All About KORFBALL

Contents
Starting the game Fouls and misconduct
Ball rules Officials
Scoring Equipment

Korfball pitch

The korfball pitch

OVERVIEW

Objective: The name of this sport comes from the Dutch word korfbal, meaning basketball. It is a no-contact game, played by two teams of four men and four women each. The object of the game is to score by shooting the ball through the opponent teams basket at the end of the pitch.

A game consists of two halves of 30 minutes (35 minutes for outdoor games) with a ten minute rest period in between. Teams can also have two 60-second time-outs during the game. Extra time is played after each half if there have been stoppages in play.

The home team throws off and chooses which end to aim for. If there is no home team, the captains will toss.

DETAILED RULES

Starting the game

To start the game and at the beginning of the second half, the ball is thrown off from the middle of the centre line in the attacking zone. After each goal, the team that did not score throws off. After two goals are scored teams change ends.

Teams also change ends at half time. When moving to the other zone, defenders become attackers and attackers become defenders. Two men and two women from each team will be positioned in each zone.

There can be up to two substitutes for tactical changes. There can be more in case of injury, subject to the referee's approval.

The referee restarts play by throwing the ball up (throw up) between two opponents if:

- Two opponents get the ball at the same time.

- The ball touches a spectator or object within the field of play - unless it is clear which side would have won possession.

- An interruption, when neither side is entitled to the ball.

The two players who take part in the throw up will be chosen by the referee. They must be the same sex and of similar height.

Ball rules

The ball must be played only with the hands. Players are not allowed to run with the ball and they must pass it whenever possible. The ball must not be played from a lying down position.

No player can play the ball outside their zone (their half of the pitch) unless they play the ball in the air after jumping from that zone.

Players can pivot on one foot while they have they ball and they are not moving. If they are running when they catch the ball, they must stop or pass it to another player immediately.

If a player is running when they catch the ball they can keep running if they throw the ball in a single movement.

It is against the rules to knock the ball out of an opponent's hands or obstruct their progress with an arm or leg extended to get in their way. Deliberate contact is not allowed.

Shots at goal must be made from a defended position. This means that a defender must be within arms length of the player about to shoot, and the defender must be facing the shooter, and closer to the basket than the player with the ball.

Passing

Player must attempt to pass the ball whenever possible. They must not:

- Deliberately change position without passing.

- Throw the ball with the intention of replaying it.

- Hand, rather than pass the ball to another player.

- Dribble the ball (tap the ball on the ground and run beside it). If two players compete for the ball they may touch it several times before getting it.

Out of play

The ball is out of play if:

- It touches the ground outside the boundary line.

- It touches a person other a player or object outside the playing area.

When the ball goes out of play, a free pass is awarded to the team who did not touch the ball last before it went out of play.

Scoring

A goal is scored when the ball passes completely through the opposing team's basket. A goal is not scored if the attackers have committed an offence, or if the ball is thrown through the bottom of the basket.

If the referee blows the whistle the goal does not count, unless the offence was committed by a defender, and the ball had left the attacker's hand and was out of the defender's reach when the whistle was blown

Throwing for goal

Shots cannot be made on goal when the shooting position is defended. It is defended when:

- The defender (who is marking the player with the ball) is nearer the post than the attacker.

- The defender has their hand stretched towards the attacker and can touch the attacker without bending forward.

- The defender faces the attacker and attempts to block the shot (whether successful or not).

Also, a shot at goal cannot be made from the other zone (half) of the pitch.

Fouls and misconduct

Players may not:

- Touch the ball below the knee or with the foot.

- Hit the ball with a fist.

- Take possession of the ball while on the ground.

- Run with the ball.

- Avoid passing.

- Dribble with the ball.

- Hand, rather than pass the ball to another player.

- Waste time.

- Knock, take or run the ball out of an opponent's hand.

- Push, hold onto, or interfere with an opponent. See Interference, below.

- Shoot from a defended position.

- Shoot after cutting past an opponent, or from the other zone, a free pass or throw up.

- Shoot when not playing against a personal opponent - the opponent who is marking you.

- Influence a shot by moving the post in any way.

- Violate a free pass or penalty.

Interference

Players must not obstruct the free movements of opponents by any physical contact or any other form of obstruction, deliberate or not.

A defender may stand in the path of an attacker, but must not extend arms or legs to prevent them from running past, or to cause a collision.

A player can attempt to influence the direction of a block or throw or attempt to block the ball as long as they do not hinder a member of the opposite sex in throwing to someone who is already hindered.

A player may not hinder an opponent when that player is outside their own zone.

Cutting

Cutting happens when an attacker runs so close past another attacker that a defender cannot follow the first attacker without risk of colliding with the second attacker. This is not an offence on its own, but the first attacker is not able to throw for goal after cutting. If they do, then it is an offence.

Penalties

A penalty is automatically awarded for any offence that stops a team from scoring or the chance of scoring. A penalty can also be awarded for any offence that illegally hinders the attackers.

For example, pushing or preventing a pass to a player who has a chance to score.

A penalty is taken from the point 2.5 metres (8 feet 2 inches) from in front of the opponents post. Other players must remain at least 2.5 metres (8 feet 2 inches) away from the thrower and the post until the ball is thrown and must not interfere with the throw. This applies to players of both teams.

The player taking the penalty must not touch the ground between the penalty spot and the post until the ball has been thrown, or throw the ball until the referee blows the whistle.

If a player from the non-throwing team gets too close, the throwing team are awarded a free pass. If a defender infringes the rules, the penalty is retaken, if is not scored.

A goal scored from a penalty is valid.

Free throws

A free pass is awarded to a team after an offence by the other team, or if the ball is sent out of play by the other team. The pass is usually taken from the place where the incident occurred.

It must be taken within four seconds after the referee has blown the whistle, and is retaken if the ball is thrown before the whistle.

The opposing players must be at least 2.5 metres (8 feet 2 inches) away until the ball is moved. The players of the same team must remain at least 2.5 metres (8 feet 2 inches) away until the ball has been touched by another player (of either team), or when the ball has travelled at least 2.5 metres from the place where the free pass was taken.

A violation is penalized by a free throw to the non-offending team. Repeated violations are penalized by a penalty to the non-offending team.

Goals cannot be scored from free throws.

Officials

Referee
The referee ensures that the rules are followed, and does throw ups.

Linesmen
Judge when the ball is out of play, and draw attention to fouls and other infringements. Assist the referee.

Timekeeper
Keeps time and assists the referee.

Equipment

The ball
The ball is similar in size to a football (soccer). its circumference is between 68 and 71 centimetres (approximately 27 inches) and it must weigh between 425 and 475 grams (approximately 16 ounces) at the start of the game.

Baskets
The basket is 25 centimetres (10 inches) high, with an inner diameter of 39 to 41 centimetres (approximately 16 inches) and its top edge is 3.5 metres (11 feet) above the ground.

Pitch
Korfball can be player indoors or outdoors. The indoor pitch is 40 meters by 20 metres (44 yards by 22 yards). The outdoor pitch is 60 metres by 30 metres (66 yards by 33 yards). The markings are made of tapes which are between 3 and 5 centimetres (1.5 inches) wide. The surface is grass or artificial material, and the roof of an indoor pitch must be no lower than 7 metres (23 feet).

COMMENTS

Featured List: List of Olympic Running Distances

Where to next? ...

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Original Source http://sportsrules.50g.com