A Brief History of Netball and our Tactix Legacy What is Netball? “A new game for girls, about which a good deal will probably be heard in the course of the ensuing summer, is basket-ball. It has already swept the United States, completely eclipsing lawn tennis, and effectually nipping in the bud the threatened revival of croquet….The chief beauty of the game is its simplicity, and the fact that no expensive apparatus is required. Wherever two old baskets, a couple of clothes props, and a ball, are there can it be played.” (Otago Witness, 6 May 1897) The Game The game of netball is derived from the early development of basketball in the USA. The origin of basketball is traditionally credited to James Naismith, a 30-year-old Canadian immigrant to the USA, who in 1891, invented an indoor game for young men at the School for Christian Workers (later the YMCA) in Springfield, Massachusetts. The first games of what's now netball were played on a paddock between nine-a-side teams. The rules allowed three bounces, and throws from one end of the field to the other. Baskets were used for goals and after each goal, the ball was tipped out to restart play. Netball was first played in the UK in 1895 at Madame Ostenburg's College. In the first half of the 20th century, Netball's popularity continued to grow, with the game being played in many British Commonwealth countries. There were no standard rules at that time with both nine-a-side and five- a-side versions of the game. Netball is played on a rectangular court, which is divided into areas called thirds. There are two goal thirds and between them is the centre third. The centre circle is in the middle of the centre third and this is where play begins. At the end of each goal third is a goal circle which is actually a semi-circle around the goal hoop. All goals must be shot by a player within the goal circle. The teams have a goal post each and can only score by shooting the ball through their own hoop. Each player is allowed in a specified area of the court and the lines on the court are part of the playing area. Netball in New Zealand Netball has come a long way in New Zealand since its appearance as basketball in the late 19th century and early organisation by the Reverend J. C. Jamieson who established the first teams from his Auckland Bible classes in 1906-07. Yet the game, which became netball in 1970, retains its simplicity. In 1923 the first official representative match was staged in Wellington and featured Wellington and Canterbury. Sadly, Wellington won 24-10! By 1926, the first national tournament was played in Dunedin with teams representing Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, North Otago and Southland. 1929 National tournament played on grass courts in Christchurch In 1924 the “New Zealand Basketball Association” (called Netball NZ today) agrees that the national team colours will be black with a silver fern but have to wait 14 years for the first international game to be played. The first New Zealand netball team was named in 1938 for a tour to Australia, with Margaret (Meg) Matangi the first captain. During an Australian tour of England in 1957, discussions took place concerning standardising the rules of the sport and this led to representatives from England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the West Indies meeting in Sri Lanka in 1960, to establish “The International Federation of Women's Basketball and Netball.” Formal rules were established at this inaugural meeting and it was decided to hold World Championship tournaments every four years, beginning in 1963. As the sport has evolved so has the international governing body as the “International Federation of Netball Associations” (IFNA), now named the “International Netball Federation” (INF), has also moved with the times in what is an ever changing and challenging global environment. In 1970 a name change for the sport is agreed from “Basketball” to “Netball” and in 1991 the “NZ Netball Association” changes its name to “Netball New Zealand” and adopts a new logo to symbolise the game and the silver fern. Zone Structure ‘Skip’ forward to 2012 and we see Netball New Zealand restructures and creates five Netball Zones (South, Mainland, Central, Waikato Bay of Plenty, Northern) throughout the country to administer, promote and develop the game at both an elite and community level. World Championships In 1963 the first World Tournament was held in Eastbourne, England with 11 participating countries. Australia beats New Zealand 37-36 to become the first International Tournament champions. World Championships have been held in Australia in 1967, Jamaica in 1971, New Zealand in 1975, Trinidad & Tobago in 1979, Singapore in 1983, Scotland in 1987, Australia in 1991, England in 1995, New Zealand in 1999, Jamaica in 2003, New Zealand in 2007 and Singapore in 2011. Throughout this period, Australia has dominated, winning the event in 1963, 1971, 1975, 1979 (three way tie between NZ, Aust and Trinidad & Tobago), 1983, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2007 and 2011. New Zealand won in 1967, 1987 and 2003. World Youth As part of the Australian Bicentennary Celebrations in 1988, a Youth Tournament took place in Canberra for players aged Under 21. Its success led to this event being held once every four years. Past Winners; Australia 1988, New Zealand 1992, Australia 1996, Australia 2000, New Zealand 2005, Australia 2009, 2013 New Zealand. The 2017 World Youth Championship is to be held in Botswana for the first time. Commonwealth Games Netball is also a core sport for the Commonwealth Games after first being included in the programme at the 1998 games in Kuala Lumpur where Australia took the Gold medal, New Zealand Silver and England Bronze. Past Winners; 1998 Australia, 2002 Australia, 2006 New Zealand, 2010 New Zealand and 2014 Australia. ANZ Championship 2007 Netball New Zealand and Netball Australia establish a joint venture company, “Trans-Tasman Netball Ltd”, to launch Australasia's first semi-professional netball league, known as the ANZ Championship (ANZC). The first ANZC title in 2008 was won by the NSW Swifts who beat Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic (who won the ANZC in 2012). The “Mainland Tactix” franchise team represents the Mainland Zone in the trans-Tasman ANZC. The region having had a team in the ANZC since its inception. Tactix games in Christchurch attract home crowds of 2,500 on average and are televised live in both New Zealand and Australia. Home games are played in other towns in the Zone for example; Nelson and Blenheim. The following is a list of players who have played for the Tactix franchise since ANZC inception: Our Tactix Legacy 2008-2015 Player No. Name Years Years 1 Maree Bowden 2008-2012 2012-2013 2 Jodi Brown 2008-2009 2012-2014 3 Phillipa Finch 2008-2011 2013-2014 4 Demelza Fellowes (Aus) 2008 2015- 5 Ellen Halpenny 2008-2012 2013-2014 6 Charlotte Kight 2008-2011 2013- 7 Bessie Manu 2008 2012-2013 8 Jo McCaw 2008 2014- 9 Julie Seymour 2008-2009 2014- 10 Victoria Smith 2008-2010 2014- 11 Hayley Stockman 2008 2014 12 Anna Thompson 2008- 2014 13 Rachel Dunn (Eng) 2008 2015- 14 Angela Mitchell 2009-2010 2015- 15 Sonia Mkoloma (Eng) 2009 2015- 16 Kahurangi Waititi 2009 2015- 17 Larrissa Wilcox 2010-2011 2015- 18 Hayley Crofts 2010-2011 19 Anna Galvan 2010-2012 20 Chelsea Pitman 2010 21 Hannah Poff 2010-2011 22 Ashleigh Smith 2010 23 Peta Stephens (Aus) 2010 24 Megan Hutton 2010 25 Kasey Evering (Jam) 2011 26 Kiley Hikawai 2011-2012 27 Finau Pulu 2011-2012 28 Jo Trip 2011-2013 29 Donna Wilkins 2011 30 Sophia Fenwick 2012-2014 31 Stacey Francis (Eng) 2012 32 Keshia Grant 2012- 33 Joanne Harten (Eng) 2012-2013 34 Jane Watson 2012-2014 35 Jade Clarke (Eng) 2013-2014 36 Liz Hayman 2013 37 Kirsten Hurley 2013 38 Julianna Naoupu 2013-2014 39 Louise Thayer 2013- 40 Zoe Walker 2013- 41 Mwai Kumwenda (Mal) 2014- 42 Nicola Mackle 2014- 43 Jess Moulds 2014- 44 Hayley Saunders 2014- 45 Hannah Broederlow 2014 46 Kate Shearer 2014 47 Gemma Hazeldine 2015- 48 Bailey Mes 2015- 49 Erikana Pedersen 2015- 50 Chloe Williamson 2015- 51 Olivia Coughlan 2015- .