Netball is a popular game similar to Basketball. It is popular in many countries around the world including New Zealand, the UK, USA, and Australia. This fast-paced game is developed by an American. It was later popularized in countries like the UK. Netball is a team game played by two teams of 7 players each. The rules of a netball game are similar to Basketball.

In the initial years, the netball rules varied from country to country. Rules were developed to suit the needs of the individuals. In the first half of the twentieth century, the netball rules were regularized and it was recognized as a competitive sport. The game gained popularity in the colonies of the British around the globe. The playing surface of a netball game too has changed over the years. Initially, netball was played on grass courts. Now, it is played in hard courts. The object of the game is to throw the ball into the opponent’s basket. The team that scores more goals is declared the winner. A netball player is penalized if she holds the ball for more than 3 seconds. This increases the pace of the game. As a game, Netball is much faster than a Basketball game because of the differences in rules. Like other ball games, Netball also requires a good strategy of attack and defense. It is played in short quarters of 15 minutes each. Netball is quite popular in the Caribbean as well. Countries like Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Barbuda, and Antigua. All these countries have popular Netball leagues. The Caribbean Championships attract many teams from across the region. The Netball World Championship is held every four year. This prestigious Tournament was started in the year 1963 in the UK. Commonwealth countries like Australia, England, and New Zealand are the strongest Netball teams in the world.

Netball is played on a court a little bigger than a Basketball court. Physical contact in this game is minimal. Injuries are rare in Netball. The rules are very strict and offenders are penalized. Netball rules are not complex. It is quite easy to learn the game. Netball is a game quite popular among the women. But in some countries, it is played by men as well. Major Netball tournaments include National Bank Cup, Tasman Trophy Netball League, and Commonwealth Bank Trophy. New Zealand won the 2003 World Netball Championships held in Jamaica. Over the years, Australia has shown its dominance over the sport. The Aussies have won the cup a record 8 times till now. The 2007 edition of the World Netball Championship will be held in New Zealand. International Federation of Netball Association (IFNA) is the governing body of the game of Netball. Currently, IFNA includes more than 40 members from different regions worldwide. IFNA is responsible for maintaining and spreading Netball to more and more countries.