Walking netball

{{Short description|Slower variant of netball}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2023}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}

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Walking netball is a version of netball adapted to be a slower game and thus more inclusive, allowing older or less fit people to continue playing, return to playing, or take up netball for the first time.{{cite web |title=Walking Netball |url=https://www.englandnetball.co.uk/play/walking-netball/ |website=England Netball |access-date=6 August 2023}} The main differences in the rules are that running and jumping are not allowed, that an extra step may be taken with the ball, and that the ball may be held for 4 seconds instead of 3 seconds.{{cite web |title=u3a - Walking Netball |url=https://www.u3a.org.uk/learning/subjects/walking-netball |website=www.u3a.org.uk |access-date=6 August 2023}} A walking netball programme was first developed in England in 2017, as a collaboration between England Netball and the charity Age UK. It is played in countries including England,{{cite web |last1= |title=Walking Netball |url=https://www.thewi.org.uk/education-and-training/education/activities/sport-and-wellbeing/walking-netball |website= |publisher=National Federation of Women's Institutes |access-date=6 August 2023 |language=en |date=7 October 2021}} Australia{{cite web |title=Walking Netball |url=https://vic.netball.com.au/walking-netball |website=Netball VIC |access-date=6 August 2023 |language=en}} and New Zealand.{{cite web |title=Walking Netball |url=https://www.netballchristchurch.org.nz/competitions/walking-netball |website=www.netballchristchurch.org.nz |publisher=Christchurch Netball Centre |access-date=6 August 2023}}{{cite web |title=The rise of walking netball |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018851320/the-rise-of-walking-netball |publisher=Radio New Zealand |access-date=6 August 2023 |language=en-nz |date=29 July 2022}}

A 2021 research paper, reporting on a project involving introducing members of the Women's Institute in England to the game, found walking netball to be "an acceptable, feasible and effective intervention to increase physical activity and improve health in middle- to older- aged women".{{cite journal |last1=Kinnafick |first1=F. E. |last2=Brinkley |first2=A. J. |last3=Bailey |first3=S. J. |last4=Adams |first4=E. J. |title=Is walking netball an effective, acceptable and feasible method to increase physical activity and improve health in middle- to older age women?: A RE-AIM evaluation |journal=International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |date=19 October 2021 |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=136 |doi=10.1186/s12966-021-01204-w |issn=1479-5868|doi-access=free |pmid=34666782 |pmc=8524399 }}

Similar slower-paced sports include walking football (association football),{{cite web |title=The Walking Football Association |url=https://thewfa.co.uk/ |website=WFA |access-date=6 August 2023}} walking rugby,{{cite web |title=Playing walking rugby |url=https://www.englandrugby.com/participation/playing/ways-to-play/walking-rugby |website=www.englandrugby.com |publisher=England Rugby |access-date=6 August 2023}} walking basketball.{{cite web |title=Walking Basketball |url=https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/get-involved/play/types-of-basketball/walking-basketball/ |website=www.basketballengland.co.uk |publisher=Basketball England |access-date=6 August 2023}} walking hockey (based on field hockey){{ cite web |url=https://www.justgetactive.co.uk/get-involved/walking-sports/ | title= Walking sports |publisher= Just Get Active | access-date = 7 August 2023}} and walking cricket.