A QUICK GUIDE TO THE BASIC RULES OF NETBALL

BASIC PASS 

• The game starts and finishes on the umpires whistle.
• Each game consists of four 15 minute quarters.  Teams change ends after each quarter break.
• Centre Passes are taken alternatively by the Centre after a goal is scored.
• Umpires control the game through umpiring to their right with the court divided across the centre circle. Each umpire controls their half of the court and also controls the whole of the sideline on their side of the court.
• The ball is awarded to opposition for throw-in when ball has left the court.  Throw-ins take place where the ball left the court with one foot close to the line.
• A goal is one point.

CENTRE PASS

• The centre passes are taken alternatively by the Centre for each team after a goal has been scored. 
• All players must start in their designated goal thirds prior to the umpires whistle being blown.  The two Centres are in the centre third.
• The Centre has to be wholly inside the Centre Circle for the Centre Pass to proceed.  The Centre must obey the footwork rule after the whistle has been blown. 
• The opposing Centre can stand anywhere within the Centre Third of the court, providing she is .9M from the other Centre and is free to move.

FREE PASS

• A free pass is awarded for infringements related to court play, eg:  stepping, replayed ball, over-a-third, held ball, short pass, breaking, offside
• A free pass is taken by the opposition on the spot where the infringement took place.
• A shooter cannot shoot for goal from a free pass.

STEPPING: A player must NOT reground the first foot to land on the court before releasing the ball.  A player also may not drag or slide the landed foot but it is OK for a player to lift her grounded foot provided she releases the ball BEFORE regrounding that foot.

REPLAYED BALL: When the ball is considered to be in control of the player but is then bounced or fumbled to gain better control or when shooter shoots for goal and ball goes straight up in the air and comes down without any contact with the goal or another player.

OVER-A-THIRD: When ball is thrown through a complete third of the court without being touched by any player.

HELD BALL: Ball held by player for more than three seconds.

SHORT PASS: Where there is no room for a third player to move between the hands of the thrower and the hands of the receiver at the time the ball is passed.

BREAKING: If a player enters the Centre third before the whistle is blown for the centre pass. The pass is to be taken by the opposing team where the infringement occurred.

OFFSIDE: When any part of a player’s body touches the ground in an area of the court where that player cannot go.

PENALTY PASS

• A penalty pass is awarded for infringements relating to Obstruction and Contact.
• The player who caused the infringement must stand beside the player who has been awarded the penalty pass.
• A shooter CAN shoot for goal from a penalty pass if in the goal circle.

OBSTRUCTION: Defender must be .9M (3ft) from player with ball - this is measured from the grounded foot of the player with the ball to the nearest foot of the defender.

CONTACT: No contact either accidentally or deliberately is allowed to interfere with an opponents play.

CONTACT WITH THE BALL: A player cannot touch the ball when it is being held by another player.

THE TOSS: A toss is awarded for all simultaneous infringements.