Netball Rules
Two teams try to score by shooting a ball through a raised ring, with players restricted to fixed positions.
7-a-side, each player restricted to specific court thirds by position; four 15-minute quarters.
- •A goal is scored when the Goal Shooter or Goal Attack, the only two positions allowed to shoot, score from inside the shooting circle
- •Every goal is worth 1 point
- •No contact and no running with the ball: a strict 3-second holding limit and footwork rules (no dragging or double-stepping) apply
- •Each of the 7 positions is restricted to specific areas of the court
- •The court is divided into thirds, which further restricts where each position can go
Positions and rotation
Netball's seven positions are strictly zoned, so a player left at Goal Keeper all season never touches the attacking third. In a social league that is the quickest route to someone quietly not returning next year.
A rule that every player starts in at least three different positions across a season spreads the experience without weakening teams much, and makes a squad far more resilient when the regular Centre is away.
Officiating and format
Netball is unusually hard to self-officiate: footwork, obstruction and the three-second rule all need close watching and players disagree about all three in good faith. Two umpires, one per half, is the proper answer, and governing bodies run short introductory courses at modest cost.
Four quarters rather than two halves matters more in a casual league than a competitive one, because the breaks are when substitutions and position changes actually happen. Ten or twelve minute quarters fit a fixture into an hour.
Common questions
What is the footwork rule?
Once you land with the ball, the landing foot cannot move again until you have passed or shot. You may pivot on it. It is the most frequently broken rule in casual netball and the one most worth explaining before the first fixture.
Can any player shoot?
No. Only Goal Shooter and Goal Attack may shoot, and only from inside the shooting circle. That zoning is why positional bibs are not optional: the whole rule set depends on everyone knowing who is allowed where.
Is mixed netball a thing?
Yes, and it is growing. Some leagues require a minimum number of women on court at all times to keep the balance. Walking netball is the other format worth knowing, with the same rules and no running, which brings back players who left the sport decades ago.
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