Rules of netball

Netball is a ball sport for two teams of seven players; its rules are published in print and online by the International Netball Federation. Games are played on a rectangular court divided into thirds, with a raised goal at each short end. The object of the game is for teams to score goals, by passing a ball and shooting it into the opposite team's goal ring. Players are assigned "positions" that define their role within the team and restrict their movement on court.

During general play, a player with the ball can take no more than one step before passing it, and must pass the ball or shoot for goal within three seconds. Goals can only be scored by the assigned shooting players. Netball games are 60 minutes long, divided into 15-minute quarters, at the end of which the team with the most goals scored wins.

The objective of a game of netball is to score more goals than the opposition. Goals are scored when the ball is passed to team members in the goal circle who then shoot the ball through the goal ring.

Netball is played on either a hard or soft court with scoring hoops or "rings" at both ends. The court is slightly larger than a basketball court, being 30.5 metres (100 ft) long and 15.25 metres (50.0 ft) wide. The longer sides are called "side lines" and the shorter sides are called "goal lines" or "back lines". The two lines dividing the court into thirds are called "transverse lines". Court markings are no more than 50 millimetres (2.0 in) wide. The court is divided into thirds which regulate where individuals of each position are allowed to move. A 0.9-metre (3 ft)-diameter "centre circle" is located in the centre of the court. At each end of the court there is a 4.9-metre (16 ft)-radius semi-circular "shooting circle" or "goal circle" from within which all scoring shots must be taken. The goal posts are 3.05 metres (10.0 ft) high from the top of the ring to the ground and have no backboards. The rings have an internal diameter of 380 millimetres (15 in), and are located 150 millimetres (5.9 in) forward from the post and are made of 15-millimetre (0.59 in) diameter steel.

The ball is made of leather, rubber or similar material, measures 680 to 710 millimetres (27 to 28 in) in circumference and weighs 397 to 454 grams (14.0 to 16.0 oz). For INF sanctioned competitions, Gilbert is the official supplier of netball balls.

A game is played in four quarters, each lasting fifteen minutes. There are intervals of three minutes between the first and second quarters and between the third and fourth quarters, and an interval of five minutes at half time. If an umpire or player calls time, the time keeper pauses the timer. When play resumes, the timer is restarted. A maximum of two minutes is allowed for an injury. Overtimes, in elimination games, consist of two straight seven-minute periods; if still tied after fourteen minutes, whoever is up two points will win.

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