1. Each player has a defined area of the court within which they are allowed to move. Moving into an area of the court that is not allowed for your position is known as 'offside' and leads to a penalty pass for the other team. Please see the Netball Positions page for more information.
2. Players cannot travel with the ball. When the ball is caught, players may move their non-landing foot one step. You may also lift the landing foot, but the ball must leave your possession before the landing foot is put back on the ground. Breaking this rule is called 'stepping' or 'footwork' and leads to a free pass to the other team.This is one of those netball rules that is probably best observed to be understood.
3. Players can mark the ball (i.e. try and make it hard for their opposing player to pass or shoot), but they can only do so from at least three feet away from the player in possession of the ball. Marking within three feet gives away a penalty pass (or a penalty shot at the goal if within the shooting D), whereby the player who committed the offense must stand by the side of the penalty taker until the ball has left their hands.
4. Players must not contact another player by pushing, elbowing, tripping, grabbing or barging into them. Contact with another player incurs a penalty pass to the other team, or if committed inside the shooting circle, the fouled player may take a penalty pass or a penalty shot at the goal.
