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| Introduction There are several accounts of the origins of netball, so we have attempted to find the common facts throughout and present them here in a potted history of the game. Apologies are offered in advance for any errors: please use the Contact Us form to tell us.  | When did it start? In 1891, a 30-year-old Canadian called James Naismith, moved over the border to Springfield, Massachusetts in the USA. He had originally invented the men’s basketball game in 1890 and was asked to develop a women's version of basketball by the Boston YMCA. A crude version of the game was created, apparently using waste paper baskets as goals, played on a court with no markings! |
The rules and court developed slowly, but remained mostly unchanged from men's basketball. The goal was the same, with a backboard and large hoop, although the ball size had been reduced. Players could also move unrestrained virtually anywhere around the playing surface. By 1895, the game had been introduced into England. How did the rules develop? Women liked the game but they found that long passes were difficult to execute. It was decided to adapt the game to suit shorter passing. The court was divided into thirds and a rule introduced that the ball must be caught or touched at least once in each third. No one was allowed to run with the ball and they established restricted playing areas for each position. They got rid of the familiar basketball backboard and modified the goal ring to suit the smaller sized ball. All this happened in England! By the early 1900s, netball in it's familiar form had at last arrived, although maintained it's 'women's basketball' name. The new rules were exported back to the USA and many other countries accepted them as the new standard for women's basketball. How did the sport become 'Netball'? An English school teacher took the game to Australia in the early twentieth century. The game continued to be commonly known as Woman's Basketball until 1970, when the name was formally changed to 'Netball' by the All Australia Women’s Basketball Association. However, 'Net Ball' was used to describe the sport as early as 1924, mainly due to the Rule changes introduced in England, where a hoop and net were used as the goal instead of baskets. A bit vague perhaps, but 'netball' it is, and it's here to stay. Today, netball players are true athletes, displaying strength, determination and real grit. | 
Jamaica v England. 2006. |
| | Present day netball style and strength far surpasses the days of old, when legs and arms had to be covered-up. But, compare the players in the photos above and below left, taken just before 1910, with those in the picture to the right, taken in 1960.. | 
c1960 Blackfriars, England ..there are remarkable similarities in clothing worn, despite 50 years difference. |
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c1909, Dartford Ladies, England. The photo on below-right shows 3 players locked in 'arial combat', and it's hard imagining players of the 1900s performing similarly. However, study the photo from above, and you'll see that even then, netball players displayed strength and agility, despite wearing such cumbersome clothing. | During an Australian tour of England in 1957, discussions took place concerning standardising the rules of the sport and this led to representatives from England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and The West Indies meeting in Sri Lanka in 1960, to establish The International Federation of Women's Basketball and Netball. In 1960 the IFNA, the international governing body, was formed and formal rules established. It was decided that World Championships would be held every 4 years, with the first being held in 1963 in Eastbourne, England. 1st Netball World Championships 1963 - Team Australia |
Netball World Champions | |
| | Year | Location | Champions | | 1963 | England | Australia | | 1967 | Australia | New Zealand | | 1971 | Jamaica | Australia | | 1975 | New Zealand | Australia | | 1979 | Trinidad & Tobago | Joint winners: Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago | | 1983 | Singapore | Australia | | 1987 | Scotland | New Zealand | | 1991 | Australia | Australia | | 1995 | England | Australia | | 1999 | New Zealand | Australia | 2003 | Jamaica | New Zealand | | 2007 | New Zealand | Australia |
At the innaugural championships in 1963, England came 3rd. The best position for the England team was 2nd, achieved in 1975. | | Since 1963, the World Championships have been held in 11 countires. Throughout this period, Australia has dominated, winning the event more times than any other team. New Zealand have periodically interrupted the Australian dominance by winning Gold. The most recent World Netball Championship took place in Auckland, New Zealand during November 2007.  Australia - world champions of 2007. Yeah, bonza etc.. The next world championships will be held in 2011 in Singapore. To find out more,
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