Netball!

So, I joined the Melbourne Office Netball team. Netball is a popular Commonwealth sport that unfortunately Canada has missed out on. Traditionally played by women, we sported a co-ed team for the Corporate Olympics - a tournament for Melbourne businesses.

TONS OF FUN!

It's a bit hard to describe, but if you picture a smaller basketball court with slightly lower nets and no backboards and seven players a side each of whom can only go in specific areas of the court and not dribble or run with the ball....nor have any kind of contact with each other....you'll be on the right track. This "Netball 101" video was very helpful in getting me up to speed.

We've been training (Australian for "practicing") for the past few Fridays, but getting the hang of not taking a step after you've caught the ball and not trying to smack it out of someone's hands was a bit difficult. Game day arrived yesterday and you wouldn't believe the number of fouls I was called on!! I got better as the day went on, but it was a bit comical how all both teams were at following the rules.

We were good enough, however, to make it through to the finals today - on a 1-point differential tie-breaker. We started strong - were up 10-4 at the half - but ended up losing something like 14-11 in a heartbreaking second half.

Oh, and believe it or not, they decided I was to play "Goal Shooter" which basically means being one of two people allowed to get close enough to the net to shoot. I still find it hard to believe.

I will be looking for a netball court when I'm back in Canada - it is a really fun sport!!