We chat to Ruth, Publicity Secretary at Nottingham Korfball Club, about one of Nottingham's most unique sports...
For those who don't know, what is korfball?
Korfball is a mixed-gendered sport originating in the Netherlands. ‘Korf’ in Dutch translates to ‘basket’, so in Holland it would be known as ‘basketball’. It’s played all over the world but is most popular in Europe - the Netherlands are ranked first in the world, England are ranked eighth.
Korfball is played with two teams of eight players. A team is made up of four male and four female players and cannot be played by just males or just females - it is completely mixed gender. Girls mark girls, boys mark boys.
The game is played in two thirty-minute halves and the aim is to score more goals than your opponent. The court is made up of two halves and the posts, which are 3.5m high and have a large yellow hoop at the top, are placed in the middle of each half, allowing players to shoot from the front, side and even from behind the post. Every time two goals are scored you swap ends so you change between attacking and defending, giving you the chance to do both. It’s very dynamic, action-packed and fun!
What are the key differences between korfball and other, similar sports?
Korfball is mostly compared to netball and basketball as they’re pretty similar. Unlike in netball, though, all players are allowed to shoot and defend, and unlike basketball, you can’t ‘dribble the ball’ or run with the ball - the focus is on passing and working together as a team.
Similarly to netball, it’s officially a non-contact sport, but a small amount of physicality is allowed, and similarly to basketball we take penalties when fouls are committed. Other than that, you’d have to come along and give it a try to work out the similarities and differences yourself!
If you can run, catch and throw you will be amazing at korfball!
Is there a big korfball community in Nottingham, and are you hoping to expand interest in the sport going forward?
I'd say there's a thriving korfball community in Nottingham. NKC was founded nearly thirty years ago and since then has grown to have four teams within the club. There is another local side called Magic Korfball Club, who train in Bilborough and have several teams. And then both universities have clubs - the University of Nottingham has five teams, and while Nottingham Trent University only started a couple of years ago, they won BUCS last year (the local university tournament).
We are all good friends. As well as being rivals competitively, and playing in leagues and tournaments together, we do go out on socials with each other. Korfball is a close community and over the years you get to know players locally and nationally. We’re a big family.
Is it an easy sport to pick up, or is there a steep learning curve?
If you can run, catch and throw you will be amazing at korfball! Unlike other sports, most people discover it as an adult and learn it from scratch, so there is no expectation to know the rules or how to play.
That being said, we do have players in our club that represent England and Ireland, playing at an international level. During training the coaching is tailored to beginners and experienced players, and there are always friendly people willing to help and teach. The rules are a little nuanced, so when you start it is unlike other sports, but once you get your head around them you’ll really enjoy scoring a ‘runner’ or defending your opponents’ shots.
Korfball has been a mixed gender sport pretty much since the beginning - is there a real openness in terms of who gets involved?
Being a mixed-gender sport, korfball is very progressive and open to everyone. Men and women are equal and there is a real culture of respect and acceptance (although not for our rivals, Leicester!). We have male and female captains and coaches and we have welfare officers at the club to support members with any issues or challenges they may be facing. Our members are a whole range of different people; some are students, some are young professionals and some play with their partner/spouse/children. Everyone is welcome!
What have been some of the highlights from your time in korfball?
My favourite memories are from the tournaments I have been to with NKC. I have played at outdoor summer events where we have camped and BBQ’d and got very sunburnt and merry, and I’ve been to Holland to play in a huge korfball tournament in Eindhoven. Spending a weekend playing korf and making fun memories with a group of excellent characters is so much fun. They’ve often involved some form of fancy dress or karaoke - NKC’s anthem being Don’t You Want Me by The Human League - and I have made friends for life.
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
