What kind of sport is netball

Netball is an ancient sport that originated from the North American Indian tribes. It uses the net on the top of the bat to control the movement of the ball, and uses the principle of leverage to pass the ball in the net by throwing and catching, and shoot to score. The final score determines the outcome of the game. Modern sports such as basketball and ice hockey, which originated in North America and are popular around the world, all used netball as a reference during their invention.

1. Name and Origin

The name ” lacrosse ” comes from the 17th century, when French missionaries who traveled to North America named the sport. Because the shape of the club of this sport is very similar to a scepter, its name was adapted from the French word La Crosier (originally meaning the bishop’s scepter) to become the current name – “lacrosse”.

The name ” net baseball ” comes from 1997, when the sport was first introduced to China. Since the ball is caught by a net and controlled by a bat, the sport was named “net baseball”. In China, Hong Kong, and Taipei , the sport is also called lacrosse, stickball, net baseball, bag lacrosse, and lacrosse .

But I think modern tennis baseball has been somewhat influenced by Irish immigrants.

2. Overseas Development History

Tennis baseball originated from the Iroquois Indian tribe in the 12th century (now located in New York and Pennsylvania, USA). It is said that a long time ago, the Indians began to use this sport to pay tribute to the Creator. They believed that playing tennis baseball not only strengthened their bodies and trained brave tribal warriors , but also allowed them to get closer to the Creator. Therefore, tennis baseball was called “the creator’s game” by the Indians. Later, this sport gradually evolved into a way to resolve inter-tribal wars. This is also the foundation that makes the six branches of the Iroquois very united.

When two tribes had a dispute, the way to mediate the war was for each tribe to send 100 to 1,000 people to play a game on the open plain between the two tribes. The distance between the two teams’ goals could reach 460 meters to 9,700 meters. The game started at sunrise and lasted until sunset. Since only a few people could touch and control the ball, and more people used the clubs in their hands to make the opponent lose the ability to play, injuries and deaths were very common in the game.

In 1636, French missionaries discovered this sport in the St. Lawrence Valley of North America and recorded and named it for the first time. With the influx of a large number of colonists, by 1740, most French immigrants in North America began to come into contact with this activity. In 1834, in Montreal, Canada, the local media reported the sport of netball for the first time , and Western immigrants gradually began to actively participate in and standardize the sport of netball.

Montreal Netball Club

1856, Canadian dentist William George Beale founded the Montreal Netball Club. In 1867, he formulated the rules of the game, shortening the length of each game, reducing the number of players on the field, using re-set clubs, and using rubber balls. The same year, Upper Canada College (Canada’s first private school) held the first netball game using the new rules. Since then, netball has become popular throughout North America.

In the 1860s, netball became Canada’s national sport and was played in exhibitions around the world. In 1876, Queen Victoria watched an exhibition game in England and was impressed by the sport. Her approval was enough to promote netball in many girls’ schools in England in the 1890s .

Women’s netball originated in Scotland, across the ocean in North America. In 1884 , the then principal of St. Leonard’s Girls’ School in St. Andrews, Scotland, Ramsden watched a game in Montreal, Canada, and thought that netball was extremely “beautiful and elegant”. Therefore, in 1890, St. Leonard’s Girls’ School promoted women’s netball in the school for the first time. The first women’s netball game was also held in the same year. They had 8 people on each team, and the exciting game lasted for an hour.

Women’s game rules

By 1895, the number of players on each team in the women’s game rules increased to 10. In 1913, it increased to 12 players, and the rules of the game were very close to modern rules. In 1896, alumni of St. Leonard’s Girls’ School introduced netball to England. Initially, netball was promoted in British schools. In 1905, the first women’s netball club in England, the South of England Women’s Club, was established. In 1912, the British Women’s Netball Association was established and held international competitions the following year. Scotland, Wales and Ireland also established associations in 1920 and 1930 respectively. Subsequently, countries such as England, Scotland, the United States, and Australia successively launched women’s netball in their countries and established national women’s netball associations.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, tennis ball developed rapidly in Europe and America and was loved by people in several major countries. In 1904 and 1908, men’s tennis ball was included in the Olympic Games as a demonstration event. However, since then, tennis ball has never appeared in the Olympic Games as an Olympic event.

In 1971, the International Lacrosse Federation was formally established, setting up competition systems such as the Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse World Championships, and the U Series for Youth Men and Women. The International Lacrosse Federation (World Lacrosse) currently has 75 member organizations. The organization was provisionally recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 2018, and the international organization has been committed to promoting lacrosse to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

National Lacrosse League

As the country with the highest participation in lacrosse, the United States currently has two coexisting lacrosse leagues: the National Lacrosse League , or NLL (National Lacrosse League); and the Major League Lacrosse , or WLL (Major League Lacrosse). ▼

The NLL season is from December to April of the following year . It is a “box lacrosse”, that is, it is held indoors . The league includes not only American teams, but also teams from Canada in North America. The WLL season is chosen in spring and summer . The competition time is from April to August every year. It is a “field lacrosse”, the competition venue is outdoors , and the teams are all from the United States.
Because the two events are similar in content and the number of professional athletes is not large enough, before 2013, lacrosse players could participate in the competitions of both leagues at the same time . However, after 2013, due to the change of the NLL competition system, the season time of the two events partially overlapped, resulting in athletes only being able to choose one league to continue playing. The NLL and WLL faced huge competition for players.
In American professional sports, there has never been two equally successful competition leagues for the same sport. With the rapid development of lacrosse in North America, the two events of NLL and WLL will eventually face fierce competition . Who can dominate and become the most mainstream lacrosse competition league is also a topic of concern and discussion among many American lacrosse fans.

American lacrosse

In an American lacrosse tennis forum, fans were discussing this topic. Some fans believed that the game atmosphere in the NLL was better , with more fan participation and interaction; but most fans believed that the players in the WLL were of higher quality , the season time was more reasonable, and the future development prospects were more optimistic.

Next, I will give you a detailed introduction to the American Lacrosse Professional League – WLL (Major League Lacrosse).
WLL (Major League Lacrosse) was established very late, in 1998, and the first regular season started in June 2001, with 14 games played each season.
There are currently 9 teams in WLL (see the table below for team information), which is not a large number of teams. From the regional distribution of the teams, they are mainly concentrated on the east coast of the United States , and there are no teams in the northwest. At present, MLL is still a semi-professional league , and the income of players is not high. Most players and staff have other jobs during the off-season. The average number of spectators per game in the 2016 season was more than 4,500.
▼

III. Project Features

Tennis baseball belongs to the same-field confrontational group and is a collective sport. After hundreds of years of evolution and standardization, tennis baseball is now divided into men’s outdoor one-person competition (MEN’S FIELD), women’s outdoor ten-person competition (WOMEN’S FIELD), six-person competition (SIXES) (newly promoted), men’s indoor competition (MEN’S BOX) and other competitions. At present, the outdoor ten-person and six-person competitions are more commonly promoted internationally. Tennis baseball is known as the “fastest ball sport in the world”. The speed here is not only reflected in the displacement speed of the ball, but also in the characteristics of rapid attack and defense conversion during the game. In the following content, we focus on the men’s and women’s ten-person competitions.

4. Venue and Equipment

The men’s outdoor 10-a-side match (MEN’S FIELD) is held in a field 110 meters long and 60 meters wide. The goals of both teams are set in the field, 12 meters away from their own end lines, and within a goal area with a radius of 3 meters. The women’s outdoor 10-a-side match (WOMEN’S FIELD) field is different from the men’s field in that it has some internal differences.

Men’s and Women’s Tennis Baseball Outdoor 10-A-Side Competition Venue

The two goals on the field are made of squares with a side length of 1.83 meters, and the door frames are made of orange metal round tubes with a thickness of 3.81 centimeters. The nets of the two goals are of the same color, and the mesh size cannot exceed 3.81 centimeters.

Players must hold a baseball club with a net. The length of a men’s club should be between 101.6 and 106.68 cm (offensive club) or 132.08 and 182.88 cm (defensive club), and the inside of the widest part of the club head should be between 101.6 and 25.4 cm. When the club is tilte 45 degrees, the ball must fall out of the net. When the club head is facing up and the shaft is parallel to the ground, the depth of the net of the club head cannot exceed the diameter of a ball. Except for the goalkeeper’s club. The remaining length of the string on the club head must be less than 5 cm.

The shaft

The shaft of the club that is now use more is made of high-tech such as alloy and carbon fiber, and the club head is made of elastic cold-resistant plastic, nylon and other materials. The connection between the club head and the shaft is fixe with screws. In the game, no team can use more than 4 defensive long clubs except the goalkeeper’s club. The shortest women’s club is 90 cm and the longest is 110 cm. The goalkeeper’s stick is at least 90cm long and at most 122cm long. When the ball is in the net, 1/3 of the stick head must be expose.

The ball use in the game must be made of solid rubber and can be white, yellow or orange, etc. The circumference of the ball is 19.7 to 20 cm and the weight is between 142 and 149 grams.

In men’s matches, players must wear helmets, shoulder guards (chest guards), elbow guards, gloves, guards, etc. to ensure the safety of the head, torso and arms. If a club hits a helmet during a match, it is a serious foul. Similarly, if a player’s helmet falls off during a match, the referee should interrupt the match as appropriate to ensure the safety of the player. Players in women’s matches must also wear mouthguards, goggles, etc. In both men’s and women’s matches, goalkeepers need to wear helmets. Since the goalkeeper position needs to block the opponent’s shot, a throat guard must be install under the helmet, and special protective gear such as a chest guard and a crotch guard must be worn.

Physical collisions

This sport involves quite intense physical collisions and even some violence (my friend said it was like a group of people waving sticks and fighting each other). Indeed, such a long stick net can easily hit other players in the process of grabbing the ball. If the players on the field are angry, this metal stick can immediately become a weapon for fighting.
In addition to the stick, the small rubber ball that is hit is also a source of danger. Lacrosse is know as the fastest sport. After being hit, the ball can rotate at a speed of more than 100 km/h. Although the players on the field wear helmets and protective gear, it is not uncommon for them to be injure by the ball. In a game at Cornell University in 2004 , a defensive player die of cardiac arrest due to being hit in the chest by a high-speed ball
. According to a 2009 journal survey, there have been 23 cases of cardiac arrest cause by the ball hitting the heart since 1980, of which 19 people died and only four survived after rescue. These accidents have also attracted great attention from relevant departments. The lacrosse management department in the United States is also constantly strengthening the safety protection measures for athletes . In addition to wearing helmets, shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves and other equipment to protect the body joints, athletes are also require to wear protective gear to protect the heart and ribs, and are also commit to improving the protective strength of protective gear to protect body parts. ▼

Spectator sport

As a spectator sport, this sport involves a lot of physical contact and intense competition , which is one of the reasons why it attracts most fans and spectators. However, due to the small diameter of the ball (about 2.6 inches in diameter, the same size as a standard tennis ball), the fast ball speed , and the large court (a standard stick tennis court is 100 meters long and 55 meters wide), it is difficult for spectators watching the game live and in front of the camera to locate the trajectory of the ball and whether a goal has been score, which may affect the viewing experience of some spectators. In other words, it is difficult to tell whether a goal has been score without a close-up or commentary.

V. Introduction to Competition Rules

1. Rules of the Men’s Ten-a-side Match

Men’s tennis baseball is a game in which the players are divide into two teams, each with 10 players, and the goal is to score by hitting the ball into the opponent’s goal and prevent the opponent from scoring. The number of players is 10 vs. 10, including one goalkeeper, three defensemen, three midfielders, and three frontfielders. The number of substitutes: no more than 13. It is divide into 4 quarters, each lasting 15 minutes; the rest time between quarters is 3 minutes, 10 minutes, and 2 minutes respectively. Only when the game reaches the last minute of the fourth quarter, the clock will be stop for out-of-bounds and goal.

Kick-off. The players of both teams hold the clubs with their backs facing each other, and squat at the kick-off point. The hand holding the club cannot touch the club head, and the right foot cannot go beyond the end of the club head close to the body. The two kick-off players cannot touch the ball before the game starts, and when the referee gives the “SET” command, the clubs cannot move. After the kick-off whistle, only the two kick-off players and four midfielders, a total of six players from both sides, will participate in the scramble.

Other players must prepare in their respective positions in the formation area. When the ball is clearly held by a player of one side, the referee waves his arm to signal the players in the formation area to move. If the ball is not obtaine by one side but enters the formation area, the game starts normally. If the two players do not move the ball when kicking off, other players shall not touch the ball or hit the kick-off player’s club.

Out of bounds

Out of bounds. The ball goes out of bounds from the sideline, and the opponent serves the ball from within the bounds. After the whistle, the opponent can pass the ball or move directly with the ball. Before the whistle, the defending player is 4.57 meters away from the serving player. When the ball goes out of bounds due to a pass error, the opponent serves the ball from within the end line. When the attacking team shoots out of the end line, the player closest to the ball serves the ball from within the end line.

Enter the circle. Offensive players are not allow to cross or step on the goal area line with a radius of 3 meters. Other parts of the body can enter this area in the air. The stick can poke or flick the non-controlled ball in this area. After the goalkeeper takes the ball, offensive players are not allow to enter the goal area and contact the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper can control the ball in the goal area for a maximum of 4 seconds.

Offside. When a team is attacking, the maximum number of players participating in the attack in the opponent’s half can be 6, and 4 attacking players, including the goalkeeper, must remain in their own half. When a team is defending, the maximum number of players participating in the defense in their own half can be 7, including the goalkeeper, and 3 attacking players of the defending team must remain in the opponent’s half. During the attack or defense process, if a player steps on the center line due to inertia, it will also be judge as offside.

Substitution

Substitution. The area between the two coaching areas is call the substitution area. There is no limit to the number of substitutions during the game and the substitution time is arbitrary. When making substitutions, follow the principle of one player down and one player up. The substitute player can enter the field only after the player on the field leaves the field and enters the substitution area.

Timeout. The coach, the captain on the field and the player with the ball have the right to request a timeout. The timeout lasts for 90 seconds and the game clock stops during a timeout. The coaches of both teams have two timeout opportunities in the first two quarters and two timeout opportunities in the last two quarters.

Defense. The defensive player can only use the stick to hit the area controlled by the gloves of the player holding the ball and his stick. He can use both hands or one hand holding the stick to push the front of the opponent’s body below the neck and above the hips. When the ball is rolling on the ground or flying in the air and is out of control. Within a circle with a radius of 2.7 meters around the ball and with the ball as the center, players can collide with each other, make contact with the side and front of the body, and can also hit the opponent’s stick.

Screening must be do while standing still, and you must not collide with the opponent’s player without the ball. Players cannot participate in the game without a stick, and cannot hold the ball with their hands. If you run out of the court with the ball, it is consider out of bounds.

Foul

Foul. The penalty for a foul can be divide into a minor penalty of 30 seconds. A major penalty of 1 minute depending on the severity of the foul. The penalized player must accept the penalty in the substitution area on the sidelines. Each player has a maximum of five foul opportunities in a game. After the fifth foul, the player will be disqualified from the game. When a defensive player commits a foul for the first time, the referee throws the flag according to the principle of favorable offense. When an offensive player commits a foul for the second time. The game will be stop and the penalty will be announce.

Winner and loser determination. The winner of the game is determine by the scores of the first four quarters. If the game is tie after the fourth quarter, there will be a 5-minute break and overtime will continue. 4 minutes for each half and a 2-minute break in between. If the game continues to be tie, the ” golden ball system ” overtime will continue. That is, whoever scores first in overtime will win.

Women’s Tens Rules

The rules of women’s tennis baseball are slightly different from those of men’s. The number of players on the field is 10 to 10 (including the goalkeeper), and the number of substitutes is 4. The game is divide into the first and second halves, each lasting 30 minutes, with a 10-minute halftime break.

When the ball is kick off, the kick-off players hold the clubs in reverse, hold the ball with the backs of the clubs facing each other. Half-squat at the center of the center circle. When the referee blows the whistle, both sides exert force at the same time to push the ball upward and forward. The ball must fly above the head of the kick-off player. Before the start of the game, except for the fight-off players. Other players are not allow to enter the center circle. They can only enter after the referee blows the whistle.

During the game, players are not allow to hit the opponent’s stick. When competing for a ground ball, they can only steal the ball after the opponent has taken the ball. The defensive player can only briefly hit the opponent’s stick while moving. When the referee blows the whistle for a foul or violation, all players are not allow to move. After the referee blows the whistle after making a penalty, the players on the field can move. The referee can use yellow or red cards for punishment.