Now if you thought rugby was popular. Check out netball. If you go to New Zealand in the winter you will pass girls playing netball often.
So Focus. I need to say right now that I know almost as much about netball as I do about rugby. So don’t go yelling at me. I did play it when I was at school. All NZ school kids play at least one sport, it is mandatory at most schools and the heaving netball courts on Saturday mornings were a fantastic place to meet boys. (Most of us attend all-girls schools remember) But oh, Netball Players suffered because for whatever reason, it was deemed that netball was a winter sport and like rugby played outside. My clearest memory of playing netball is having freezing thighs and arms – cold that is like a burn on your legs. Not attractive!
So, Netball began in NZ in 1906 and in the beginning was called Womens Basketball. By the 1920’s it had been decided that the ball could not be bounced, you could not step more than a pace with the ball in your hands, you cannot hold the ball for longer than three seconds or something, the hoop lost its net, the hems went UP and the games name was changed to Netball. Though I need to point out that there is NO NET. So calling it NET BALL still mystifies me. Netball is played in over 50 countries now so they tell me. Australia and South Africa has been playing it as long as NZ and are amongst our archest of arch rivals.
In my opinion I think the girls just wanted their own game because the boys would not let them play rugby because Girls play too dirty. Both games are played on Saturday morning. So the girls devised a faster, more skill-full, full on, running game that most boys just cannot keep up with, but enjoy watching. Nowadays boys can play in the social grades but only if they cut their fingernails and take out their earrings. Scratching and eye gouging can sometimes become a problem.
Each team has seven players on either side and there are lines on the courts telling you where you should not be. There are numerous rules that I never really understood.
(D just jump in any time! My friend D is a netball COACH, she reads this blog every morning in NZ, while drinking strong coffee and I am sure she is going to have something to say about my somewhat garbled monologue on her favourite sport.)
The girls, thousands and thousands and thousands of them, play outside on concrete or tarmac courts. Multiple courts are surrounded in tall linked chain deer fences. Did I tell you it was grey and cold. Grim. They wear short flared skirts with bare legs, matching knickers and long socks – in the winter. The girls are tough and sometimes really, really mean. Their fingernails are inspected before the game, then they are handed scissors or tape. Earrings have to come out in case someone rips them out. Screams of ‘Contact!’ are heard all over the courts. Every Intermediate and High School in NZ worth it’s salt has a rugby field and numerous outdoor netball courts. When the girls are older and in the club teams I think they have Indoor Squeaky Shoe Courts. Softies!
Last time I looked New Zealand Silver Ferns are ranked second in the world. I cannot remember who is first! Bet you do though.
Of course nice girls play too but they are often Goal Keep. (me) You see I really did play netball for a number of years. The family game was hockey but I liked my teeth too much so I played netball. I was tall and had long monkey arms. I think the idea was that the team I played for was so good, that the other team did not get down into their goal (that I was left to guard) very often, so I would not do very much work. This was true. I was the most bored netball player in the history of the game. I got to be very good at the clapping and encouraging of my team mates. Not being able to catch was a problem, but the girls soon worked out that they could use me like a board and bounce the ball off me to another player if play happened to drift down to my end. All I had to do was hold my hands up, usually to protect my face. And sometimes do a lot of jumping and waving my arms in the air to distract people. This kind of worked out. Though there was that time that they bounced the ball off my head by mistake. Maybe I was dreaming or singing to myself and did not notice them coming. But I was a good sport. I told you it is a fast game!
The real reason that they kept me on the team was that I was a nice quiet girl ( ha ha ha) and often my older brothers friends (not rugby players) and friends of my older brothers friends (not rugby players either) would visit me at the courts hoping to meet my netball friends. The nice bit was that I always introduced everybody. Also and I cannot tell you how important this was. One of the boys had a motorbike.
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
51 responses to “Netball: The other New Zealand Sport.”
Ah, memories. I was always made to play Goal Keep because I am 5ft 10″ and have been since about the age of 12. I’m not the most coordinated but being that tall I was somewhat effective.
yes tall is useful for that game! But 12, you m must have been a fast grower, that is tall for 12.. c
This is a wonderful post again. I enjoy to read your articles. Netball is new for me, but I know what it is and also from your memories too. My husband, in the past he was a basketball player and then he was a basketball coach. My son played basketball too. So I love this sport and it is very enjoyable to watch them. And I can imagine my dear Cecilia now when she was playing Netball! By the way the photographs are so beautiful, I loved them all.
Thank you dearest, with my love, nia
Thank you Nia, sports are good for kids, fancy your husband being a basket ball coach! I am learning as much about you from your comments as I do from your posts.. that is great.. c
I also played Netball about 483 years ago in primary school and being the ONLY tall girl, was also goal keeper / shooter or something to that effect and got really frustrated not being able to move out of that small section.
I see Cindy asked what I was gonna.
Have a super Sunday.
🙂 Mandy
Well as John said, at least it is not snowing. It seems there are a few states getting early snow this year.. c
Hi Cecilia. Great post. I remember that cold burning feeling on the legs from hockey days. Love the glass insulators. I didn’t know what there were until I read your reply above. They are fabulous.
Regards Florence x
Aha, a hockey player, you guys were even tougher! Strange that hockey was played by boys and girls, basket ball was played by boys and girls even lacrosse but netball was only girls. Interesting how thing evolve.. c
They should bring netball to the US. I don’t have enough emotional scars from gym class. Not the right kind, anyway. Netball actually sounds like fun!
it is fun, and there was a social teams where all the housewives bring their little kids in the early evening and have a game. I never did it but it sounded like a good time! Playing and swapping your kids about. ! c
I used to play netball at school and it had a net! I remember the cold, red legs and scratchy red socks. I played WD, I was the little aggressive one and I loved it! I remember beating one school 33-0 that felt so good. Thanks for reminding me, good memories, I used to play hockey and lacrosse too, now there’s a mental game!!
I have never even see a lacrosse game, we never had nets in our courts but maybe other people had them, or maybe this was just the old days. Those wing defence girls were the scariest.! fast little whippersnappers.. c
Smiling at the last few lines because I can imagine how important it was that one of the boys had a motorbike. Somethings are universal when it comes to schooldays!
Absolutely.. c
Very good Ce….read this after watching Australia beat the Silver Ferns 44-41 a great game but I hate losing to Australia. By the way the rings do have nets…maybe they didn’t when you last played but they do now. The netball courts are still crowded with people all day on a saturday and other competitions are played at night during the week so it is as popular as ever. Our girls wear some lovely red and grey dresses these days tho alot still wear the skirts and tops…i think the dresses are a lot more comfortable..the girls like them as long as they are not too short. Do they play it in America????
Thank Goodness I passed, Deb, i was honestly concerned with your reaction. Yes i think i was showing my age with the hoops without nets, either that or the nuns were teaching to ‘do without’ . The dresses would be so much more sensible, the tops kept pulling up when we reached i remember. Your girls look gorgeous. And I have not heard of any netball here in the states. Not very many all girls schools either. I love it when you comment, enjoying your spring in NZ?.. love love c
I also played netball at school, extremely badly, like I was at all sport, being very short and curvy, and not able to see a ball coming at me, never mind catch it or hit it or whatever. I hated netball almost as much as I hated volley ball 🙂 Loved your photos!!!
I know just how you felt, I was stick thin and straight as a pin and still never caught a thing! c