Netball is one of New Zealand’s most-played team sports, with well over 100,000 registered players turning out for clubs, schools and social leagues every season. It is fast, inexpensive and easy to pick up, which is exactly why so many newcomers want to know how to get started. This guide walks a complete beginner through the essentials: what the game is, the court and gear you need, the seven positions, the rules that matter most, how a match starts and finishes, and the skills that will get you playing with confidence.
Key Points
- Netball is a seven-a-side, limited-contact game, and you cannot run with the ball.
- You must pass or shoot within three seconds of catching the ball.
- Each of the seven positions may only enter certain thirds and circles of the court.
- Only the Goal Shooter and Goal Attack can score, and only from inside the goal circle.
- Defenders must stand at least 0.9 m away before defending a pass or shot.
- A match is four quarters; a centre pass starts play and restarts it after every goal.
What netball is and how a game works
Netball is a seven-a-side, non-contact ball sport played on a hard rectangular court. Two teams of seven try to score goals by shooting a ball through a ring mounted on a post at each end of the court. The team with the most goals when time runs out wins.
Two features make netball different from most invasion games. First, you cannot run with the ball — once you catch it you must pass or shoot, and you may not take it on a run. Second, each of the seven players is restricted to certain areas of the court and cannot roam everywhere. Those two ideas shape almost every rule below, and they are the first things a beginner should internalise. If you want the bigger picture before diving in, our complete beginner’s guide to netball sets out the whole sport in one place.
The netball court and the gear you need
Netball is refreshingly cheap to start. You need a ball, a goalpost with a ring, a flat non-slip surface and comfortable sports clothing — nothing more to have a go.
The court is a rectangle measuring 30.5 m long by 15.25 m wide, divided across its length into three equal thirds: two goal thirds and a centre third. At each end a semicircular goal circle with a 4.9 m radius marks the only area from which goals may be scored. A small centre circle, 0.9 m across, sits in the middle. These official netball court dimensions are the same from community to international level.
The ball, the post and the ring
A netball is slightly smaller and lighter than a basketball, with a textured surface for grip. A regulation ball measures 690–710 mm in circumference and weighs 400–450 g. The goalpost stands 3.05 m high and carries a ring with an internal diameter of 380 mm. Crucially, there is no backboard behind the ring, so shots must drop cleanly through — a key reason shooting technique matters so much. You can read more about the parts of a netball hoop and how it differs from a basketball hoop.
For junior players, New Zealand’s futureFERNS programme lowers the post and uses smaller, lighter balls so the game suits the age group, with heights and ball sizes scaling up as players grow.
What to wear
Comfortable athletic clothing that lets you move freely is all you need: breathable shorts, a skort or leggings and a loose top. The most important purchase is proper netball or court shoes with good grip and lateral support, because the game involves constant sharp stops and changes of direction. Teams also wear bibs showing a two-letter position code so everyone — players and umpires — can see who is allowed where.
Netball at a Glance
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Players per team (on court) | 7 (plus substitutes) |
| Court size | 30.5 m long x 15.25 m wide |
| Court layout | Three equal thirds |
| Goal circle | Semicircle, 4.9 m radius |
| Centre circle | 0.9 m diameter |
| Goalpost height | 3.05 m |
| Goal ring | 380 mm internal diameter, no backboard |
| Ball | 690–710 mm circumference, 400–450 g |
| Match length (elite) | 4 x 15-minute quarters (shorter for juniors) |
| Time to pass or shoot | Within 3 seconds |
| Defending distance | 0.9 m (about 3 feet) |
The seven positions and where each can go
Every player wears a position bib, and that bib decides which thirds and circles they may enter. Learning the areas is as important as learning the role. Here is a quick guide to how the seven netball positions work:
- Goal Shooter (GS): the main scorer; may only move in the attacking goal third and shoots from inside the goal circle.
- Goal Attack (GA): the second shooter; works in the attacking goal third and the centre third and also scores from the circle.
- Wing Attack (WA): feeds the ball to the shooters; works in the attacking goal third (but not the goal circle) and the centre third.
- Centre (C): the link between attack and defence; covers the whole court except the two goal circles and takes most centre passes.
- Wing Defence (WD): marks the opposing WA; works in the defending goal third (not the circle) and the centre third.
- Goal Defence (GD): defends the GA; works in the defending goal third and the centre third, including the defending goal circle.
- Goal Keeper (GK): the last line of defence; stays in the defending goal third and circle, marking the opposing GS.
Only the GS and GA may shoot, and only the GK and GD defend inside the goal circle. If a player enters an area their bib does not allow — with or without the ball — that is an offside infringement, and the other team is given a free pass.
The core rules every beginner should know
Netball has a tidy set of rules, but a handful do most of the work. Our full netball rules guide covers them all; these are the ones that shape your first games.
Footwork
Footwork is the rule beginners break most often. When you catch the ball, the first foot to land becomes your landing foot. You may step with the other foot and pivot on the landing foot, but once you have lifted the landing foot you must release the ball before it touches the ground again. Dragging, hopping or taking an extra step is a footwork infringement.
The three-second rule
You have only three seconds while holding the ball to pass or shoot it. Hold on longer and possession is handed to the other team. This is why quick decisions and teammates moving into space are so important.
Contact and obstruction
Netball is a limited-contact game rather than a no-contact one. You may not push, bump, trip or hold an opponent, or interfere with their movement. When you defend a player with the ball you must stand at least 0.9 m (about 3 feet) away before you may attempt to intercept or block; standing closer is an obstruction. Both contact and obstruction are penalised with a penalty pass (or penalty pass or shot in the circle), where the offending player must stand out of play beside the thrower.
Offside
Because each position is restricted to set areas, stepping into an area your bib does not permit is an offside infringement, even if you do not touch the ball. The opposing team receives a free pass from where it happened. Knowing your zones is a huge part of playing cleanly.
Starting and restarting play: the centre pass
Play begins — and restarts after every goal — with a centre pass. The team to take the first centre pass is decided by a coin toss, and after that the centre pass alternates between the teams regardless of who scored.
The centre taking the pass must stand wholly inside the centre circle and obey the footwork rule once the umpire’s whistle sounds. Every other player must begin in their correct third; only the two centres start outside the goal thirds. When the whistle blows, the pass must be caught or touched by a player inside the centre third — it cannot be thrown straight into a goal third. Teams rehearse their centre-pass moves endlessly, because winning clean possession from the restart is one of the easiest ways to build a scoring chance.
Game time and structure
A standard netball match is split into four quarters. At elite level each quarter lasts 15 minutes, for 60 minutes of play, with short intervals between the first and second and between the third and fourth quarters, and a longer break at half-time. New Zealand junior, school and social grades often use shorter quarters — commonly 10 or 12 minutes — to suit the age and level. If you are curious about the exact timings, we explain how long a netball game lasts across every grade.
The breaks let players rest and rehydrate and give the coach a chance to adjust tactics. Many competitions allow substitutions and team changes during intervals, and some allow rolling changes, so the rules vary by level — always check your own competition’s regulations.
Essential skills: passing, shooting and defending
Three skills carry a beginner a long way. Build these and you will contribute to any social team.
Passing
Because you cannot run with the ball, passing is how the whole game moves. The main passes are the chest pass (two hands, fast and flat for short distances), the bounce pass (bounced past a defender’s reach), the shoulder pass (one hand, for longer range) and the overhead pass (lobbed over a tall defender). Accuracy and timing matter more than power; a good pass leads a moving teammate into space. A set of simple netball passing drills is the fastest way to sharpen all four.
Shooting
Only the GS and GA score, and only from inside the goal circle. With no backboard to rely on, a good shot is all touch: a balanced stance, the ball held high on the fingertips, a soft bend of the knees and a gentle release with backspin so the ball drops through the ring. Shooters practise from many angles and distances until the action is automatic under pressure.
Defending
Defending is about anticipation as much as reach. Standing the legal 0.9 m away, a defender uses footwork and timing to pressure the shot, read the pass and intercept it in the air. Good defenders force opponents into rushed decisions and turn defence into attack the instant they win the ball.
How to score and win
A goal is scored when the GS or GA shoots the ball cleanly through the ring from inside the goal circle; each counts as one goal in the standard game. (Some competitions, such as New Zealand’s ANZ Premiership, add a timed two-point “Super Shot” from the outer circle, but that is a competition-specific variation rather than a core rule.) The team with more goals when the final whistle sounds wins. Winning comes down to moving the ball quickly through the thirds, creating space for the shooters and defending as a unit — teamwork, communication and court awareness decide most matches.
Common beginner mistakes
- Moving the landing foot: dragging or re-grounding it is the most frequent whistle against newcomers.
- Standing too close on defence: less than 0.9 m away gives away an obstruction penalty.
- Straying offside: drifting into a third your bib does not allow hands the ball straight back.
- Holding the ball too long: freeze for more than three seconds and you lose possession.
- Static play: standing still makes you easy to mark — keep moving to offer a passing option.
How to start playing netball in New Zealand
Getting onto a court is easy. Most people begin through a local club, a workplace or social twilight league, or a school team. For younger children, Netball New Zealand’s futureFERNS programme introduces the game with modified rules, smaller equipment and lower posts so skills build gradually.
To join in, find your nearest netball centre or club, register for the season (many centres handle this online), and turn up with court shoes, a water bottle and a willingness to learn. Social leagues are mixed-ability and welcoming, and most clubs run have-a-go or beginner sessions. From there, regular play and a little practice at the three core skills are all it takes to improve.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is netball hard to learn as a beginner?
No. The basic idea — pass the ball up the court and shoot it through the ring — is simple, and social leagues are designed for newcomers. The two habits that take a little practice are keeping still after you catch the ball (the footwork rule) and staying inside the areas your position allows.
Can you run with the ball in netball?
No. Once you catch the ball you cannot take it on a run. You may pivot on your landing foot and step with the other, but you must pass or shoot within three seconds, which is why movement off the ball and quick passing are so important.
How many players are on a netball team?
Seven players from each team are on court at once, each wearing a position bib that restricts them to certain thirds and circles. Teams also carry substitutes who can come on during breaks or, in some competitions, as rolling changes.
Who is allowed to shoot goals in netball?
Only the Goal Shooter (GS) and Goal Attack (GA), and only from inside the attacking goal circle. A goal counts when the ball passes cleanly through the ring, which has no backboard behind it.
How long does a netball game last?
A standard match is four quarters of 15 minutes, totalling 60 minutes of play, with intervals between quarters. Junior, school and social grades in New Zealand often use shorter quarters to suit the level.
