a team does not take the court within one minute of the designated start time, the Umpire awards the game to the non-offending team.