How to Play Netball Better

Last Updated: September 27, 2021

Netball is a fun and easy sport that you can play or practice almost anywhere. Improving your netball playing skills involves practice, knowledge and deeper involvement over time.

Steps

1
Add more exercise to your schedule. Try to do more than thirty minutes of walking a day. If you're at school, try to join in any sport games or activities to give you the opportunity to exercise with others. Do as much as you can to become fitter. It is very important that you can run a lot and be agile during a netball game.
2
Practice your skills with a friend or with your coach. It is good to not only exercise but it is also important to practice throwing, catching, defending and attacking. Make sure you know these skills well.
3
Know the game. Know the positions, offsides and rules inside out. Read as many books about the game as you can or read online tutorials about netball that can give you more knowledge about the game.
4
Join a netball club if you haven't joined one yet. It is a perfect way of getting better and you will gain a great deal of knowledge about the game from a coach.
5
Ask your coach or friends questions about the game. Don't ask them really tricky questions and don't pressure them but just ask them when they are free or the subject has popped up.
6
Watch some professional netball games. Visualising a netball game gives you a good understanding of the game and it can even help you in your game. It doesn't matter if the games are on TV or at school, always watch a game when a game is going on.
7
Try different positions in the game as you increase in confidence. There are so many to choose from, and you might find you prefer new positions over ones you started out in. Whatever you do, remember that the main rule of the game is to have fun, play safe, be a good sport. Most of all, be confident and remember that practice makes perfect!

Community Q&A

Question

How do I play wing attack?

Community Answer

Wing attack doesn't have a special job like a goal shooter who shoots or a goal keeper who defends shots. Wing attack is there to get the ball to the shooter, so you need to be fast on your feet and alert.
Question

How do I avoid making contact with other players?

Community Answer

Be careful about where and how you are standing/running when your opponent receives the ball. You must also make sure not to pull or hit the ball out of a player's hand. Remember, don't push your opponent out of the way to get space to receive the ball. Although the ball may not be anywhere close to you or your opponent, you are still not playing fairly.
Question

I play goalkeeper and I'm in 1st team, but I feel like my coach only has me in GK because I have more experience in that position than others. What do I do?

Community Answer

Think this as a positive thing. Obviously your coach sees potential in you and that position. If you don't like GK, just train your hardest to work on the position you like to prove the coach wrong.
Question

I play goalkeeper and my friend sometimes gets it past me. How do I defend her?

Community Answer

Keep practicing and working out with your friend. You will get better if you have good people playing against you and practicing with you.
Question

How do I get onto a netball team at school?

Community Answer

Practice. If you practice playing at home or with friends who are on the team, then you will get better. Also, when you try out, make sure to ask the coach for ways you can improve.
Question

How do I keep up with netball programs if I'm doing a few?

Community Answer

Try to keep track using a calendar. If you find you can't keep up with all of the programs, stick with just one or two.
Question

What do I do if someone is trash talking in Netball?

Community Answer

Report them to the umpire. Trash talking is bad sportsmanship and that player will be spoken to or pulled off the court.
Question

What should I do if I am on the 'A' team, but my coach still only puts me in half of the game when everyone else gets to play for three quarters?

Community Answer

Speak to your coach and ask them why you haven’t had as much game time as the others.
Question

How do I get back into netball after an injury?

Community Answer

Recover slowly. Start with little things and work your way back up like dingo some laps around a field, then do some throwing and catching practice, some agility and get your fitness back up. Drink lots of water and don’t push yourself too hard.
Question

How do I deal with the pressure when facing a good team in netball?

Community Answer

Breathe. When you're under pressure in anything, you need to breathe deeply, in your nose and out your mouth. You also need to try your best. Don't get caught up in the score. Sometimes, with really serious players, they get so caught up in the score and see that they are heavily losing and it gives them anxiety which causes them to play worse which makes them lose even worse. So every time you're facing a good team make sure you breathe, don't focus on the score and try your best, even if you lose to that team, failure always leads to success.

Warnings

Never argue with the umpire.

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If you hurt someone in a game, don't play easy; apologize and move on.

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If someone is cheating, inform your coach before the umpire.

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