Netball
Netball is played by female athletes, one of two female-only events at the BC Winter Games. Originally known as "womenıs basketball," netball is similar to basketball, the athletes playing on a court with a ball resembling a basketball, but lighter, smaller and slightly softer in construction. The hoops are of smaller dimension and height than basketball hoops, and have no backboards.
Netball, a non contact sport, was devised in 1891 by Canadian, Dr James Naismith. His intent was to provide his students in the School for Christian Workers, later called the YMCA, an alternative to basketball. Interested female teachers began to innovate a girls-only version of the sport, with rules to match the restrictive uniforms worn by the female athletes. The women at this time wore outfits that hindered them from executing important basketball moves, such as running and dribbling, so the game was modified to emphasize passing skills with a minimum of movement on the court.
Netball was first played in England in 1895 at Madame Ostenburgs College and quickly spread to all the British Commonwealth territories, but it did not yet have a strict set of rules. Games were often played on grass, and the rules were loose enough that numbers of players varied from game to game. Clara Baer, a gym teacher from New Orleans, asked Naismith for a copy of basketball rules, and introduced the zoning areas we know today. In 1901, a set of netball rules was ratified in a document termed "Rules for Womenıs Basketball," and the first draft outlined how the sport was to be played, including the elimination of the dribbling rule. In 1970, the game was changed from womenıs basketball to netball. Today, the sport is very popular, with the modern version of netball a separate sport from womens basketball. Australia is ranked number one in the world and has won six of eight World Championships, held every four years.
Scorekeeping by officials is more easily managed by the use of player labels. Each athlete wears a jersey marked with bold capital letters noting the position she plays. Players are restricted to a certain area of the playing surface, and the labelling helps officials keep track. The ball must be caught and then passed to a teammate without moving. Only two of a netball teamıs seven players on court at any time are permitted to score. As in basketball, however, taller athletes have some advantages, being able to pass and shoot over and around opposing players.
The BC Winter Games has been an effective part of netballıs development in the province. All the British Columbia players currently on the Canadian national team competed at the games. Eighty female athletes (ages 14 -15) will compete at Laurie Middle School in Cranbrook, accompanied by 16 coaches and 12 officials. Spectators will have a wonderful opportunity to observe how the game is played.
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