Netball in the context of "List of ball games"

The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event that brings together athletes from across the Commonwealth of Nations, a political association comprising the majority of former territories of the British Empire. First held as the British Empire Games in 1930, the event has evolved through several name changes, reflecting the changing geopolitical landscape and gradual decolonisation of the Empire. It was known as the British Empire Games until 1950, the British Empire and Commonwealth Games until 1966, and the British Commonwealth Games until 1974. Since the 1978 edition, the event has been officially known as the Commonwealth Games, a name that reflects its modern identity while maintaining its historic connection to Britain.

The Games are overseen by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which determines the sporting programme and awards hosting rights. The event upholds its unique traditions, such as the King's Baton Relay and the ceremonial hoisting of the Commonwealth Games flag. It is distinguished from other international sporting competitions by its inclusivity and heritage. Athletes with a disability have been integrated as full team members since 2002, and in 2018, the Games became the first global multi-sport competition to offer equal medal events for men and women. By 2022, women's events outnumbered men's for the first time. In addition to mainstream Olympic sports, the Commonwealth Games includes disciplines such as netball, lawn bowls and squash, which enjoy particular popularity within the Commonwealth.

In basketball (and derivatives like netball), a player may attempt to score a basket by leaping straight into the air, the elbow of the shooting hand cocked, ball in hand above the head, and launching the ball in a high arc towards the basket for a jump shot (colloquially, a jumper). Although early critics thought the leap might lead to indecision in the air, the jump shot replaced the earlier, less quickly released set shot, and eventually transformed the game because it is the easiest shot to make from a distance and more difficult for a defender to block. Variations on the simple jump shot include the "turnaround jumper" (facing away from the basket, then jumping and spinning towards it, shooting the ball in mid-air); the "fadeaway" (jumping away from the basket to create space); and the "leaning jumper" (jumping towards the basket to move away from a trailing defender). With the "hook shot," a player is turned sideways with the shooting arm away from the basket outstretched so that with a sweep he can launch the ball over his head. Since a defender must leap to block a jumper, the shooter may use a pump fake to get the defender in the air at the wrong time and so have a clear shot. If the shooter leaps into the defender, a foul is called on the defensive player, whereas the shooter is awarded two or three free throws according to the value of a missed attempt, or a single free throw.

'Rebound' is a term used in sports to describe the ball (or puck or other object of play) becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful. Rebounds are generally considered to be a major part of the game, as they often lead either to a possession change or to a second (and often better) opportunity to score by the side whose initial attempt failed.

In sports such as basketball and netball, the term is also used as either noun or verb to describe the successful retrieval of the ball in that circumstance.

The participation of women and girls in sports, physical fitness, and exercise has existed throughout history. However, participation rates and activities vary in accordance with nation, era, geography, and stage of economic development.

Until roughly 1870, women's activities tended to be informal and recreational in nature, lacked rules codes, and emphasized physical activity rather than competition. Today, women's sports are more sport-specific and have developed into both amateur levels and professional levels in various places internationally, but is found primarily within developed countries where conscious organization and accumulation of wealth has occurred. In the mid-to-latter part of the 20th century, female participation in sport and the popularization of their involvement increased, particularly during its last quarter. Very few organized sports have been invented by women. Sports such as Newcomb ball, netball, acrobatic gymnastics, and tumbling, and possibly stoolball, are examples.

World Netball is the worldwide governing body for netball. It is responsible for organising the Netball World Cup, Netball at the Commonwealth Games, the Fast5 Netball World Series and the Netball World Youth Cup. It also publishes the World Netball Rankings and maintains the rules of netball. It was originally founded in 1960 as the International Federation of Women's Basketball and Netball Associations. After members adopted the name "netball" for the sport, the organisation was renamed the International Federation of Netball Associations. Between 2012–13 and 2021, it was known as the International Netball Federation, before it adopted its current name.

The following is a list of active national netball teams. World Netball has over 80 members. This includes full and associate members. In addition the five regional federations, representing Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania also have full and associate members. Since 2008, World Netball has published the World Netball Rankings, ranking the senior teams of member countries.

The Netball Super League is an elite netball league in the United Kingdom. The league is organised by England Netball but features teams based in England, Wales and previously Scotland. The Super League commenced at the 2005–06 season, replacing the Super Cup as the elite netball competition in England. From 2016-21 the league was sponsored by VitalityHealth and, as a result, known as the Vitality Netball Super League. Since 2022, it has been known as the Netball Super League.

The league's most successful teams are Team Bath, who have won five titles, Manchester Thunder who have won four titles and London Mavericks, who have played in seven grand finals. Surrey Storm won successive titles in 2015 and 2016 and Wasps played in three successive finals, winning two titles, between 2017 and 2019. Loughborough Lightning won their first title in 2021, beating Team Bath, following this with a second title in 2023 and third in 2024.

Super Netball, also known as Super Netball League or its sponsored name Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) is a professional netball league in Australia. It superseded the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship, which also included teams from New Zealand, as the top-level netball league in Australia in 2017. Since 2019, the league has been governed on behalf of Netball Australia by an independent commission. Its main sponsor is Suncorp Group. Sunshine Coast Lightning were the inaugural Super Netball winners.

The ANZ Premiership is the top level netball league featuring teams from New Zealand. In 2017 it replaced the ANZ Championship, which also included teams from Australia, as the top level netball league in New Zealand. It is organised by Netball New Zealand. Its main sponsor is ANZ. In 2017, Southern Steel were the inaugural ANZ Premiership winners. Central Pulse and Northern Mystics are the league's most successful teams, both having won three premierships.