barrantes tour and travel: The Americans Play Netball

If ultimate frisbee, lacrosse, and basketball had a baby, the result would be netball. Like ultimate frisbee, it's all about the passing. There's no dribbling or running with the ball, and once you've caught it, you must stop moving and pass it. Like lacrosse, certain players have to stay in certain parts of the court. In netball, no player can go anywhere on the court. Like basketball, it's played on court with teams shooting into a basket at each end for points, but guess what? There's no backboard. The best thing? Everyone wears their position on their uniform instead of a number. It makes it so much easier to understand what's going on!

Netball, an extremely popular professional, all womens sport here in New Zealand, is played (according to the International Federation of Netball Associations) by over 20 million people in 70 countries. The New Zealand national team is the Silver Ferns, and there are regional teams as well. Every single time we see netball reports on the news, the venues are packed, and the crowds are totally into it. We are very much looking forward to watching Southern Steel (our regional team) game when their season resumes in late March.

While professionally, it's only women (yahoo!), it's definitely coed at the intramural level which is exactly where Todd and Russ had the opportunity to play. Vanessa (GA: Goal Attack) put together a netball team of her friends for the University's recreation league, and Todd and Russ got the chance to play on Monday. They each played the Wing Attack position, and each played half of the game. After watching the entire game (and being the official team photographer), I've decided I'm totally in for next week's game!

Todd guarding the opposing Wing Defense

Russ ready to play

Kate, Goal Keep, doing a great job guarding their Goal Shoot (you have to be 3 feet away and you can't wave your arms in their face) while Simon, Center, looks on