Loughborough Thursday

Adult FAQs

• How long does a season last?

  The length of a season is dependent on how many teams are in the league/division. For example, if there are 6 teams in the division you will play each team twice resulting in a 10-week season. If there are 8 teams this would be a 14-week season.

• Are matches played all year round?

  Yes, once a season ends, the new season will begin the following week. In leagues with more divisions there will be promotions/demotions between seasons. We break over Christmas, but otherwise matches are played year-round.

• How much does it cost to play?

  Match fees are £45 per team, paid in advance of the season starting through our online payment system.

  If you forfeit a match, you still pay your match fee. If you fail to inform us by 5pm on the day of the fixture that you are forfeiting, you will also be liable for your oppositions match fee as well.

• What happens if our opponent forfeits the match?

  If your opponent forfeits, you will win the match 10-0 by default. We endeavour to notify any affected teams as soon as we are aware of a forfeit both via email and Facebook.

  You will be offered a friendly or use of the pitch for training during the allocated match time. If you decide not to utilise either option, you will be refunded your match fee.

• What happens if we need to forfeit our game?

  Please notify us as early as possible if you can’t make a match. Unfortunately we run a tight schedule of matches so it is not possible to rearrange a fixture to another night/week. Therefore if you can’t make a game, the result is given to your opposition as a 10-0 victory.

  If you notify us before 5pm on the day of the fixture, then you will just have to pay your match fee as normal. We can then look at alternative arrangement for your opposition.

  If you notify us after 5pm, due to late notice you will also be liable for your opposition match fee.

• What if my teams does not have enough players?

  If you are short of players for any of your matches you can borrow players from other teams within the league. Please use your league Facebook group to communicate with other teams and players. We encourage teams to not use subs instead of their own players that are present on the night.

  If you need more regular players for your team please email info@play-netball.co.uk and we can allocate players from the waiting list.

• Do I need to bring or wear anything in particular?

  You only need to wear appropriate sportswear to play. We also recommend trainers with good grip.

• Can I wear jewellery/have long nails?

  We adhere to England Netball’s rules regarding jewellery. Only a plain wedding band or medical bracelet may be worn during play, and both must be taped. All other jewellery, including fitness trackers and ear piercings, must be removed before taking the court. Nails must be kept short and smooth. Umpires reserve the right to prevent a player from taking the court if these rules are not followed.

• Do I need to be affiliated to England Netball?

  No, we are not affiliated with England Netball, so you do not need to be affiliated with them to participate in our league.

• I haven’t played since school and don’t remember the rules. Can I still join?

  Definitely! Our leagues welcome players of all skill levels. Our approachable umpires are ready to help you brush up on the rules, and many of our league members have been in the same spot. You’ll get back into the swing of things quickly!

• If I sign up as an individual will I be put into a team with players of a similar age to me?

  We do not ask players their age when they sign up so we cannot guarantee that team mates will be of a similar age. Our only requirement is that players must be are over 18. If you end up joining a team and feel out of place because of a difference in age please do let us know so that we can look at placing you in a different team.

• Do you run training sessions?

  Yes! Find out if your closest league is running training sessions by looking at the specific league page on our website.

• What happens if it rains?

  For our outdoor leagues, we monitor the forecast daily and stay in regular contact with our league coordinators to assess conditions. If matches need to be cancelled due to weather, we’ll make that decision no later than 2 hours before the session is due to start.

   

  For more information, please refer to our Play Netball Extreme Weather Policy PDF, where you’ll find everything you need to know about how we make weather-related decisions.

• Am I able to pay weekly and in cash?

  Play Netball operates a cashless service. All payments are made via our online system. It is not possible to pay weekly, we require payment in advance of the season starting. Our online payment system does allow each player to pay their share of the team season fee.

• My match was cancelled part way through, what happens to the score?

  If a match is not finished the score is dependent on how much of the game was played. If at least half the match is played the score stands as it is when play stopped. If play is stopped before half-time then we will try to rearrange the match for later in the season. If this is not possible for whatever reason, we will contact both teams to find a different solution.

• What if the courts are not great to play on?

  We hire all our venues so have limited control over the condition of the courts, posts etc. If you have any concerns over the condition of the venue, please notify us so that we can talk to the venue to get things resolved.

• How are points awarded for matches?

  6 points for a win
  4 points for a draw
  1 point for a loss
  1 bonus point for losing but getting at least half your opponent’s score.

• I am pregnant, can I still play?

  No, we strongly encourage women not to play netball whilst they are pregnant. Players who are pregnant can stay registered with their team and return to play after their pregnancy. For more information about our policy on playing whilst pregnant click here.

• Do I need to sign up each season?

  Don’t worry, you will automatically be registered into the next season unless you choose to opt-out by giving the notice as per our terms and conditions.

• What if I want to exit the league?

  You can leave the league at the end of a season by giving at least 1 week’ notice prior to the end of the season, this means by midnight the day of your second to last fixture.

• Do matches go ahead during a heatwave?

  Play Netball matches will continue in hot weather and will only be cancelled if temperatures exceed 38°C.

   

  For more information about our policies on playing in extreme weather click here.