UMPIRES

Kidzplay Netball and Netball North Harbour both offer Umpire Training courses. We encourage all umpires to take the opportunity to attend one of these courses each year. There is always something new to learn. 

Our Umpiring Courses: 

N.B. Spaces are limited in these courses, so registrations are essential.

Once you have completed one of these courses, you are able to umpire juniors to gain experience. After a year's worth of experience (both Winter and Spring League), you are eligible to trial for the Kidzplay umpire pool. To find out more, please click here.​​​​​​​

Winter League - 2025

There are no more umpiring courses available for the 2025 Winter League. Please scroll down to the Spring League section for details and registration information for the upcoming Spring League umpiring course.

First Steps to Umpiring Course (Winter League)

• What: Intensive 1-Day umpiring course. A course for beginner umpires or those wishing to refresh themselves on the rules and court etiquette. This programme covers basic rules and practical work, designed for Year 6 students and older. Coaches will also benefit from this course; it will help them to understand the rules and the expectations of umpires.
• Who: Everyone and anyone who is 11 years of age* (Year 6) and older
  *Must turn 11 before 1 Oct 2025
• Dates: There are no more courses available for the 2025 Winter League.  
• Time: 9.30am – 2.30pm (Check in at 9.15am)
• Venue: Pinehurst School Staffroom, 75 Bush Road, Albany (view map here)
• Cost: $55.00 per person (includes a workbook), payable on the day 
• What to bring: Whistle, pen, highlighter, snacks, lunch, drink bottle, spare hair tie (for hand signals) 
  Handheld whistles can be purchased on the day - $15.00 each (cash only, please try to bring the correct amount, no eftpos available) 
• What to wear: Suitable clothing (to be out on the courts) with correct sports footwear
• Register:
  • Registrations are now CLOSED.
  • To register for this course, please use the online registration form below. 
  • Classes are limited to 40 people (minimum of 18).
  • Registrations close by the Thursday (5.00pm) prior to the course unless the course is full before this date.
  • N.B. Spaces are limited, so registration is essential to secure a place. 
  • For any queries about this course, please email – umpires@kidzplaynetball.co.nz​​​

Spring League - 2025

First Steps to Umpiring course

• What: Intensive 1-Day umpiring course. A course for beginner umpires or those wishing to refresh themselves on the rules and court etiquette. This programme covers basic rules and practical work, designed for Year 6 students and older. Coaches will also benefit from this course; it will help them to understand the rules and the expectations of umpires.
• Who: Everyone and anyone who is 11 years of age* (Year 6) and older. 
  *Must turn 11 in 2025
• Date: Saturday, 4 October 2025​​​​​​​
• Time: 9.30am – 2.30pm (Check in at 9.15am)
• Venue: Pinehurst School Staffroom, 75 Bush Road, Albany (view map here)
• Cost: $55.00 per person (includes a workbook), payable on the day 
• What to bring: Whistle, pen, highlighter, snacks, lunch, drink bottle, spare hair tie (for hand signals)
  Handheld whistles can be purchased on the day - $15.00 each (cash only, please try to bring the correct amount, no eftpos available)
• What to wear: Suitable clothing (to be out on the courts) with correct sports footwear
• Register:
  • Registrations are now OPEN.
  • Click on the orange button below to register (once registrations are open). 
  • Classes are limited to 40 people (minimum of 18).
  • Registrations close by the Thursday (5.00pm) prior to the course unless course is full before this date.
  • N.B. Spaces are limited so registration is essential to secure a place. 
• Any queries about this course, please email – umpires@kidzplaynetball.co.nz​​​​​​​

Netball North Harbour also offers Umpiring courses. You are welcome to attend one of them if the dates suit better. Please refer to the Netball North Harbour website for full information on their courses.

First Step to Umpiring Courses - 2026

Dates for our 2026 First Step to Umpiring courses are still to be confirmed. These will be finalised and posted at the beginning of Term 1 2026, along with registration details for the season.

Please keep an eye on this page for updates. We’d love to see you join us!

We will have a pool of umpires from which we may be able to supply an umpire for your games, if required. This can either be a long standing arrangement or a one off request. If you require an umpire each week, please mark this on the registration form.

One-off requests need to be booked by the Tuesday prior to the game so that we can arrange to have someone available. If you cancel your umpire request you must let us know before the Wednesday (10am) prior to the game or the $10 will still be payable to the umpire (please hand into the control table)

The Umpire fee of $10.00 per game is to be paid directly to the pool umpire, preferably before the game.

Want to become a pool umpire? To find out more, please click here​​​​​​​.

Kidzplay Netball provides umpire mentors who are at the courts to support ALL umpires. These ladies are experienced umpires who will be available to offer advice and encouragement and to answer those queries that arise from time to time. They are easily identified by their white, blue or orange jackets.

Please do not hesitate to ask them for assistance if you have any issues at all during your games.  Always remember it is best for them to come and observe whilst the problem is happening as we cannot fix problems after the event.

If advice is given to an umpire we ask this be accepted and acted upon in the intent it was expressed – to improve the netball experience for our players.

We ask all umpires to wear the umpire jackets suppled to make them easily identifiable to players and supporters alike. Umpires can pick these up and return to the control tables. All Team Umpires are to wear the yellow jackets and the Kidzplay Netball Pool Umpires are to wear the white jackets.

THE RULES OF NETBALL

In December 2023 World Netball (WN) launched the Rules of Netball 2024 Edition, along with free educational rules resources. The new rules came into play on 1 January 2024.

The rules changes focus specifically on player safety and game management along with clarification and streamlining of existing rules such as contact and advantage. The layout of the Rules has also been updated to simplify and encourage use by all of the Netball Family, not just umpires.

You can download the Rules of Netball App for free via Apple or Google Play Stores. 

The Rules remain at all times the property of World Netball and copies of the Rules downloaded here are strictly not for sale or re-print. 

Netball Rule Changes (as of 1 January 2024)

To ensure that all members of the Netball Family are educated on the new rules of netball, World Netball has created educational resources detailing these changes.

Click the below rules changes to view the PDF explainers. 

• Goal After Whistle 
• Centre Pass Checks 
• Toss Up Removal 
• Short Pass
• Contact 
• Playing the Ball
• Throw-in
• Advantage 
• Player Safety 
• Foul Play
• Tactical Changes 
• Game Management 

International Netball Rules App

With this application you can review the rules, match guidelines and umpire hand signals along with the latest rules’ updates and clarifications. The application features a mixture of text and images to develop your knowledge and skills which will be extended to include examples and animations to build understanding of how the Rules should be applied during a game.

Download for iOS (App Store)
Downlowad for Android (Google Play)

SOME BASIC RULES OF THE GAME 
Umpires

Two umpires have control of the game and make the on-court decisions about the run of play.

Starting play

Play is started with a pass from the centre circle – this is called the centre pass. There is a centre pass at the beginning of each quarter and half, and after each goal is scored. The teams take turns making the centre pass. The person making the centre pass must stand in the centre circle. The opposing centre can stand anywhere in the centre third but all other players must stay in the goal thirds until the umpire blows the whistle to start play. The centre pass has to be received in the centre third.

Footwork 

Once a player has landed with the ball, the first landed foot is called the grounded foot and must either stay on the ground or in the air until the ball is passed on. Re-grounding that same foot a second time while still in possession of the ball is a step which will result in a free pass to the opposition. Similarly, a hop, slide or drag of the grounded foot is not permitted.

Over A Third

The ball must be caught or touched in each third of the court by any player who is standing in the correct third and/or any player who lands in the correct third after catching the ball in the air.

Held Ball

Once the ball has been caught, the player must pass it or shoot for goal within three seconds.

Throw in

When the ball goes out of court, the umpire takes note of which team touched it last. The throw in is then taken by a player from the opposing team close to where the ball went out of court. Standing close to the line from the outside of court, the player has three seconds to get the ball back in play.

Offside

Each player is allowed in only a certain area of the court. If a player steps into an area or any part of their body touches the ground in an area their playing position is not allowed to go, will be ruled offside.

Short Pass

There must be room on the court for an opposing player to be able to intercept the ball as it moves from the hands of the thrower to the hands of the receiver (this distance is not measured on the ground).

Obstruction

When a player is defending another player or trying to intercept the ball they must be at least 0.9 metres away from the grounded foot of the player who has the ball.

Contact

A player is not allowed to physically contact an opponent if it disrupts or stops that person from playing. Pushing the ball out of an opponent’s hands is also not permitted.

Sanctions

For contact, obstruction or moving the goalpost penalties, the offending player must stand beside or away from the thrower and where the umpire has indicated. A goal shooter or goal attack taking the penalty pass or shot in the goal circle can either pass the ball or shoot for goal.

Out of Court

The ball is out of court when:

• It touches the ground outside the court.
• It touches any person or object in contact with the ground outside the court. [Note: a player may have their foot on a line and it is not out of court]. 

Resources

• Starting Out Umpiring
• A World Class Umpire 
• International Rules if Netball App:
  • Download for iOS (App Store)
  • Downlowad for Android (Google Play)

Whistles

All umpires must have a good quality whistle.  We recommend the hand held whistles and these can be purchased from the Control Desk at Courts A – F on Saturdays at $15.00 each.

International Rule Book

The Rule Book is now availble on a free app from the App and Google Play stores: 

iOS 
Android 

Our aim is to allow players to develop from novice to skilled players in a fun and friendly environment. To assist this aim we ask umpires to apply the following variations to the normal netball rules.

A compulsory meeting will be held for all Team Umpires*, where we will outline our programme, rules, and the expectations Kidzplay Netball has for umpires.

Important Information:

• This meeting is mandatory for all team umpires to attend.
• Team Umpires refers to all umpires allocated to a team by a school.
• Umpires must be over the age of 11 years (Year 6) and have completed an umpiring course.
• Coaches are also welcome to attend, as it will help them understand the rules and expectations of umpires.

Details:

When: Thursday, 1st May 2025
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm (Check-in at 6:45 pm)
Venue: Pinehurst School Arena (Building next to the gym, right off the entrance driveway – view map here)
Register: Please click the button below to register. Registration is essential.
Cost: Free

​​​​​​​*Team Umpires = All umpires allocated to a team by a school.