Israel Netball History

Putting Israel Netball on the International Sports Map

Netball arrived in Israel in 1993, when it featured in the 14^th Maccabi Games. However, no Israeli team took part in the tournament. Four years later, an Israeli team did participate in the 15^th Maccabi Games in 1997, but the players went their separate ways afterwards.

In 1999, a few players started meeting together once a week to play netball on a basketball court in Ra'anana. Younger players soon joined and were taught the rules of the game. In the meantime, groups in Kibbutz Kfar Menachem and in Jerusalem started playing, each group without knowing that the others existed.

In 2001, Israel sent its senior team for a week-long training session in England and an Israeli netball team was established. Accordingly, both junior and senior Israel Netball teams proudly marched in the Opening Ceremony of the 16^th Maccabi Games, and participated in their first ever international tournament.

Also in 2001, a netball group for youth aged 10 to 13 years was established, recognizing that netball in Israel would remain static without the introduction of newcomers to the game. Contact was made with another youth group in Dimona.

In 2002, the junior Israeli team participated in the Maccabi Great Britain Youth Games in England, where they faced stiff competition from the Australian and English teams. The skills of the junior players were further developed through the hosting of a junior tournament in 2003 by Israel Netball. Participants included a visiting team from South Africa, a team from Dimona and a Ra'anana team (including a player from England and four players from Kfar Menachem). Also in 2003, the senior team took part in the Maccabi International Tournament in England where they played against a South African team and England's A and B teams. Additionally, in 2004, a junior team participated in the Maccabi Great Britain Youth Games in England.

In 2005, three representatives from Israel Netball took part in a coaching course in Malta, another developing netball nation. The representatives succeeded in gaining their Level 1 coaching certificates, and also attended the AGM of the Federation of European Netball Associations (FENA).

Both junior and senior Israeli teams competed in the 17^th Maccabi Games in 2005, against opposing teams from Australia, South Africa and England. Israel Netball was congratulated for the professionalism of the tournament, and was pronounced the sport in which there had been the most growth since the previous Maccabi Games!

Also in 2005, and with the support of the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) and FENA, a Level 2 coaching course was held in Israel, and the three Israeli participants who had already received their Level 1 certificate advanced to Level 2.

In 2006, Israel Netball participated in the Development Division of the European Netball Championships in Wales, the first time that Israel was represented in an international event held under the auspices of FENA and IFNA.

In 2007, Israel Netball was officially accepted as an associate member of IFNA and was invited to attend the IFNA Congress in New Zealand where the World Netball Championships were held.

In 2008, Israel Netball competed in the European Netball Festival in Ireland. The tournament in Dublin marked the first time that Israel Netball was triumphant in an international match, when they beat Gibraltar who is also considered a developing netball nation.

In July 2009 Israel Netball hosted the hugely successful netball tournament of the 18^th Maccabi Games, with both junior and senior teams participating. Moreover, netball training sessions for players of all ages are held on a regular basis in Ra'anana, Jerusalem, Ma'aleh Adumim, Modi'in and Tel Aviv.

Malta was the venue for the 2010 European Netball Festival. The Israeli team repeated their success at the previous festival by beating the Gibraltar team which competed in their house and also the second Gibraltar team in the playoffs.