How to Shoot in Netball

Only the Goal Shooter and Goal Attack can score, and only from inside the attacking goal circle — see who can shoot in netball?. Within that circle, the technique is the same for both positions, and very similar wherever netball is played. World Netball's coaching material sums it up as balance, rhythm and feel: an automatic, well-sequenced action that looks the same on every shot.

The shot for goal, step by step

1. Get balanced and line up with the post. Before you shoot, your feet, hips, body, shoulders and elbows should all be square to the post. That gives the ball the best chance of travelling in a straight line to the ring.
2. Set your feet. Stand with your feet parallel and about shoulder-width apart, in a stance that feels comfortable. Don't step forward as you shoot — the defender has to stay 0.9m from your landing foot, so stepping towards them gives that space away (see obstruction).
3. Find your grip. The ball sits on the fingertips and thumb of your shooting hand, with the fingers spread evenly. A simple way to find the spot: toss the ball up a few times with one hand and notice where it settles in your fingers as you catch it. Too high on the fingertips and you lose control; flat on the palm and you lose the feel, so you end up throwing the ball rather than guiding it.
4. Lift the ball above your head. It rests on the shooting hand. The other hand sits gently against the side of the ball to keep it balanced — it steadies the ball, it doesn't push it.
5. Pick your aim point. Look at the same point every time you shoot. World Netball's coaching material gives three options: the front of the ring, above the middle of the ring, or the back of the ring. None is "correct" — find the one that suits you and stick with it.
6. Bend your knees and elbows together. Shooting is about rhythm, so the knees and elbows bend at the same time. The power comes from the legs, not the arm — the movement travels up from the floor, through the body, to the fingertips.
7. Release and follow through. Straighten in sequence and don't let go until your arm reaches full extension. The index and middle fingers direct the ball to the post, with the wrist and fingers flicking it away with a gentle backspin. Let your fingers follow the ball's arc towards the ring.

The whole sequence should be one smooth movement. Jerky actions tend to push the ball off its line to the post.

Why a high, soft arc helps

The ring has an internal diameter of 380mm, and a size 5 ball is about 22cm across, so there's only around 15cm to spare. A flat shot meets the ring at a shallow angle, so it has to be almost perfect to drop through. A higher arc brings the ball down into the ring from above, which leaves more room for a shot that's slightly off line. If shots keep clipping the front of the ring, try a higher arc.

Close shots and long shots

From close to the post or out at the edge of the circle, the top half of the shot shouldn't change: same grip, same ball position, same release. What changes is the legs — more knee bend gives more power for a longer shot. If you find yourself pushing harder with the arm as you move further out, the action has started to change, and accuracy usually suffers.

Reading the spin

The spin on the ball is a quick, honest check of your release:

• Gentle backspin — the index and middle fingers are guiding the ball, which is what you want.
• Sideways rotation — the ring and little fingers are too strong, which can make the ball spin out of the ring.

A coach or training partner standing side on can see this immediately. It's one of the easiest technique faults to diagnose without any equipment.

Common faults and fixes

Shooting under pressure

In a match, the defender can stand 0.9m from your landing foot and lean or jump to pressure the release — see how to defend a shooter for what they're trying to do. You also have only three seconds to shoot once you hold the ball (see held ball). Both are reasons to have a settled routine you can run quickly and identically every time, rather than a slower one that falls apart when rushed.

Two rules worth knowing:

• From a penalty pass in the goal circle, a Goal Shooter or Goal Attack may pass or shoot.
• From a free pass, no one may shoot — not even a shooter standing in the circle.

How to practise

World Netball's coaching card is blunt about it: accurate shooters put in many extra hours beyond normal team training, and should aim to practise every day. Practice should also cover the situations shooters face in matches, not just stationary shots from a favourite spot:

• close, mid-range and long shots;
• shots from your favourite position — and your least favourite;
• shots after a step back, a step to the side or a step in;
• jump shots and penalty shots;
• shots after a split-leg landing, after a rebound, after moving, and when falling out of court;
• shooting when tired.

See how to improve shooting accuracy for two practice layouts and how to track your progress, the shooting ladder drill, and how to rebound for what happens after a miss.

Coaching juniors

The technique is the same for young players, though many junior formats use a smaller ball and a lower post — see how do junior netball formats differ?. Keep feedback short: World Netball's coaching manual warns against "paralysis by analysis" and suggests cue words such as "lift" or "fingers" instead of long explanations. One cue at a time, given straight after the shot, is plenty.

Sources

All information on this page is given to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing (October 2026), after referring to the official sources below.

• World Netball: Foundation Coaching Manual — the "Shooting" section, for stance, grip, aim points, rhythm, release and practice; and the "Feedback" section, for cue words.
• World Netball: Foundation Coaching Card 7 — Shooting — technique summary and the practice progressions.
• World Netball: Rules of Netball — for the 0.9m distance, the three-second limit and shooting from penalty and free passes, as explained on our linked rules pages.