Netball! Read online

  About the Book

  Lizzie knew everything there was to know about netball. Here dream was to become a famous netball coach one day . . .

  Lizzie loves to talk about netball. So why don’t her teammates want to listen?

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  ‘Quick, Sofia! Get rid of the ball!’ Lizzie called. ‘And Jacqui, you’re not allowed in the goal circle – you’re Wing Defence!’

  Lizzie knew everything there was to know about netball.

  Her dream was to become a netball coach for the Australian Netball League. She wanted to be just like her coach, Coach Laura.

  ‘Shush, Lizzie,’ said Jacqui as she ran past. ‘Just because you’re playing Centre, doesn’t mean you’re the centre of the game.’

  I’m just trying to help, thought Lizzie as she stopped a pass from the opposition. She threw the ball to Ben.

  An opposition player ran for the ball too, but Ben was too fast for her.

  He stepped in front and caught the ball. He nearly fumbled and dropped it, but he managed to hold on.

  Then he took a shot for goal and scored!

  ‘That was fantastic, Ben!’ yelled Sofia, running in to give him a high-five.

  ‘Netball is awesome!’ yelled Oliver.

  ‘Keep your fingers wide apart, Ben. You’ll have better control of the ball,’ said Lizzie.

  Just then the umpire blew her whistle for half-time.

  ‘Keep up the good work, everyone,’ said Jacqui.

  ‘But don’t slack off,’ said Lizzie, as she and her teammates joined their coach on the sidelines. ‘Sofia, make sure when you pass the ball it’s fast and direct.’

  Sofia and Jacqui looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

  Lizzie and the team huddled in around Coach Laura. Lizzie couldn’t wait to hear her advice.

  ‘Great game so far, everyone,’ Coach Laura said. ‘Remember the skills we learnt in training last week. And make sure you follow through with your arm after you’ve thrown the ball.’

  Lizzie nodded. ‘Especially you, Lucy,’ she said. ‘And, Angus, good Goal Keepers need to stand really tall when defending.’

  Angus didn’t say anything but he looked cross.

  ‘Thanks, Lizzie, that’s true, but I’m speaking now,’ said Coach Laura.

  Jake, Coach Laura’s son, handed out oranges he had cut for the team.

  Everyone showed off their orange smiles and made each other giggle by pulling faces.

  Lizzie’s piece was too big to fit in her mouth. ‘Next time, Jake, you should try cutting the oranges into smaller pieces,’ she said.

  Jake took out his orange and made a face at her.

  After the break it was Lizzie’s turn to sit on the bench with Coach Laura. Abby took over her position on court.

  Abby was a fast runner and could throw the ball straight and hard. She always did well in Centre.

  Coach Laura clapped as the ball zipped around the court.

  Lizzie could see that Lucy was finding it hard to keep up.

  ‘Hey, Lucy!’ she called. ‘You have to keep running!’

  Coach Laura turned to Lizzie. ‘I love how keen you are,’ she said, ‘but let’s just have some fun today. Don’t worry too much about how everyone is playing. That’s what I’m here for, okay?’

  ‘Okay,’ said Lizzie, but she could see that Lucy had stopped on the court to rest.

  ‘Lucy!’ she called. ‘You have to attack and defend . . . all the time, got it?’

  By the end of the game, the other team had shot more goals.

  ‘I think we need an extra training session,’ said Lizzie. ‘Ben, you’ve got to take more chances in the goal circle!’

  ‘And Lucy and Jess, more defensive drill practice – that’s what you need.’

  But no one replied. In fact, no one said a word to Lizzie about anything.

  On the ride home, Lizzie excitedly replayed the entire game to her parents.

  Netball games were always the best part of her week.

  But then Lizzie saw something that made her stop talking.

  Across the road she saw Sofia and Jacqui and the rest of her teammates.

  They were sitting outside a cafe with frozen yoghurts. They looked as if they were having lots of fun.

  Lizzie didn’t know what to think. Did someone forget to tell me they were meeting up? she wondered. But then she thought of something worse!

  Is it possible that they don’t want me there?

  She spent the rest of the day sniffling and watching netball clips on YouTube under her bedcovers.

  Lizzie didn’t say a word to any of her teammates all week.

  At the next game she put her hand up to sit on the bench.

  She sat silently next to the coach.

  ‘You haven’t said anything about the game since it started,’ said Coach Laura. ‘Are you okay?’

  Lizzie nodded. But she wasn’t okay.

  In the second quarter, their team started to fall behind. Sofia was having a tough time against her opponent, Anthony.

  He was very fast in the centre, and Sofia couldn’t keep up.

  The other team’s Goal Attack, Isabella, was really good.

  She shot goal after goal after goal . . .

  At half-time, when Lizzie’s team left the court, they all looked upset, especially Jessica.

  ‘It’s all right, everyone,’ Coach Laura said. ‘Cheer up! You’re all playing really well. I’ve seen some great skills out there! Jessica don’t feel down – you did your best as Keeper.’

  ‘Jacqui and Lizzie, you’re my unofficial assistant coaches. You always have good advice for the team. What should we do?’

  For the first time all week, Lizzie felt excited. Her favourite thing in the world was when Coach Laura called on her and Jacqui to share their ideas.

  But then she started to feel nervous.

  What if none of the team wanted to hear what she had to say? What if that was why they hadn’t invited her after the game last week?

  ‘We’re playing as well as we always do,’ said Jacqui. ‘They’re just faster and taller than us.’

  ‘What about defence?’ said Coach Laura. ‘Lizzie, What do you think?’

  But Lizzie didn’t know what to say. She did have an idea. A really good idea. But then she remembered Sofia rolling her eyes at the last game.

  ‘Um, I think it’s probably best if I keep my mouth shut,’ she said quietly. ‘I saw you all getting frozen yogurt without me. I know you don’t really like what I’ve got to say.’

  Lizzie felt her face go red and tears began to well in her eyes – she wiped them away quickly.

  Now she was feeling embarrassed, so she turned and walked away.

  But someone was running after her. She turned around expecting it to be Coach Laura, but it was Sofia.

  ‘Hey, Lizzie,’ Sofia said. ‘Wait up! You can’t leave when we need you!’

  She threw Lizzie the ball. ‘We’re all sorry about the other day,’ said Sofia. ‘It’s not true that no one likes what you’ve got to say. They do! I do! But sometimes it makes us feel bad.’

  Lizzie nodded. ‘I’m sorry too,’ she said. ‘I didn’t mean to upset you. I just love being a coach. I’ll try to say things differently next time.’

  Sofia and Lizzie walked back to the team together.

  ‘Being a coach can be hard,’ Coach Laura said, and she gave Lizzie a hug as well.

  ‘Come on, Lizzie,’ said Jacqui. ‘Tell us what we should do.’

  ‘Well,’ said Lizzie, ‘I think there is a way we can block Isabella’s shots.’

  ‘E
ven I’m not tall enough to do that,’ said Oliver.

  Lizzie grinned. ‘This idea might seem crazy, but I think it will work.’

  ‘What is it?’ everyone asked at the same time.

  The teams headed back onto the court. Oliver was Goal Keeper and Lucy was Goal Defence.

  It didn’t take long for the other team to get the ball.

  Anthony turned and passed it towards the circle.

  Lucy almost caught it, but Isabella got there first.

  Oliver was between her and the ring, but he didn’t make himself as tall as he could to try and block the ball. He held his arms low and bent his knees a little. He looked as small as he possibly could . . .

  Isabella aimed at the ring and threw the ball so it would fly just over Oliver.

  But then Oliver stretched out to his true height and tapped the ball!

  Lucy caught it and passed it to Sofia.

  Sofia threw it safely down the court to Abby.

  They all cheered. It felt great – almost as if they had won the game!

  ‘Lizzie,’ said Coach Laura. ‘I think you’re going to be a great coach.’

  And Lizzie couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.

  Lizzie’s strategy is a good one – never let the goal shooters know how high you can block the ball until it’s too late.

  But what if your team is attacking? Listen to your coach for any extra tips and practise every day.

  If you’re giving advice, like Lizzie, here’s the best way to shoot. But remember, a good coach is kind and focuses on the positive!

  Here’s how to shoot for goal:

  Stand within the shooting semicircle.

  Make sure your feet are shoulder width apart and pointing at the post.

  Straighten your arm close to your ear with the ball held in that hand – your fingers should face away from the ring. Steady the ball with your other hand.

  Aim above the ring so it falls through without touching it.

  Other netball skills include chest and shoulder passes. And, remember, netball is a game for absolutely everyone!

  Why was Cinderella’s netball team so bad?

  Her coach was a pumpkin.

  What’s the difference between a netball hog and time?

  Time passes.

  Why was the netball stadium hot after the game?

  Because all the fans had left.

  What do eagles do when they coach a netball team?

  They wing it!

  Knock! Knock!

  Who’s there?

  Harry

  Harry who?

  Harry up, and play netball with me!

  Why is a scrambled egg like a losing netball team?

  Because they both have been beaten.

  Why is basketball messier than netball?

  Because basketball players dribble – and they don’t even wear bibs!

  What did the netball player say to the ball?

  Catch you later!

  Did you know?

  When playing netball you can only hold the ball for three seconds. If you hold it for over three seconds it is called a ‘held ball’ violation.

  Defenders must be at least 90 centimetres away from the player with the ball.

  Around 20 million people play netball worldwide.

  Different forms of netball include mixed netball, indoor netball and ‘netta’ for kids.

  In official mixed netball games there must always be one boy on the court and no more than three boys on the court at one time.

  Netball evolved from basketball in the 1890s – women couldn’t play basketball in the long dresses and heavy clothes they had to wear, so they changed some of the rules and netball was born!

  In 1995 netball became a recognised Olympic sport, but it hasn’t yet been played at an Olympic games.

  PUFFIN BOOKS

  UK | USA | Canada | Ireland | Australia

  India | New Zealand | South Africa | China

  Penguin Books is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies

  whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.

  First published by Penguin Random House Australia Pty Ltd, 2016

  Text copyright © Red Wolf Entertainment Pty Ltd, 2016

  Illustrations copyright © Tom Jellett, 2016

  The moral right of the author and illustrator has been asserted.

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  Design by Tony Palmer © Penguin Random House Australia Pty Ltd

  puffin.com.au

  ISBN: 978-1-76014-231-5

  THE BEGINNING

  Let the conversation begin...

  Follow the Penguin Twitter

  Keep up-to-date with all our stories YouTube

  Pin ‘Penguin Books’ to your Pinterest

  Like ‘Penguin Books’ on Facebook

  Find out more about the author and

  discover more stories like this at penguin.com.au

 

 

  Felice Arena, Netball!

  Thanks for reading the books on GrayCity.Net