Korfball

Korfball ( _nl. Korfbal) is a team ball game, similar to mixed netball. It is played in more than 50 countries. The Netherlands and Belgium have most players. A team consists of four men and four women.

How to play

Korfball is played indoors or outdoors on a court divided into halves called "zones". In each zone is a post (3.5m, shorter for the young) with a basket at the top. This is positioned two thirds of the distance between the center line and the back of the zone. The ball is similar to football (soccer) but with more grip and bounce. Teams have 4 men and 4 women. Players score by throwing the ball through the other team's basket. After two goals the teams change zones: defenders become attackers and attackers become defenders. At half-time teams swap halves.

Men and women play side by side. But duels are man to man and woman to woman. One man may guard one man and one woman may guard one woman. A woman may not defend a man nor may a man defend a woman.

Each team tries to score using tactics. The rules prevent physical strength dominating the game. Blocking, tackling and holding are not allowed. Nor is kicking or punching the ball. A player may not attempt to score when defended. That occurs when the defender is closer to the basket and facing his opponent, and is at arm's length and attempting to block the ball.

History

Nico Broekhuysen, a Dutch school teacher, learned a game called "ring boll" in Sweden in 1902. Points are scored in ringboll by throwing the ball through a ring attached to a 3m post. Broekhuysen replaced the ring with a basket (for which the Dutch is "korf" or "mand") and simplified the rules. They included letting men and women play at the same time. [cite web | url=http://www.knkv.nl/web/show/id=43251 | title=Historie (History) | accessdate=2006-08-30 | author = Koninklijk Nederlands Korfbalverbond (Royal Dutch Korfball Association) | language=Dutch ]

International korfball

Korfball is played in over 50 countries including Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Greece, Serbia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, India, Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Portugal, Sweden, Philippines and France. It was a demonstration sport in the Olympic Games of 1920 and 1928, held in Antwerp and Amsterdam).

The International Korfball Federation was founded in 1933. Korfball has been played in the World Games since 1985. World championships have been held every four years since 1978. The leading nations are the Netherlands and Belgium.

Hong Kong hosted its first international tournament, the Asia Oceania Championships in 2006. New Zealand hosted the Asia Oceania Youth Championships in 2007.

World champions

International Korfball Federation organizes a Korfball World Championship every four years.
* 1978 - Netherlands
* 1984 - Netherlands
* 1987 - Netherlands
* 1991 - Belgium
* 1995 India - Netherlands
* 1999 Australia - Netherlands
* 2003 Rotterdam - Netherlands
* 2007 Brno - Netherlands

Continental championships

IKF promotes two continental championships: European Korfball Championship and Asia-Oceania Korfball Championship.

See also

* Korfball World Championship
* European Korfball Championship
* Korfball European Bowl
* Asia-Oceania Korfball Championship
* Commonwealth Korfball Championships
* British Student Korfball Nationals
* International Korfball Federation

References

External links

* [http://www.ikf.org/ International Korfball Federation (IKF)] includes rules, national associations and competition results.
* [http://www.korfball.pl/ Polish Korfball Federation (PFK)] news, includes rules, Polish clubs and competition results
* [http://www.korfbal.be/ Belgian Korfball Federation (KBKB)] includes rules, Belgian clubs and competition results.
* [http://www.korfball.co.uk British Korfball Association (BKA)] - notice board for UK clubs
* [http://www.korfbal.cat Catalan Korfball Federation] All about Catalan Korfball - News, results, fixudes, interview and more.
* [http://www.korfbal.cz/ Czech Korfball Association] - news, results, information, links and much more...
* [http://www.knkv.nl/ Dutch Korfball Federation (KNKV)] includes rules, Dutch clubs and competition results.
* [http://www.englandkorfball.co.uk English Korfball Association (EKA)] - News, league tables from around the UK and full club listings to find your nearest club]
* [http://www.korfball.hu Hungarian Korfball Association] Homepage of the Hungarian Korfball Association - breaking news, articles, images about Hungarian korfball events.
* [http://www.federazioneitalianakorfball.it/ Italian Federation of Korfball (FIK)]
* [http://www.korfball.org.nz/ Korfball New Zealand (KNZ)] includes Spectator Guides, beginners training and introductions.
* [http://www.fpcorfebol.pt Portuguese Korfball Federation (FPC)] includes rules, Portuguese clubs and competition results.
* [http://www.korfball.se/index_eng.htm Swedish Korfball Federation] includes competition results.
* [http://www.welshkorfball.org/ Welsh Korfball Association (WKA)]
* [http://www.westmidlandskorfball.co.uk/ West Midlands Korfball Association (WMKA)] - news, results, information, links, events and development
* [http://www.eastmidskorfball.co.uk/ East Midlands Korfball Association (EMKA)] - Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, News, Results, Information, Links, Events and Development
* [http://www.nottskorfball.co.uk/ Nottingham Korfball Club] - Nottingham Korfball Club - senior teams participating in the English National, Central England and East Midlands Korfball leagues - with a developing junior section
* [http://www.korfball.org.nz/exam Korfball Referee Test (KNZ)] includes on-line exam test questions for Players and Referees.
* [http://www.hkc-utrecht.nl/component/option,com_game/Itemid,63/ Online Korfballgame]