Netball

Following the invention of basketball in the USA in 1891, netball, or the modified "women's basketball", began to take shape in England at a physical education instructors’ college in 1895. Early modifications included the removal of backboards, the use of net-rings, and the introduction of sleeveless tunics with pleated skirts to facilitate movement. Early versions featured nine players per side, and courts divided into zones to limit running. A 1931 ruling in Australia even required the female players to remain silent, as this was deemed more ladylike. It was not until 1995 that the sport became an Olympic medal sport, almost sixty years later than basketball’s 1936 entry.