Passing and movement form the basis of the game with attackers using changes of speed and direction, combined with team tactics, to try to lose their defenders in order to create a shooting chance. This is not easy because an attacker is not allowed to shoot if the defender is within arms’ length and nearer to the post. Any player in the attacking zone may score. Kicking, punching and running with the ball are forbidden and phyisical contact is limited. Players may only mark a player of the same sex. Apart from playing within one half of the field there are no set positions and players need to have all round skills since whenever two goals are scored in the match the players change zones (ie those who were attacking now become defenders and vice versa).
The Key Rules
Same Sex Marking
The men defend men and women defend women. Indeed it is against the rules to hinder a player of the opposite sex. Thus the game is not dominated by the stronger male counterparts as with mixed doubles in tennis.
No running or dribbling with the ball
A key rule which ensures that there has to be co-operation between players, so you cannot have a ’superstar’ running around doing all the work while the others watch on. Players have to create scoring chances through passing, running and teamwork.
Limited physical contact
While obviously some contact is inevitable in a competitive game when trying to grab rebounds or loose balls, the philosophy of korfball strongly emphasises the primacy of skill over strength and so aggressive physical contact is forbidden.
- Fine: South Africa vs North America
- Foul: Wales vs Ireland
No shooting whilst ‘defended’
This is very much the key to the whole game. In sports like basketball and netball, a tall player can dominate under the hoop as the ball is just served up to them for the next score. Not so in Korfball. Essentially, an attacker is considered to be ‘defended’ when an opponent of the same sex fulfils the following 3 criteria:
- They are between the attacker and the basket.
- They are within arms length of the attacker.
- They are actively trying to block the ball.
So even if you are 7 feet tall you can only shoot in Korfball if you are ‘free’ from your defender, which means you have to run around and co-operate with your team to create scoring chances like the rest of us.
- Defended: Wales vs England
- Not Defended (not between the attacker and the basket): England vs Wales
- Not defended (not within arms length of the attacker): South Africa vs North America
Scoring
In Korfball a ‘goal’ is scored when the ball passes through the opponents’ basket. Good shooting skills are essential as you progress to a higher level and top players will be shooting from as far away as 15 metres in a game. On average a team would expect to score between 10 - 20 goals in a game.
Other Rules
Of course there are other rules, free passes and penalty shots for fouls and more. The game has been modernised to allow substitutions and time-outs, but is still very much guided by the principles of co-operation.