Deep Dive into the Evolution of Netball: From Paper Waste Baskets to the 2032 Olympic Goal

Netball is considered one of the marquee sports of the Commonwealth Games, particularly the upcoming Glasgow 2026, known for its high speed and agility. Although it is a non-contact sport, its physical intensity is so high that famous British rapper Stormzy once suffered a torn tendon in his finger during his first time playing. However, the ambitions of netball leaders go far beyond the Commonwealth Games, with serious efforts to push for netball to be included in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games as a way to build a future for the next generation.

The roots of this sport trace back to the mid-1890s, originating with Martina Bergman Osterberg, a thought leader and owner of a physical education college in England. She got the idea after traveling to Chicago in 1893 and encountering basketball, which was invented by American gym instructor James Naismith in 1891. She adapted that sporting seed by having students use a small ball to throw into paper baskets placed on posts on the lawn of Dartford Physical Education College in the summer of 1895.