What is yoga and what yoga styles do we offer?

If you look up yoga in the dictionary you’ll read that is “a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures.”

But what the dictionary definition doesn’t tell you is that it’s a fitness discipline does wonders for the body and mind. It helps to build and maintain strong bones and muscles and assists with posture, bloody circulation, agility and mobility. It’s a fitness discipline that helps the body feel purified and detoxified, while many yogis also feel that it’s a great stress reliever.

Go Mammoth’s classes our open to all levels – our instructors modify the movements and poses as your technique improves and you become stronger and more flexible. We offer classes in two distinct styles of yoga: Hatha and Vinyasa Flow:

Go Mammoth - Yoga

Hatha Yoga

Hatha, or Haṭhavidyā, means “willful” or “forceful” and in its basic sense, refers to the practice of performing yoga poses. Although you’ll still be physically exerting your body when performing Hatha postures, it’s often regarded as the most gentle form of yoga, due to the lack of movement, or flow, between poses.

We’d definitely recommend this class to yoga beginners or people who feel they are slightly unfit. Our helpful instructors will slowly guide you through the postures – after couple of months of classes, you’ll definitely feel more flexible, healthier and stronger!

Go Mammoth Yoga

Vinyasa Flow Yoga

With ‘Vinyasa Flow’ yoga, poses smoothly flow from one to another at different speeds. Movements are synchronised to your breath, so your instructor will spend time working with you on aligning the synchronicity of your breath to your movements. Along with exerting your body physically, you’ll find the dance-like movements of Vinyasa Flow will also give you an enjoyable cardio workout.

If your job involves being seated for eight hours a day, we’d definitely recommend this class as it will assist your body with blood circulation and flexibility.

What to expect at your first Go Mammoth yoga class

Ready to sign up to a Go Mammoth yoga class in London. Select a location below: 

Join a yoga class in Aldgate
Join a yoga class in Angel
Join a yoga class in Balham
Join a yoga class in Clapham
Join a yoga class in Clapham South
Join a yoga class in Kings Cross
Join a yoga class in Putney
Join a yoga class in Victoria

Looking to buy a yoga mat? Check out our top five yoga mats for beginners

 

15 Health Benefits of Yoga

Physical and mental health benefits of yoga:

  1. Yoga can help you maintain a healthy weight.

As with all exercise, the more you put in, the more you will get out.

  1. Regular yoga sessions will help you feel more energetic on a day-to-day basis.
  1. Ease back pain.

Many yogis believe that yoga can help ease the pain in your lower back.

Go Mammoth Yoga

  1. Get your blood flowing!

Blood circulation is essential for keeping your body in tip-top shape – improved circulation will also help you feel warmer in winter.

  1. Yoga will delight your digestive system

Your digestive system will thank you as performing yoga poses can help stimulate bowel movements.  That’s a relief right!?

  1. Go Mammoth says relax…

Lead a busy and stressful life? Go Mammoth yoga classes take place in a calming, relaxed environment – your stress levels will definitely be reduced after an hour a week practicing it.

  1. Feel good in body and in mind

Similarly regular yoga sessions will do wonders as a general mood lifter

  1. Struggle with your sleep?

After a few weeks of practicing yoga you will definitely be adept at catching more z’s!

  1. Your focus will improve

Struggling to concentrate on the most straightforward of tasks? Practicing yoga will focus your mind on dealing with the task at hand, especially when you’re trying to perform a complex pose!

  1. Define muscle tone

As your yoga ability improves, so too will your muscle tone. You’ll definitely notice the difference after a couple of months.

Go Mammoth Yoga

Yoga is great if you regularly work out or play another sport:

  1. Yoga is your flexible friend!

You will become more flexible practicing yoga. Fact!

  1. Reduce the chance of spors-related injuries

If you’re injury-prone, practicing yoga will gradually loosen the tightness in your muscles

  1. Improve balance and composure

If you play fast-paced physical sports, practicing yoga will help you stay on your feet, as it’s great for developing balance and composure.

  1. Make your core more competitive

If you play mainstream sports like football, netball, rugby or tennis, you’ll be relying on your core strength. Yoga classes are perfect for developing core strength – just ask the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team as many of that World Cup winning side regularly practice it. So if it’s good enough for the All Blacks, why not give it a go?

  1. Yoga dials up your dexterity

More complex poses yoga poses will help with your dexterity, which could make all that difference when you have to make that all-important catch, tackle or shot

Read more about the different yoga classes we offer at Go Mammoth

Ready to join a class?

Join a yoga class in Aldgate
Join a yoga class in Angel
Join a yoga class in Balham
Join a yoga class in Clapham
Join a yoga class in Clapham South
Join a yoga class in Kings Cross
Join a yoga class in Putney
Join a yoga class in Victoria

5 best yoga mats for beginners

Thing is, there’s a lot more than support and grip to consider before buying your first yoga mat: shape, size, thickness, thread count, cushioning and colour are just some of the factors that will influence your eventual decision. But as we want to take the pain out of your purchase, we thought we’d ask our expert Go Mammoth Yoga class team to share their best yoga mats for beginners:

Manuka Beginners Yoga Mat

Manuka Life Beginner’s Yoga Mat 

This affordable starter mat does two essential things to assist beginners; its slip-resistant composition ensures stability, while its spongy texture assists with comfort.

Although you may not get years of use from this mat – depending on how frequently you use it, its relative affordability makes it an attractive starter product. Plus, the Manuka Life Beginner’s understated floral motif gives the overall product a touch of elegance that belies its affordable price point.

Oh, and like the other mats this list, the Manuka Life Beginner is composed from environmentally-friendly materials, so when you do move onto your second mat, you can rest assured it won’t sit festering in a landfill somewhere for years to come.

Buy the Manuka Life Beginner’s Yoga Mat

Yoga Matters Classic Mat

Yoga Matters “Classic Mat”

Yet another affordable beginners mat with excellent grip to help with composure and at around 5mm thick, the Classic Mat helps with comfort when performing any poses on your knees or back.

Lightweight portability is also a plus for this pleasant purple product, as is its length if you’re a yogi that stands between the 5”10 and 6” mark. It is, however, a little narrow compared to others on this list, which may become an issue when performing certain poses.

There’s nothing more to be said about this one really – it’s a fairly simple product –  but if we had to describe the Yoga Matters “Classic Mat” in six words we would go with: lovely looks, great grip, pleasantly purple.

Buy the Yoga Matters “Classic Mat”

Prana Eco Yoga Mat

PRANA – Eco Yoga Mat

Yep this one does escalate in price a little compared to the predecessors on this list, but its two-sided textured surface ensures this mat is as gripped to the floor, as it is to your body. It has an almost luxurious feel to it too, making the PRANA Eco a product that feels as premium as it looks.

We’re about to get technical for a moment so bear with us; PRANA claim that its mat’s “closed cell construction” prevents germs from absorbing in the mat. As we’re not scientists we can’t verify that claim, but what we can tell you is that this product doesn’t pong after repeated use, which is a plus right?

The downside to the Eco yoga mat? Well, although our yoga team hasn’t had any issues with it, this product may be suited for more gentler styles of yoga such as Hatha, as there are a couple of reviews across the web mentioning its durability may struggle against the rigour of regularly repeated Vinyasa Flow or Ashtanga yoga sessions.

For beginners just embarking on their yoga journey, we’d happily give this mat two thumbs up.

Buy the PRANA – Eco Yoga Mat

Jade Harmony mat

Jade – Yoga Harmony Mat

Take a little look for yoga-related pics on Instagram and there’s a good chance you’ll see an influential “celebrity” yogi using one of these – Jada Yoga mat has skyrocketed to rockstar status over the past six months, but you know what, this is a mat whose style has the substance to back it up.

Its grip? Great! The Harmony mat has to be utterly drenched in sweat before it gives up its grip – you’ll feel like Spider-Man when planted to this mat.

Its looks? Lovely! The Harmony mat comes in a wide range of attractive tones that really stand-out (our personal favourite is the almost hypnotic Sedona Red above.)

Its comfort levels? Comfy…so very comfy. There is a lot of bounce in this mat, which in the long term, will ward off sore joints.

Its downsides? Divisive depending on how portable you need this one to be, because at 4.5cm this is quite a thick mat, which means it’s not as portable as some of the others on this list. As long as you’re not planning to trek to your classes on public transport with this, this won’t prove to be a problem.

Buy the Jade – Yoga Harmony Mat

Manduka Prolite Mat

Manduka Prolite Mat

Last, but definitely not least on our mammoth list of mats is this great little mat from another big brand in yoga.

Now if you’re planning to travel with your yoga mat to either a far flung exotic retreat or on the tube to your local Go Mammoth class, this will be your perfect travel partner. It’s lightweight and portable, but crucially, it’s not flimsy, which means that if you’re practicing yoga in a location outdoors, you can rest assured you won’t have to weigh down your mat with stones or similar objects to keep it in place.

This is yet another mat with a “closed cell surface” which will ward away germs, but after repeated use, we did noticed it started to smell a bit. That reminds us…just a word of caution, when it comes to washing the Prolite mat (and the other mats on this list come to mention it!), do so by hand before hanging it to dry; the danger with washing it in a machine is that it could  its strong synthetic grip more quickly. Plus, sticking it in the washing machine also voids this mat’s lifetime guarantee from Manduka, so don’t do it.

The Prolite is a product that lives up to its name; excellent performance meets perfect portability. Yes, it’s a little bit more expensive than some of the other mats on this list, but you’ve always got the lifetime guarantee to fall back on…well as long as you don’t put it in the washing machine!

Buy the Manduka Prolite Mat

Ready to join a Go Mammoth yoga class?

Join a yoga class in Aldgate
Join a yoga class in Angel
Join a yoga class in Balham
Join a yoga class in Clapham
Join a yoga class in Clapham South
Join a yoga class in Kings Cross
Join a yoga class in Putney
Join a yoga class in Victoria

5 Things to Expect At Your First Yoga Class

A few things before starting in one of our Yoga London classes…

  1. We provide a yoga mat…

If you don’t have a yoga mat ahead of your first class, don’t worry, we’ve got that covered. However, you may want to invest in a beginner’s mat for your course beyond as it’s an essential accessory for anyone practicing yoga. If you’re unsure about which one to buy, check out our top 5 yoga mats for beginners.

  1. Do I need to bring anything else with me?

Wear clothes you’re comfortable in exercise in – you’ll be practicing poses and stretching for the best part of your hour class. Ensure they are loose fitting but not too baggy – certain yoga poses can be quite revealing!

Go Mammoth Yoga

  1.  No trainers required

We carry out our classes in barefoot. If you practice yoga wearing socks, you won’t achieve the same connection to the mat. Plus your instructor won’t be able to accurately see the positioning of your feet during poses if you’re wearing socks or trainers.

  1. Don’t worry about your lack of flexibility!

A common misconception about yoga is that everyone who practices it is super flexible – this couldn’t be further from the truth. Not all yogis are super supple; you’ll see many of them bending their knees to touch their toes during warm-ups. Your instructor will help you become more flexible and will guide you through a series of gentle warm-up stretches at the start of each class to help you prepare for poses. After a few weeks, we guarantee you’ll be more flexible than when you started.

  1. Try to arrive to your first class a little early

We’d advise arriving at least 10-15 minutes before your first class so you can meet your instructor. Before the class, it’s a good idea to tell the instructor about any recent or existing injuries you may have, as they will be able to advise as to whether you should modify or sit out certain poses.

Signed up for a Go Mammoth yoga class? Check out our top 5 yoga mats for beginners

Want to sign up for a yoga class with us? Select your region below:

Join a yoga class in Aldgate
Join a yoga class in Angel
Join a yoga class in Balham
Join a yoga class in Clapham
Join a yoga class in Clapham South
Join a yoga class in Kings Cross
Join a yoga class in Putney
Join a yoga class in Victoria

Go Mammoth’s Best 10 Dodgeball Team Names Ever

Once you come up with the perfect name, magic begins to happen: the banter between your members will increase, someone will volunteer to get bespoke team t-shirts designed and your communication between your whole team on court will skyrocket.

See we told you, it’s a massively important decision right? Well, to get your creative juices flowing, here are our top ten favourite Go Mammoth dodgeball team names of all time:

1) The Artful Dodgers

Quite a few teams in the past have called themselves The Artful Dodgers, either after the character from Oliver Twist or the 90’s 2-step garage band. If you’re thinking of naming your team ‘The Artful Dodgers, don’t bother, just ‘re-rewind, as you’re ‘movin’ too fast’.

2) Salad Dodgers

As Homer Simpson once said, ‘you don’t win friends with salad’ – this team lived and breathed by this motto. They were great at dodging salad, but even better at dodging balls.

3) Motherduckers

Yep, you can see what this team did here! Thing is, be careful about deliberately ducking if a ball is thrown at you. If you duck below shoulder height and the ball hits your head, you my friend could be eliminated!

4) Resevoir Dodge

These guys proudly wear the classic silhouette poster art from the classic Tarantino movie Resevoir Dogs on their team t-shirts. Always remember the 5 D’s if you come up against this legendary Go Mammoth dodgeball team:  dodge, dip, duck, dive and dodge!

5) Rocky Mountain Oysters

At first it’s quite difficult to spot the connection between this team name and dodgeball, but let us explain; Rocky Mountain Oysters aren’t a delicacy from the sea – in fact, they are seasoned, deep-fried bison and pig “balls” (geddit?), which can be enjoyed in restaurants within American mid-west. Nuts right?

6) Not In The Face

We can understand why team doesn’t want to take one in the mush: it hurts and is against the rules of dodgeball. This team will always remind their opposition – by their name alone – that no-one wants to take a ball to the face.

7) No Hit Sherlock!

Take a popular phrase, remove one of its letters to make it inoffensive and you are left with one incredible dodgeball name. There’s only one thing that could make this team name better – we wish we had a dodgeball referee called Sherlock…

8) Guns N’ Throwses

Bet you’ve always wondered what would happen if you fused an 80’s hard rock band with a dodgeball-based pub. Well now you know. You get the awesome dodgeball team name Guns N’ Throwses.

9) Jammy Dodgers

Biscuit-based brilliance!

10) Game of Throws

A team name that both succinctly explains the game of dodgeball and is also pun on one of the biggest TV shows of all time. Genius.

Got your team name sorted? Ready to start dodging some balls? Yeah you are! Select your league below:

Play Dodgeball in Angel | Play Dodgeball In Barbican
Play Dodgeball in Clapham Common |
Play Dodgeball in Clapham High Street |
Play Dodgeball in Kings Cross |
Play Dodgeball in London Bridge |
Play Dodgeball in London Bridge: Marlborough Sports Garden |
Play Dodgeball In Marleybone | Play Dodgeball In Putney |

Go Mammoth’s Dodgeball Rules Guide

TEAM SIZE

In a standard dodgeball game, each team will line up on court with eight players a side. There must be no more than 16 players in total on the court at any one time. In a mixed dodgeball game, there must be a minimum of three women a side.

Teams can only make substitutions after a game has been completed. All substitutes must remain in a designated, out of bounds area.

If a team is short on players, they are permitted to play a mixed dodgeball game with 7-a-side (minimum of 2 women on each team), 6-a-side (minimum of 2 women on each team) or a minimum of 5-a-side (minimum of 1 woman on each team).

AIM OF GAME

At the start of the game, there will be six balls, three per team, placed at the middle of the court. The object is to eliminate all of the other team’s players to win the round.

GAME, SET AND MATCH STRUCTURE

The object of each game is to eliminate all of the other team’s players, Details about how players can be eliminated below. Once all opposing players are eliminated the game is won.

Each game last three minutes. If teams have an equal number of players at the end of the three minute round, the game will enter sudden death with the players that remain, and whichever team scores the next hit will win. If no players are eliminated during the sudden-death period, the team with the most players remaining will win the game.

Each match consists of three sets. Each set is decided in a series of “best of 5” series of games.

The team that wins 2 out of 3 sets wins the match.

Go Mammoth Dodgeball

BEGINNING OF THE GAME AND PLAY FORMAT

The game will begin with the referee placing six balls along the centre line of the court.

Teams will line up along the back wall and on the whistle rush into the middle to collect any ball they can (without crossing the centre line). Players must bring the ball back to behind the attack line before they can throw any balls.

Players must not cross the centre of the court for any reason including attacking or retrieving balls. Crossing the centre line results in immediate elimination.

The referee will keep track of the time and update teams as time is expiring. If both teams have the same number of players remaining at the end of the regulation, an additional one minute of sudden death overtime will be instituted. The first team to make any elimination during this period will win the game.

REFEREES

Each week there will be a referee on hand to get the games started and to referee the games. The referee will also rely on people using the honour system when they have been eliminated because with so many balls flying around it is difficult to see everything.

The referee’s decision is final; any player that argues with the referee or shows poor sportsmanship may be removed from the match, and in exceptional circumstances, removed from the league.

FORFEITS

A team needs a minimum of 5 regular players in order to avoid a forfeit.  If you know in advance that your team is going to forfeit a game, we encourage you to call our office so as to help us schedule your opponent a game.

Teams with fewer than the legal number of players may still play a “legal” game but only with the opposing team’s consent.

All teams consenting to play a legal game with less than the allowed minimum waive their right to a forfeit win. A team with 4 players or less can be forced to forfeit at the choice of their opposition. A team with 5 players is permitted to pick up additional players during group stages of the season in order to avoid a forfeit and play a competitive game.

Any questions regarding policies, rules, or eligibility must be addressed before the start of the match.

ELIMINATION OF PLAYERS

When a player is eliminated they must stand in the out-of-bands designated area, in the order that they were eliminated. They may throw out of bounds balls back to their teammates, but not at the opposing team. They must not re-enter the court for any reason, including attempting to interfere with balls on the court.

You are eliminated when…

  • A ball hits you on any part of the body or clothing before it has touched the ground, wall, ceiling or another ball.
  • An opposing player catches a ball you have thrown. When this occurs, the opposing team can also bring in one of their eliminated players back to the game.
  • You go to block a ball with a ball you are holding and drop your ball.
  • You fumble a catch.
  • You deliberately step over the centre line.
  • You hit someone in the head with the ball, unless their head is below shoulder height.
  • You kick or attempt to kick a ball towards the opposing team.
  • You consistently hold the ball for longer than 10 seconds.
  • You consistently throw or dodge from an out-of-bounds position.
  • One or more of your eliminated teammates consistently re-enter the court to interfere with the balls.
  • You show unsportsmanlike behaviour towards the opposing team or the referee. The referee’s decision is final. Once the decision has been made, it cannot be rescinded.

The ball is dead as soon as it hits the floor, walls, ceiling, another ball, or the referee. If a ball deflects off a player and hits a second player the ball immediately becomes dead and the first player hit is out. It doesn’t matter if the second player catches the ball – the first player will still be eliminated.

Teams are not allowed to stall with the ball. All balls need to be thrown within 10 seconds. If a team consistently ignores this rule, the player that is stalling will be removed.

If a player catches a ball, one eliminated team-mate can re-enter the game. Players must follow a “first off, first on” logic. This means that the first player to be eliminated should be the first player to re-enter the game if a ball is caught. Players that consistently ignore this rule will be eliminated.

If a player crosses the centre line whilst throwing, or throws or catches a ball from an out-of-bounds position, no player on the other team can be eliminated as a result. However, an out-of-bounds player can still be eliminated by a catch or by getting hit by an opposing player.

If a player is hit in the head, and their head is below shoulder height (e.g. they are attempting to duck or dodge away from the ball), they are eliminated. If a player is hit in the head, and their head is not below shoulder height, the player that threw the ball is deemed to have thrown it unacceptably high, and is eliminated. If a player intentionally moves their head towards the ball, they are eliminated. The referee’s decision is final.

Go Mammoth Dodgeball

PLAYOFFS

Playoffs (including finals) will begin immediately following the end of the regular season and will typically last between 1-2 weeks. Teams will be seeded according to their records. It is the responsibility of all players to check the playoff brackets at the venue or online at gomammoth.co.uk to find when they are playing. In playoffs it is not uncommon (and in some cases will be necessary) for teams to have more than one match in a given night.

10 reasons to play dodgeball with Go Mammoth!

  1. Meet new people and have a good time!

    Playing in one of our mixed dodgeball leagues is a great way to meet new people in London and have fun doing so at the same time.

  2.  No experience necessary!

    Beginners are always welcome. We don’t expect you to have played before, just have a read up on our Dodgeball rules and our venue reps and referees will help you with the rest.

  3. We run the biggest and the best leagues in London

    Whether you’re looking to test yourself against London’s champion dodgeballers or just looking to have some fun and meet some like-minded people, Go Mammoth has a league that’s perfect for you.

  4. Conveniently accessed courts across London

    Our dodgeball venues across all four corners of the capital are easily-accessible – you won’t have to travel far to get to your dodgeball game. Check out our dodgeball list below:

    Play Dodgeball in Angel | Play Dodgeball In Barbican
    Play Dodgeball in Clapham Common |
    Play Dodgeball in Clapham High Street |
    Play Dodgeball in Kings Cross |
    Play Dodgeball in London Bridge |
    Play Dodgeball in London Bridge: Marlborough Sports Garden |
    Play Dodgeball In Marleybone | Play Dodgeball In Putney

  5. Keep fit and have fun doing it too

    Playing dodgeball in a Go Mammoth league after work is an enjoyable way to break up your repetitive weekly cardio sessions at the gym.

  6. No equipment needed

    We provide the balls! Just turn up, warm-up and be prepared to dodge them!

  7. Don’t have a team? Don’t worry! All individuals are welcome.

    Simply sign up as an individual to the venue and night of your choice and we’ll find you a team!

  8. Fancy dress nights!

    To add to the light-hearted nature of our dodgeball leagues, we encourage all league teams to come to the middle game of the season wearing fancy dress.

  9. Prizes up for grabs

    If your team wins one of the league, you’ll win an awesome prize! Another reason to challenge for that top spot.

  10.  Our dodgeball leagues take socials to a new level!

    Our teams play hard on the court and when they hit our Go Mammoth partner bar after each game, they play even harder. Our sponsor bars all offer special deals on certain drinks, which is perfect when you want to celebrate that win or discuss the highlights from the match with your team.

Go Mammoth Netball Wall of Fame

Below are photos netball league winners from August 2016. If we aren’t proudly displaying and your team has won a netball league this month drop us a comment on our Facebook page.

Clapham League – Bikini Bodies

clapham-bikinibodies

Battersea Park – Battersea Babes

Battersea Babes

Clapham League – Quality Feet

Clapham - Quality Feet

Victoria – Big Ballzer

Go Mammoth Netball

Ready to play netball or sign up with another season with Go Mammoth?

Play Netball In London
North EastPlay Netball In Leeds | Play Netball In Sheffield
North WestNetball In Liverpool | Netball In Manchester
ScotlandNetball In Edinburgh | Netball In Glasgow
SouthPlay Netball In Oxford | Play Netball In Portsmouth | Play Netball In Reading | Play Netball In Southampton
South EastPlay Netball In Brighton
South WestPlay Netball In Bath | Play Netball In Bristol
WalesPlay Netball In Cardiff

Netball Rules Guide

Contents

GO MAMMOTH NETBALL LEAGUE POLICIES

1) UMPIRES

The umpire has complete control of the game and their decision is final. When rules of the game are broken the penalties awarded by the umpire are free pass, penalty pass (or penalty pass or shot), throw in, toss up.

2) JEWELLERY & NAILS

Any jewellery must be removed before stepping on court and nails must be filed / cut short to ensure safety for all players. Any player who refuses to file/cut their nails or to remove items of jewellery will not be allowed to play in the game. Only specific Netball gloves are allowed for medical reasons.

Go Mammoth Netball

3) STANDINGS & PLAYOFFS

Each week the updated standings will be updated to reflect the latest set of results.
All eligible teams make the playoffs (teams that have not abused any policies are eligible) in their 8th week. In certain situations teams at or near the bottom of the standings may not advance to the playoffs. Check with GO MAMMOTH league coordinator to see if this applies to your league.

Playoffs are single elimination.

Ringers may not be used in play offs/finals unless expressly allowed by the opposing captain.

In the event that the match is drawn in a play-off or final the game will be decided by next score wins. Which team starts with the centre pass will be decided by a coin flip. The game will continue until a goal is scored.

4) SEEDING

Teams are seeded according to winning percentage and strength of schedule.

Teams may be dropped from their regular season level based on the above criteria.

Teams may be moved to a higher division during the playoffs only if permission is granted.

Skill levels may be divided into separate divisions based upon size of level.

Speed scoring rules still apply during the playoffs.

In cases where several cancellations have occurred during the season, teams may be required to play on a different night of the week. (Example: Thursday semi-finals may be played on Thursday and finals held on Friday.)

5) FORFEITS

If a team does not have a full squad (minimum number of original players required according to the rules, (5) at the designated start time a goal a minute will be given against them. At ten minutes after the start time the match is forfeited (per staff and opposing team’s captain request). In this situation we will always try and get some sort of game going for the remainder of the time.

Any questions regarding policies, rules, or eligibility must be addressed before the start of the match.

Inline_Netball_Centre

6) PUNCTUALITY

Games must start exactly at the designated start time. Teams that arrive late will be penalised by a goal a minute against them until they have the required amount of players to legally play. Lateness will also result in shorter netball games for both teams.

7) SPORTSMANSHIP

The idea of Go Mammoth is to have fun. We hope that all participants keep that in mind when becoming involved. Although the games may become intense, you still can be competitive while maintaining good sportsmanship. With this said, any behavior deemed unacceptable by staff may result in suspension and/or ejection from a game or the league.

8) STAFF

To coordinate and run the league, our refs and/or staff will be available at all times to help the league run as smoothly as possible. If you have questions regarding schedules, policies, rule interpretations, directions to the bar, etc. please ask.

9) MIXED NETBALL

Only three men are allowed on court at any one time. When on court playing the three men have to be in separate thirds of the court, position wise. This means that one man plays in the shooting or attacking positions of either Goal Attack (GA) or Goal Shooter (GS). One man plays in the mid-court positions of either Centre (C), Wing Attack (WA) or Wing Defence (WD) and one man in the defending positions of either Goal Defence (GD) or Goal Keeper (GK).

10) RESPECT

Go Mammoth have a responsibility to promote fun and high standards of behaviour in the game and this relies on players also. Play your part, have fun, enjoy yourselves and observe the GO Mammoth social code of conduct for players at all times.

Go Mammoth Netball

As an awesome GO Mammoth member, on and off the court, I will:

* Always listen to/respect the umpires decision
* Adhere to the rules of the game
* Promote fair play and behave within the spirit of the rules of the game.
* Never bully or engage in offensive, insulting or abusive language, public criticism or poor behaviour towards anyone, player or        umpire
* Speak to team-mates, the opposition and the umpires with respect
* Ask my team captain (if necessary) to speak with the umpire/s in the breaks if I have a problem relating to the game, not on            court
* Remember we all make mistakes
* Have a great game of social and fun netball

NETBALL RULES UPDATE – SEPTEMBER 2016

England Netball – the sport’s national governing body, brought a series of new rules into effect in September 2016 to make the game faster and more exciting. Here are the main changes.

1) TAKING A THROW IN

The player taking the throw in must have at least one foot within 15cm (6 inches) of the line. Previously the player must have placed one or both feet immediately behind the line.

2) DEFENDING A SHOT AT GOAL

A defender may not deflect a shot at goal on its downward path towards the ring (this includes touching the ball up through the net. This is a new rule addition as previously this wasn’t specifically covered.

3) CENTRE PASS

The Centre must have at least one foot wholly within the centre circle before the pass is taken. This rule has been relaxed slightly as previously the Centre would have been penalised if any part of their foot was on the ground outside of the centre circle as the pass was being played.

4) PENALTY PASS

Once a player taking a penalty pass is in the correct position, the player may choose to either play the ball immediately or wait for the infringer to stand out of play.

Previously the player taking a penalty pass had to wait until the infringer was standing out of play. A player who did not wait until the penalty was “set” was penalised.

5) SHORT PASS

When a player passes the ball there must be sufficient space for an opposing player on the court to be able to intercept the ball as it moves from the hands of the thrower to the hands of the receiver.

6) DELAYING PLAY

Delaying play (either accidentally or deliberately) is considered foul play – in some cases it could affect the outcome of the match. A penalty pass is awarded and the sanction is advanced.

7) CONTACT/CONTEST

Players may come into physical contact with each other as long as they’re striving to claim the ball. If they do not interfere with each other’s play or use their bodies to gain an unfair advantage over their opponent, it’s deemed a fair contest and play continues.

8) GOAL SCORED/BALL OUT OF COURT

The umpire will now signal that a goal has been scored by raising one arm vertically. The umpire will no longer blow their whistle when a goal has been scored or the ball has gone out of court.

MAIN NETBALL RULES

1) PLAYING TIME

A game consists of 4 x 8 minute quarters with a longer interval at half time for team talks and water breaks.
A netball team consists of up to 12 players with 7 players allowed on court at any one time. A team may take the court with a minimum of 5 players.
Netball Court showing starting positions for a centre pass

2) POSITIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES

Netball Court Positions

Red team position: Goal Shooter (GS) Court Area: 1 & 2
Responsibility: To score goals and to work in and around the circle with your Goal Attack

Red team position: Goal Attack (GA) Court Area: 1,2 & 3
Responsibility: To feed and work with your Goal Shooter and to score goals.

Red team position: Wing Attack (WA) Court Area: 2 & 3
Responsibility: To feed your circle players giving them shooting opportunities.

Red team position: Centre (C) Court Area: 2, 3 & 4
Responsibility: To take the Centre Pass and to be the link between your defence and the attack.

Red team position: Wing Defence (W) Court Area: 3 & 4
Responsibility: To look for interceptions and to prevent the opposing Wing Attack from feeding players in your goal circle.

Red team position: Goal Defence (GD) Court Area: 3, 4 & 5
Responsibility: To win the ball and reduce the effectiveness of the opposing Goal Attack

Red team position: Goal Keeper (GK) Court Area: 4 & 5
To work with your Goal Defence and to prevent the opposing Goal Shooter from scoring goals

3) CENTRE PASS

Before the whistle all players must start in the goal thirds except the two Centres.

The Centre with the ball must be wholly within the Centre Circle and must obey the footwork rule after the whistle has been blown.

The Centre must have at least one foot wholly within the centre circle before the pass is taken.

The opposing Centre stands anywhere within the Centre third and is free to move.

After the whistle the Centre pass must be caught or touched by a player standing in or landing wholly within the Centre third.

4) SCORING A GOAL

Only a Goal Shooter or Goal Attack can score – from any point within the goal circle (including the lines bounding the goal circle) when the ball is received in order to shoot for goal. A goal is scored when the ball passes over and completely through the goal ring.

If a defending player deflects a shot for goal and the ball then passes above and completely through the goal ring, a goal is scored.

If the whistle to end play or to hold time is blown before the ball has passed completely through the ring no goal is scored.

If a player other than Goal Shooter or Goal Attack throws or bats the ball through the ring no goal is scored and play continues.

5) MINOR INFRINGEMENTS – FREE PASS

Breaking the following rules will result in a free pass being awarded to the opposing team. When a free pass is awarded to a team it may be taken by any player from that team allowed in that area, as soon as they are in position. (A player may not shoot from a free pass in the goal circle).

a) OFFSIDE

When a player (with our without the ball) moves into an area of the court that their position does not permit them to play in. For example, the Wing Defence can play in their defensive third and centre third, but not in the attacking third.

If two opposing players enter an offside area simultaneously: (a) If neither player makes any contact with the ball they are not penalised and play continues. (b) If either player catches or touches the ball while standing in the offside area, or immediately before or after landing in the offside area, a toss up up is taken between the two players in their own area of play.

b) CENTRE PASS INFRINGEMENT

A player can’t move into the centre third before the whistle is blown for the Centre pass.

c) PLAYING THE BALL

A player who has caught the ball shall play it or shoot for goal within three seconds.

A player may bounce or bat the ball once to gain control.

Once released, the ball must next be touched by another player.

A player on the ground must stand up before playing ball.

d) PASSING DISTANCE

At the moment the ball is passed there must be room for a third player between hands of thrower and catcher.

When a player passes the ball there must be sufficient space for an opposing player on the court to be able to intercept the ball as it moves from the hands of the thrower to the hands of the receiver.

e) PASS TRAVELS OVER A THIRD

Ball may not be thrown over a complete third without being touched or caught by a player wholly within that third.

f) FOOTWORK

Having caught the ball, a player may land or stand on:
* One foot – while the landing foot remains grounded, the second foot may be moved anywhere any number of times, pivoting on the landing foot if desired. Once the landing foot is lifted, it must not be re-grounded until the ball is released.

* Two feet (simultaneously) – once one foot is moved, the other is considered to be the landing foot, as above. Hopping or dragging the landing foot is not allowed.

g) DEFENDING A SHOT AT GOAL

A defending player must not cause the goalpost to move so as to interfere with a shot at goal and cause it to miss. Defending players cannot deflect a ball on its downward flight towards the ring, including touching the ball up through the net.

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6) MAJOR INFRINGEMENTS- PENALTY PASS/SHOT

WHAT IS A PENALTY PASS/SHOT?

(PENALTY PASS (PENALTY SHOT if in the goal circle) is awarded where the infringement occurred. The offending player must stand out of play beside the thrower until the pass or shot has been taken. Any opposing player allowed in that area may take the penalty.

Once a player taking a penalty pass is in the correct position, the player may choose to either play the ball immediately or wait for the infringer to stand out of play.

Breaking the following rules will result in a PENALTY PASS or PENALTY SHOT being awarded to the opposing team.

a) OBSTRUCTION

Player with ball – the nearer foot of the defender must be 0.9m (3ft) feet from the landing foot of the player with the ball, or the spot where the first foot had landed if one has been lifted. The defender may jump to intercept or defend the ball from this 0.9m (3ft) feet distance.

Player without ball – the defender may be close, but not touching, providing that no effort is made to intercept or defend the ball and there is no interference with the opponents throwing or shooting action. Arms must be in a natural position, not outstretched, and no other part of the body or legs may be used to hamper an opponent.

Intimidation: of any kind, is classed as an obstruction.

A standing player is not compelled to move to allow an opponent a free run, but dangerous play must be discouraged, e.g. moving into the landing space of a player already in the air or stepping late into the path of a moving player.

b) CONTACT

Players may come into physical contact with each other as long as they’re striving to claim the ball. If they do not interfere with each other’s play or use their bodies to gain an unfair advantage over their opponent, it’s deemed a fair contest and play continues.

However no player may contact an opponent, either accidentally or deliberately, in such a way that interferes with the play of that opponent or causes contact to occur.

c) DELAYING PLAY

Delaying play (either accidentally or deliberately) is considered foul play. An umpire will award penalty pass if this occurs.

d) ILLEGAL DEFENCE OF A SHOT

A defending player may not cause the goalpost to move so as to interfere with a shot at goal and cause it to miss or deflect a ball on its downward flight towards the ring, including touching the ball up through the net. Both infringements will result in a penalty pass.

7) OUT OF COURT – THROW-IN

A throw-in is awarded to the opposing team of the player who last had contact with the ball or who received the ball whilst in contact with anything outside the court. Ball is out of court when it contacts anything outside the court area (except the goalpost). The ball is returned into play by a throw-in taken from a point outside the court where the ball crossed the line. The player stands with foot close to the line, and the ball must be thrown onto the court within three seconds.

8) TOSS UP

This is administered for all simultaneous infringements. The two players stand facing each other at their own shooting ends with hands by their sides and the umpire flicks the ball upwards not more than 600mm (2ft) in the air as the whistle is blown.

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What You Need To Know Ahead Of Your First Game

So you’ve signed up to play netball in a Go Mammoth netball league (welcome to the club!), but what happens next? Well in anticipation from your first game, here’s a little list of what you need to know:

Which team am I on?

If you’ve signed up as an individual, one week before your first match our netball team will email you your fixture list. Use your new Go Mammoth site login to check your fixture list, latest league tables and more.

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I’ve signed up as an individual – when do I meet my team members?

When we send you your fixture list a week or so before your first game, we’ll also send you the contact details of your fellow team members. We advise our members to arrive to their first game a little early to say hello and introduce yourself. Yep, we know, it sounds a little daunting, but remember that everyone is in the same boat as you. You won’t believe how quickly players bond as a team and stay together for future seasons.

My knowledge of netball rules is a little rusty!

Don’t worry, it’s tricky to keep up with the latest rules at the best of times, as they are tweaked and refined every year. Check out our handy up-to-date rules guide for the latest rules. Our awesome team of friendly, professional umpires are also on hand before and after each game to offer advice and assistance on the rules throughout the season.

How do the leagues work?

You’ll play every match at the venue,on the day and between the times you selected on during your registration. Each match lasts 40 minutes but your game times will differ each week. For example, if you know you venue matches take place, between 7-9pm, your matches could be at 7pm, 7:40pm or 8:20pm. We’ll send you ALL of the match times a week before your first fixture to ensure you can plan your season into your calendar.

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