Shooting the ball

30 min

A small ring and no backboard

A netball ring has an internal diameter of 380 mm and the ball is about 220–226 mm across, so the ring is less than twice as wide as the ball, and unlike basketball there is no backboard to help. Only two players may score, the Goal Shooter and the Goal Attack, and only from inside the goal circle. Good shooters therefore rely on a repeatable technique with a high, soft arc that drops the ball steeply through the ring. This lesson refines the one-handed shot you learned in Senior 1, uses projectile motion to explain the arc, and covers the shooting rules of the World Netball Rules of Netball, 2024 edition.

Definition

Goal: scored when the ball passes above and completely through the ring after a shot by the Goal Shooter or Goal Attack from anywhere inside the goal circle, including its lines (Rule 9).

Goal circle: the semicircle of radius 4.9 m in front of each goalpost.

One-handed shot: the standard netball shot: the ball balanced on the finger pads of the shooting hand above the head, steadied by the other hand, and released with the legs, arm and a flick of the wrist.

Backspin: spin that makes the top of the ball turn back towards the shooter; it softens the ball's contact with the ring.

Step-in and step-back shots: shots in which the shooter uses legal footwork to step closer to the post or away from a defender before releasing.

Rebound: regaining the ball after a missed shot that hits the ring or post.

Technique of the one-handed shot

Stance: feet about shoulder-width apart, facing the post, weight balanced.
Ball: on the finger pads of the shooting hand, above the head and slightly in front; the other hand on the side of the ball to steady it.
Eyes: on a point on the ring (many shooters look at the back of the ring) and kept there.
Bend: bend the knees and lower the ball slightly behind the head.
Extend: straighten the legs and the shooting arm in one smooth movement, and flick the wrist to give backspin.
Follow through: fingers point to the ring, and balance is held until the ball lands.

Shooting rules (Rules 9, 11, 13 and 16, summarised). The shooter must have no contact with the ground outside the goal circle, including while catching the ball. She must shoot within 3 seconds and obey the footwork rule. A defender must stay at least 0.9 m from her landing foot. A shooter may not use the goalpost for support. After a missed shot, she may play the ball again only if it has rebounded from the ring or goalpost or touched another player. A goal still counts if a defender deflects the shot and it goes through the ring.

Worked example

Worked example 1: how steep must the ball drop? A ball of diameter $d$ coming down at angle $\alpha$ sees the ring of diameter $D$ as an opening $D\sin\alpha$ wide. To pass cleanly, $D\sin\alpha > d$ . For the largest legal ball, $d = \frac{710}{\pi} = 226\,\mathrm{mm}$ :

\sin\alpha > \frac{226}{380} = 0.595 \quad\Rightarrow\quad \alpha > 36.5^{\circ}

Now take a shooter who releases the ball 2.3 m above the floor, 3.0 m from the centre of the ring, which is 3.05 m high ( $\Delta h = 0.75\,\mathrm{m}$ ). With $v^{2} = \frac{g x^{2}}{2\cos^{2}\theta\,(x\tan\theta - \Delta h)}$ and the entry angle from $\tan\alpha = \frac{|v_{y}|}{v_{x}}$ at the ring:

Release angle	50°	55°	60°	65°
Release speed	6.15 m s⁻¹	6.16 m s⁻¹	6.30 m s⁻¹	6.60 m s⁻¹
Entry angle	34.7°	42.9°	50.9°	58.7°

At 50° the ball cannot pass cleanly; from about 55° upwards it can. The speed needed rises only a little, from 6.15 to 6.30 m s⁻¹, between 50° and 60°, so netball shooters use a higher release than basketball players and gain a wider opening for almost no extra effort. Release height and distance are illustrative.

Eleanor Cardwell of the Adelaide Thunderbirds warms up her shooting before a game in Sydney, May 2023. Seen from behind: feet together and square to the post, the ball held high on the fingers of her right hand with the left hand steadying it, eyes on the ring. Photo: トりン, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Worked example

Worked example 2: who should take the shot? Over three matches a team's Goal Shooter made 36 of 48 shots, mostly from within 2.5 m of the post, and its Goal Attack made 15 of 25, mostly from 3–4.5 m (illustrative).

Goal Shooter: $\frac{36}{48} = 75\%$ . Goal Attack: $\frac{15}{25} = 60\%$ .
Team: $\frac{51}{73} = 69.9\%$ .

The Goal Shooter is more accurate, partly because she shoots from closer. If the Goal Attack passes in to a Goal Shooter who is free near the post, a 60% chance becomes a 75% chance, but each extra pass risks an interception. The best choice depends on the defence: a free shooter near the post should get the ball; a Goal Attack who is free and well balanced should shoot.

Video: "Netball Shooting Skills", Netball Australia. As you watch, check the position of the ball on the fingers, the bend of the knees and the follow-through after each shot.

Tip

"Balance, eyes, bend, flick, hold." The same routine for every shot: balanced feet, eyes on the ring, bend the knees, extend and flick the wrist, and hold the follow-through.

Warning

Common mistakes. A flat shot with little arc. Shooting with the palm instead of the finger pads. Elbow out to the side, so the ball drifts. Rushing: the shot is taken in a hurry although up to 3 seconds are allowed. Stepping out of the goal circle or touching the ground outside it while catching.

Safety. Rebounding near the post is crowded: go for the ball, not the player, and land on bent knees. Keep the area around the post clear of bags and benches.

✦

Practice

Which players may score, and from where?
List the six steps of the one-handed shot.
Using D sin α > d, find the smallest entry angle for a 220 mm ball and a 380 mm ring.
From the table in Example 1, why do shooters prefer a release near 60° to one near 50°?
A Goal Attack makes 14 of 20 shots. Calculate her percentage.
A shot is deflected by the Goal Keeper and then goes through the ring. Is it a goal?
A Goal Shooter catches the ball with one foot on the goal-circle line and the other outside it. May she shoot?
A Goal Attack at 4.5 m with no defender near her, or a pass to a Goal Shooter at 1.5 m who is closely marked: evaluate the two options.

Show answersHide answers

Only the Goal Shooter and the Goal Attack, from inside the goal circle (the lines are part of it).
Stance square to the post; ball on the finger pads above the head with the other hand steadying it; eyes on the ring; bend the knees; extend legs and arm and flick the wrist; follow through and hold balance.
sin α > 220 ÷ 380 = 0.579, so α > 35.4°.
At 50° the ball enters at 34.7°, too flat to pass cleanly; at 60° it enters at 50.9°, giving a wide opening, and needs only a little more speed (6.30 against 6.15 m s⁻¹).
14 ÷ 20 × 100 = 70%.
Yes. Rule 9: if a defender deflects a shot and the ball then passes through the ring, the goal is scored.
No. The shooter must have no contact with the ground outside the goal circle, including while catching the ball; she must pass instead.
An open shot from 4.5 m has a lower success rate than a close shot but no risk of interception. The pass to a closely marked shooter at 1.5 m risks an interception, though if caught the shot is easier. A balanced answer: if the Goal Attack is balanced and accurate from range, she should shoot; otherwise move the ball to create a free close shot.

Quick check

Which players may score a goal in netball?

Remember

Only the Goal Shooter and Goal Attack score, from inside the goal circle, within 3 seconds, with legal footwork.
One-handed shot: square stance, ball on the finger pads, eyes on the ring, bend, extend, flick, follow through.
No backboard and a 380 mm ring: the ball must drop in steeply (above about 36°), so release high, near 55–60°.
Choose the shot by success rate and risk: the closer, freer shot usually wins.

1A small ring and no backboard

2Technique of the one-handed shot

A small ring and no backboard

Technique of the one-handed shot