The Culture of Netball : When did it change and why.

Netball began to spread well beyond the popular State Netball Associationin the early 1990's. When a private owner from an action indoorcricket centre tried to fill his indoor cricket courts and struggled,his girlfriend suggested to fill it with netball games. She could bringsome girlfriends and their boyfriends, and start up a competition. MIXEDnetball began. This way the guys and girls could play both cricket andnetball together, then have a drink at the bar. Hence the SOCIAL title began and was used on a regular basis.

Did these people know the netball game and rules? No

Did they have qualified umpires on the games? No

How did they play the structure of the game? They didn't

Did players know about this part? Men didn't but women did

How did they know what rules to play? They made half of them up and from memory only.

Was is safe?Definitely not. They had a high accident and injury rate along withmany violent incidents continously amongst arguing players in aconfined space.

Did they have umpires that were off the court like usual?

No they could only be on the court and inevitably hinder the players during a game.

Did they have two umpires? No normally one to cut costs of employment

Did it affect the game much? Absolutely and beyond the already poor structure

How did players experience the game? With great confusion most of the time.

So what was enjoyable about it at the time?It had a bar and could promote a social environment where the oppositesex could intergrate together and this was actually the core culturethat began to grow.

Is it better nearly 18 years later? Well that depends on where you play.

Has anything improved across the years in mixed netball? Absolutely.Not only have males, who did not get an opportunity to learn the gamein primary and secondary schools like females, manage to learn to takedirection and gain a real understanding to the game, the younger malegenerations have actually had the opportunity to play the game at bothprimary and secondary levels. The result of this is that both males andfemales in the younger generations, really have a more advanceunderstanding and abilites of experience to the game. It is really anexciting experience for the sport and the capabilities of an athleticmale netball player does alter the level of competition and visualentertainment to the game.

Do all competitions that run mixed social netball deliver the same experience? No

Why?Because the management approaches are unique to each competition andtheir qualifications in the sport. Most people that run thesecompetitions are NOT qualified in the sport. This areais crucial to the safety and education of clients, as netball in acomplex and highly intelligent sport performed under speed.

Why does Melbourne Netball regard themselves as the specialists in social netball?

From the companydirector, administration team, staff co-ordinators, umpire developersand trainers, umpires and trainee umpires, we are all either qualifiedin the sport or becoming qualified. We are here to deliver the netballsport CORRECTLY to players. Additionally, weimplement further rulings that override the AANA rule book with our owncompany BiLaws, while upholding this culture for our clients socialsafety and enjoyment. We extend ourselves to educate all players. Wewant YOU to experience great netball in safety while your social relationships grow in a healthy and happy environment.

Melbourne Netball's motto in an ettiquette sport :

Reward the players that do the RIGHT thing by the rule book.

Educate problem players or show them the door way to another sport.