Today is

By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

Netball Beginnings

Netball traces its roots to basketball. Basketball was devised in 1891 by James Naismith for his students in the School for Christian Workers (later called the YMCA). Female teachers got curious and started to formulate a version for girls.

The outfits of women at this time hindered them from effectively executing important basketball moves such as running and dribbling, so the game had to be modified to accommodate these restrictions. Women’s basketball, or ‘netball,’ was thus born. 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.

Netball facts

NETBALL is the world's most popular team game for women, and is played on all continents, in over 70 countries by over 7 million people. Within the Commonwealth netball has a higher number of active participants than any other sport. It actually began here in the United States as women's basketball in 1895.

Before it was exported to Britain and the British Commonwealth, which is where it gained in popularity. Netball is a fast, skilful team game based on running, jumping, throwing and catching. Teams may include up to 12 players but only 7 may take the court at any one time. It is an amateur sport, is registered as an official Olympic sport and has been part of the Commonwealth Games program since 1990.

Netball history

Netball was invented in the late 19th century by lady basketball players who found that the fashions at the time made running, dribbling and passing the ball too difficult. By the very begining of the 20th century, netball (ladies basketball), was an official sport. Just as now, the court was divided into thirds, although unlike now, the net was closed at the bottom, leaving umpires scrambling to retrieve the ball after every goal.

As British ladies travelled out into the colonies, they took netball with them, and so the sport spread across the world. International matches were played as early as 1938 (Australia v New Zealand - the Aussies won). World tournaments have been staged since 1963.

CONCLUSION

One significant difference in netball regulations when compared to basic basketball rules is the creation of zoning areas, essentially establishing areas that each player would patrol. Some sources indicate the creation of zoning areas came about due to some misunderstanding on the part of Baer of the basic rules of movement on a basketball court, while other sources indicate that Baer intentionally included this innovation to help give netball an identity of its own. By 1901, netball had an officially recognized set of rules, and was also an established sport.