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What is korfball?
Korfball is a mixed-team sport invented in Holland in 1903. It was introduced to Britain in the 1940s, and there have been korfball clubs in Oxfordshire since 1983. Although korfball is played worldwide, the world championships are still normally won by the Dutch.
A korfball team consists of four men and four women. There are no set positions and everyone has to be able to defend and attack. The game is set up so that there is no advantage to being male or female, tall or short, stocky or slim - all that matters is your ability to co-operate with your teammates to get through the opposition’s defence.
How to play korfball
The rules of korfball aren't that complicated (beginners pick up the rules very quickly!), so here are a few basic things to start you off....
* The ball is similar to a football or a netball
* You score a point by shooting the ball through a basket
* The basket is set on a post 3.5m off the floor
* You can only shoot if you shake off your marker, but you can't run with the ball
* Each team consists of 4 men and 4 women, with half attacking and half defending *Attackers and defenders swap roles after 2 goals.
If you want to know more, then the easiest thing is to come along to one of our sessions and we’ll explain it all then.
Korfball in Oxfordshire
The first korfball played in the county was in 1983, when Oxford University Korfball Club was set up. We had to wait another nine years for the birth of Oxford City Korfball Club in 1992, and a further eight years before Abingdon Korfball Club was founded in 2000. Since then three more clubs have arrived: Oxford Brookes University Korfball Club (2001) and Didcot Dragons Korfball Club (2003). We have also welcomed Milton Keynes, Basingstoke, and Reading as honorary members of the OKA, until such time as they can set up their own leagues.
The Oxfordshire Korfball League has been running since 1999, and in 2004/2005 had twelve teams. Previous winners have tended to come from the Oxford City and Abingdon First Teams, although it hasn't always been that simple.
From 1995 to 2005 Oxfordshire had a team in the BKA National League. Automotiv Oxford played in the Second Division.
Thanks to the OKA website for the description above!
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