Training Equipment for Netball Teams and Leagues

Whether you’re starting a new netball club, joining a team, or entering an advanced netball league, there is gear you’ll need to get started:

• A netball ring: A freestanding ring with a wheeled base is ideal if you need a ring to practise shooting but don’t have a permanent indoor or outdoor netball court. You can also play real games with your ring.

• Match kits: Teams playing in any leagues or tournaments require matching kits with their player numbers on the back, although recreational leagues often permit players to wear bibs over their kits.

• Coloured bibs: During training and drills, a set of bibs in contrasting colours means you can play against each other as two teams and focus on defence, attack, and mid-field positions.

• A netball ball: A high-quality ball with the right weight, texture and grip as a match ball is ideal.

• Gameplay boards: Coaches or team captains can draw player positions to discuss tactics, game strategies, and different ways to defend or approach the centre pass at the start of a match.

Players also need the right clothing and training accessories, with a wide range of choices in womens’ and mens’ gear, from shorts and gloves to kids’ trainers. Footwear is all-important to ensure you have the right spring, speed, and flexibility to manoeuvre and pivot while you play, so a pair of shoes designed specifically for netball is a great option.

Training accessories can also be beneficial for players practising alone, finessing the way they play, shoot, and run.

The Best Clothing and Shoes for Netball Players

The right gear can help players get into the necessary mindset for games, training, and netball matches, and helps with comfort and moisture wicking during a competitive tournament. Among the must-have gear, most players wear:

• Either netball skirts or shorts: Mens’ netball shorts tend to be longer and looser, and womens’ netball shorts can have a built-in skirt. Stretch fabric is ideal to avoid restricting your movements.

• Training shoes and socks to keep your feet supported and avoid rubbing or blisters: The best netball shoes have a great grip to prevent slipping but enable you to pivot and pass with sufficient ankle support.

• Netball tops: These are normally the same colour as the other team gear, and a sports top with a stretchable fabric such as Lycra or Spandex is optimal.

• Printed bibs: Some netball teams have printed tops but otherwise use bibs with their positions printed on the back, such as “GA” for Goal Attack and “WD” for Wing Defence.

Netball players can also wear ankle supports and knee straps where necessary and often have jackets and gloves to help with year-round training when weather conditions are a bit cooler or wetter. These training accessories and gear are optional based on your individual needs.

Netball Brands Recommended by National Teams

Keen netball players often like to replicate the gear their favourite national or international players wear. Brands such as New Balance shoes, Gilbert balls and shorts, and Asics Pro kids’ shoes are all brands you’ll regularly see on the court–although these can differ for indoor netball played on a soft court and outdoor netball with all-weather asphalt surfacing. You can shop these gear brands and training accessories here at INTERSPORT.