LEAGUE REGULATIONS 2024 Season

1.    RULES OF THE GAME        

1.1  All matches shall be played according to the World Netball Rules of Netball currently in force at the time of the match, except where specific match regulations apply.

1.2  Every attempt will be made by Israel Netball to ensure that all these regulations are complied with. Should any issues arise that require some form of change for a particular match, a request must be submitted via email/WhatsApp to one of the IN Officers at least 2 days in advance of that match in order to give them time to render a decision. No requests will be considered if received less than 2 days in advance of said match (except in exceptional circumstances). 

2.    REGISTRATION OF TEAM MEMBERS

2.1  There is no maximum to the number of players allowed in either a senior or a junior/youngster team. However for a senior team, up to twelve (12) players must be registered prior to commencement of a match.

2.2  Each club can enter as many teams as they want. The club decides which players play on which team.

Eligibility

2.3  Players for the senior league are eligible to play if they were born in or before 2007, i.e. they must be at least 16 years old by December 2023. A player may register for the second half of the season after she turns 16.
This season Israel Netball has made an exception to this rule: several members of the U17 national team are not yet 16. 

There are two leagues for our younger players:

• Players for the junior league are eligible to play if they are students in grade 9 - 12 (depending on the team).
• Players for the youngsters league are eligible to play if they are students in grades 7 - 9 (depending on the team. 

League Registration Fees

2.4 The registration fees are:

Senior player NIS280 
Junior player NIS260
Youngster NIS200

Should a new player register after 1 April 2024, the fee will be half the above amount.

League fees are not refundable for any reason.

2.5  Players register with their city coordinator. The following requirements must be fulfilled by players at the time of registration:

- Completed registration form with player's details

- League registration fee that covers playing netball at any court in the country (see 2.4)

- Current medical stress test in accordance with the rules dictated by the Israel Sports Authority. It is the responsibility of each player to ensure that her stress test is up-to-date according to her age as specified in those rules. The coordinator is responsible for checking that the test is valid for all her league players.
Stress tests are compulsory for juniors in grades 9-10; we recommend that junior players in grades 7 and 8 also take the test.

- In addition, the player must be a fully paid-up member of her club for the season including payment of the compulsory registration fee. Should a player join the club during the season, she must be fully paid-up from the month that she joins the league.

- A player must have played in at least 2 matches of the current season in order to be eligible to play in a playoff/final.        

A player will not be allowed to play if any of the requirements are not met.

Players who live more than one hour away from any of our current clubs

2.6  Players who live far away from our clubs and therefore cannot participate in regular training sessions are permitted to play for one of our league teams of their choice. They are required to pay the combined league and registration fee of NIS400 and if they occasionally manage to come to a training session the price for that session will be NIS50 to be paid to Israel Netball. 

Borrowing players (Subs)

2.7  If a player cannot play for whatever reason, the team plays with fewer players or they can borrow a non-league player from their club or from another club. The maximum number of matches that can be played by a non-league player in this season is three, and the player will pay NIS 30 per match. A Sub may play for more than one club during the season but may not play in a playoff/final. A pool of Sub candidates including their probable availability and preferred playing position(s) will be compiled to be accessed by all club coordinators (Google doc).

Rule 3.2 of the Rules Book states that "a minimum of five and a maximum of seven players from a team may be on court at any time, one of whom must play Centre". If a club has only six players registered for a match, two Subs may be registered; if there are seven players, only one Sub may be registered. In any event, the number of Subs in any given match shall not exceed two. The club coordinator shall notify the league coordinator of the borrowed player(s) and must also proide proof of payment by the Sub no later than noon of the day on which the match is to be played. The Sub may not take the court otherwise.

A Sub may be a Full member or a Casual member of a club according to the following paragraphs of the Israel Netball Constitution:

• People who pay full club membership fees for the entire netball season and who play the game of Netball according to WN Rules and any By-laws and Regulations laid down by IN on a regular basis.
• Players who play on a non-regular basis up to a maximum of twice a month are considered to be Casual Members.

All other current league regulations apply.

2.8  Each team member should wear their league t-shirt.

2.9  Players may not play in league matches if they are over 3 months pregnant.

3.    LEAGUE SCHEDULE

3.1   The schedule for the entire season will be published prior to commencement of the season.

3.2   Senior matches will be scheduled for Thursday nights and all matches will be played in Modi'in at the indoor venue unless announced otherwise.
Junior and Youngster matches will be played at various venues.

4.    BALLS, BIBS & PLAYING KIT

4.1   Whenever possible, Israel Netball will provide the match ball.

4.2   All players must wear positional bibs, and teams must have a spare set in a different colour in case of clash of colours.

5.   TEAM SHEETS

5.1  Team Sheets must be completed and lodged with the match officials before the scheduled start of each match. A team sheet shall consist of a minimum of 7 registered players who will be playing in the match (or be on the team bench).

5.2  Umpires or the captain of the opposing team will check players' nails and confirm that no jewellery is worn prior to the match. This applies to both junior and senior league players. Each player will sign the team sheet after umpire's/captain's approval. Should a player arrive late, she may not take the court until allowed to do so by an umpire in accordance with WN rules.

6.   COURT PROCEDURE

6.1  Only the (up to) 12 registered players + team coach, team manager and other registered officials may sit on the team bench. All other players and/or supporters must sit in the spectators' gallery.

6.2  Scorekeepers/timekeepers at the Officials' Table must remain neutral; they may not support the teams playing on court.

6.3  If requested by any of the teams in advance, male spectators will not be allowed at matches in which that team is playing. This rule does not apply for the League Finals.

6.4  Players may not chew gum while on court.

            7.   MATCH POINTS

            7.1  Match points will be awarded as follows:

- 5 points for a win
- 3 points for a draw
- 2 points to the losing team if they lose by 5 goals or less
- 1 point to the losing team if they score over 50% of the goals scored by the winning team

7.2  The named club coordinator will be responsible for ensuring that her team fulfills all the fixtures at the correct times and for advising her players of their match times/dates. Failure to turn up for a match at the stated time will result in an automatic 15-0 defeat, deduction of 1 point. If a team fails to turn up 2 weeks in succession or three times in the season they will be withdrawn from the league.

            8.   TABLE OFFICIALS

      For each match there will be at least one timekeeper and one scorer.

9.   UMPIRES

9.1  Matches shall be umpired according to the WN rules. Each match will have at least 2 umpires umpiring the match.

9.2  An umpire’s decision is final.

9.3  The Umpiring and/or League Coordinators are responsible for assigning umpires to senior league matches, updating the umpires on the WhatsApp group and for adding umpires to the list during the season if appropriate. Every effort will be made to ensure there is at least one umpire from every league team.

10.  LIABILITY

10.1  Israel Netball and the host club accept no liability whatsoever in respect of personal loss or injury which players, officials or spectators may sustain.

10.2  Israel Netball will not be liable to any person, whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise for any direct or indirect loss or injury of any nature, howsoever caused and howsoever arising from the matters covered by these Regulations, provided that nothing in these Regulations excludes or restricts IN's liability for any personal loss or injury caused by IN's own negligence, the negligence of its employees, or for fraud.

10.3  All participants acknowledge that participating in the sport of netball involves a risk of personal injury and by taking part in the IN League, whether as a player, team member, team official, other official or spectator, each participant does so at their own risk.