Santander Walking Netball
Our walking netball sessions run on a Sunday morning 11am-12:30pm at Les Quennevais Indoor Netball Court. It is an hour and a half of fun netball followed by tea and cake! Walking netball is a slower version of the game we all love and is designed so that anyone can play it regardless of age or fitness level.
Sessions are £5 and they are designed to be fun and flexible! If you would like any more information please email Suzanne on s.follain@hotmail.com.
Why Walking Netball?
General health and well-being can make a big difference to someone’s quality of life, whatever their age. Eating well and keeping fit are important. Someone might be recovering from injury or just getting older, but it’s important they are as active as they can be. Regular physical activity will help maintain strength, flexibility and energy levels.
Walking Netball is ideal as someone can start gently and build up gradually, aiming to do a little more each session. Regular weight-bearing exercise helps keep bones strong by forcing the bones in the lower half of your body to bear a person’s full weight each time they move. Older people who take part in Walking Netball will see many benefits: lower heart rate and blood pressure, less fat and more muscle, and better mobility.
The British Heart Foundation advocates for regular physical activity in order to reduce risks of heart disease.
Alzheimers UK tell us that exercise is beneficial for physical and mental health and may improve the quality of life for people in all stages of dementia.
Cancer Research UK advocates physical activity as a way of reducing risk of cancer and other illnesses and they tell us that physical activity is potentially beneficial during and after cancer treatment.
Most people find being more active easier than they expected – and more enjoyable. The more someone enjoys Walking Netball, the easier it is to keep it up, and that’s when they’ll really reap the benefits. You may be surprised by how much fun walking netballers can have, how much fitter and healthier they will feel and how much they can achieve.
And it’s not just health benefits – Walking Netball also offers social benefits. Participants can meet new people, avoid becoming isolated, and interact with individuals and small groups.
Walking Netball Rules
To play Walking Netball some rules need to be adapted to ensure that the game is played appropriately.
All the rules are the same as traditional Netball except that:
Everyone is WALKING and therefore every player must have at least part of one foot in contact with the court at all times.
During the game, an extra step maybe taken once a player has received the ball, which reduces the impact on landing and improves the momentum of the game.
An extra second (meaning you have 4 seconds) has been allowed to increase the decision making time whilst in possession of the ball, which should encourage improved ball placement. Therefore you must throw or shoot with the ball within 4 seconds of receiving it.
For further information on the rules of netball, please refer to the International Netball Federation Official Rules of Netball.