Understanding Netball's Fast Five as She Cranes ready for first cut

The tournament logo. PHOTO/COURTSEY 

What you need to know:

Five players are required from each team eliminating wing attacker and wing defender who make seven players in the normal netball.


Uganda national netball team the She Cranes are in New Zealand where they will take part in this year’s Netball Fast Five Series on Saturday and Sunday this week.

Being a new game version with limited competitions, a lot is still being learnt especially by Uganda that is just making a debut.

Some of the game rules differ from those of the original netball for this five-aside version of the sport.

Five players are required from each team eliminating wing attacker and wing defender who make seven players in the normal netball.

Goal Shooter (GS), Goal Attack (GA), Centre (C) Goal Defence (GD) and Goal Keeper (GK) are the only positions in Fast Five.

Game Duration

A game consists of four quarters each of 6 minutes playing duration unlike the usual 15 minutes  per quarter.

There is an interval of  one minute between the first, second, third and fourth quarters unlike the four minutes in the usual netball.

Meanwhile the half-time interval is 3 minutes unlike the eight or 12 minutes usually.

In Fast Five a goal is scored when the ball is thrown or batted over and completely through the ring by Goal Shooter or Goal Attack from any point within the goal third (including the goal circle).

Unlike the usual netball  where a goal is scored per shot,  in Fast Five each successful goal scores a number of goal points which is determined by the place from which the shot is taken and they include; 

Three goal points (super shot) – the player is not in contact with the ground in the goal circle while shooting. 

Two goal points – the player has contact with the ground in the outer circle but is not in contact with the ground in the inner circle while shooting. 

One  goal point – the player has contact with the ground in the inner circle while shooting. 

Each team has one quarter designated as a ‘power play quarter’. In a power play quarter, all goals scored by that team receive double goal points.

If a winner is required and the scores are tied at full-time, extra time is played as follows:

Play stops and players remain on the court (no change of ends) while the captains toss for the centre pass to restart play.

Play immediately recommences for a period of one minute.

If at the end of this period one team is leading, this team is declared the winner; if the scores are tied, play continues until the next goal is scored.

Nature of court

Fast five  matches are played on a netball court with an additional semi circle of radius three point five  metres (11.5 ft) marked inside the goal circle (centre at the mid-point of the outer edge of the goal line). 

The area inside this semi-circle is called the ‘inner circle’; the area between this semi-circle and the edge of the goal circle is called the ‘outer circle’.

A rectangular substitution box measuring four by one metres (13.1 ft by 3.28 ft) is marked on the floor adjacent to the court surround, opposite the centre third and beside each team bench. The longer sides are parallel to the side line and the outer edge is level with each transverse line.

The official bench is positioned adjacent to the court surround, opposite the center of the court. It may be positioned on either side of the court, but if on the same side as the team benches it is recommended that it be elevated for clear viewing of play.

Substitutions

Substitutions may be made during play as well as during stoppages and intervals. There is no limit to the number that can be made, and more than one substitution may be made at any time. 

Play is not held  for a substitution to be made. 

For a substitution during play, the substitute stands at the end of the team bench closest to the centre third.

Before entering the court, the substitute tags (with hand) the player leaving the court.

Players must observe the offside rule as they enter or leave the court and must not interfere with the umpire’s movement during the substitution.