Netball
Sweaty bibs, knee supports and the dreaded wedgie – here’s what life on the netball court is really all about.
If you’re part of the inner circle that hash it out on the netball court every week, you’ll know that some people don’t quite get the game, let alone the inside tricks and unspoken rules that dominate the sport.
So, ahead of Red Bull Switch Up in Manchester, on November 23, 2019, let’s intercept those misconceptions and laugh at the unique things that only netball has to offer...
1. No contact?
Netball is generally considered to be a non-contact sport, meaning non-netball players think of it as an easy, gentle, calm game. They are wrong.
Netball is in fact a ‘fair contact sport’ meaning simultaneous contact is allowed. To break it down, if two players are running for the same ball and contact each other, but neither of them is disadvantaged more than the other, the umpire won’t blow the whistle and play will continue. As a result of this rule, most netball players can attest to having come away from games with their share of bruises and cuts. All you have to do is take a look at a game on YouTube to see that players put it ALL on the line – blood, sweat and tears. It’s fair to say netball is anything but a non-contact sport.
2. Umpires love blowing the whistle on defenders
It’s a known truth that defenders will get called for contact 90 per cent of the time, even if it isn’t their fault. If the ball is in the shooting circle and some kind of contact occurs, most umpires will blow the whistle against the defender. The GK and GD have a tough job of dealing with this deep-rooted rule, which is particularly prevalent in grassroots netball. We salute you defenders, because no matter how many times you get called for contact or obstruction, you still keep trying!
3. Brace yourself
Knee and ankle braces are like comfort blankets for netballers. We wouldn’t dare play a game without taping and strapping up… because we’ve all had more than our fair share of twisted ankles, sprained knees and weeks off because of injury.
4. Kit up
It’s ALWAYS exciting getting new kit – that moment when you open the packet, smell the newness and try it on. But then the disappointment rapidly sets in, because c’mon, it’s a netball kit, and we all know that it’ll almost never fit properly. Whether it’s too short, too long, too tight or too baggy, for some reason, netball kits are not flattering. Maybe the days of pleated netball skirts have cursed the netball kit for all eternity…
Then there are the shorts, which will plague you with a constant wedgie, ensuring you constantly have to consider when is the best time to rearrange yourself during a game. (Mid-courters have the worst deal with this particular issue, as they don’t get a break like the shooters or defenders, who can enjoy specific wedgie-picking opportunities when the ball is at the other end of the court). On the upside, no matter how badly your kit fits, there’s a whole squad of you rocking it out together.
5. Sweaty bibs
You just have to deal with the fact that sweat transfer is going to happen – it’s synonymous with netball. If it doesn’t happen when your defender contacts you, it’ll definitely happen when you switch up the team and have to swap bibs. The worst is the moment when you put it over your head, and the neckline, wet with sweat, touches your face. Embrace it netballers – it just makes the sweaty hugs at the end of the game even better.
6. To long bomb or not to long bomb
It’s the ultimate dilemma. No matter how many times your coach tells you ‘slow and steady’, ‘short, sharp passes’, ‘keep it flat’, the temptation to do a long bomb will always override the short, sensible pass. You’ll consider your options, but when the GS is wide open, you won’t be able to resist the urge to lob the ball straight to them. Upon making the pass, your coach will drop their head into their hands. But you only get told off if it doesn’t work, so make sure it’s a good one!
7. Competitive much?
There will always be one player on the team who’s a tad more competitive than everyone else. They will vocalise this competitive nature during half-time breaks with well thought-out, eloquent speeches that stir up an insatiable desire for the win in even the most placid of players. Every team needs one.
8. Got your back
“Here if you need” is a phrase you need to hear in life sometimes. But your netball crew will say it more than most. Whether it’s the mid-courters backing up the shooters, or the defenders on the third line backing up the attackers, your netball crew will always have your back.
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