In the 1890's the English developed the game of netball, based on basketball. These two games are both played on a court, have circular markings, have hoops as goals, have different passes and are played with similar size balls. Netball was started by women who wanted to play a game like the men. So they got together in two teams of nine and, using a football, scored hoops into wooden peach crates.

Over time, netball has changed and is now played in teams of seven with netting hoops as goals!

Basketball is a game played all over the world by men and women. Players like Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman and Magic Johnson became famous through playing basketball.

Basketball is also called 'B-ball' or 'hoops', and is played in teams of five. In 1891 in the USA a group of school kids started playing basketball because their PE teacher wanted to keep them busy as it was raining outside. Quite a cool thought don't you think?

For today's activity, we will learn to play a game that combines basketball and netball. What do you think a good name would be? Courtball? NB-ball?

Here's how:

1. Divide into teams of six.
2. Choose a name for your team.
3. Choose two people to be attackers, two people to be mid-fielders and two people to be defenders. The attackers can shoot and score. The defenders stop the opposition scoring goals. The mid-fielders are in the centre of the court and link the play together.
4. Read through the rules below as a team before you play.
5. The court is divided into three sections. Draw a circle in the middle with chalk or use a hoola hoop. The defenders are in one third, the mid-fielders in the middle third and the attackers in the last third.
   

BASIC RULES:

• You can use over-head, chest or bounce passes.
• You can move for only three seconds when you have the ball. Then you have to stop and pass the ball.
• You can go anywhere on the court, except at the beginning and after a goal when you have to stand in the areas like set out above.
• You cannot touch anyone who is holding the ball. It is a NON-contact game. You can stick your hand up in front of someone to stop them from passing, but you must stand two foot-lengths away.
• You cannot knock the ball out of someone's hands.
• If someone touches another player, keeps the ball for longer than three seconds or throws the ball out of the court, the ball changes over to the other team.
  A goal can be scored by any player. It is worth two points.

Play for 15 minutes a side. Substitute when you need to. Enjoy this new game!

Remember to warm-up before you start and to cool down afterwards.