Korfball?
What is korfball?
Korfball is a mixed-team sport invented in Holland in 1902. It was introduced to Britain in the 1940s, and there have been korfball clubs in Oxfordshire since 1983. Korfball is played worldwide and the current World Champions are 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 team mates to get through the opposition’s defence.
BBC Sport article about Korfball
More details
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 seven years before Abingdon Korfball Club was founded in 1999. Since then more clubs have arrived and the Oxfordshire league now comprises 22 teams from 11 clubs: Oxford City, Oxford Isis, Oxford University, Abingdon Atoms, Didcot Dragons, Guildford Thunder, Reading, Farnborough, Southampton City Spartans, Southampton Uni Spartans and Basingstoke Bulls. The league started in 1999 and in those early days Abingdon and Oxford City dominated.
How to play korfball
The rules of korfball are complicated (just like in any sport), but here are a few basic things to start you off...
Korfball is a mixed-team sport invented in Holland in 1902. It was introduced to Britain in the 1940s, and there have been korfball clubs in Oxfordshire since 1983. Korfball is played worldwide and the current World Champions are 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 team mates to get through the opposition’s defence.
BBC Sport article about Korfball
More details
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 seven years before Abingdon Korfball Club was founded in 1999. Since then more clubs have arrived and the Oxfordshire league now comprises 22 teams from 11 clubs: Oxford City, Oxford Isis, Oxford University, Abingdon Atoms, Didcot Dragons, Guildford Thunder, Reading, Farnborough, Southampton City Spartans, Southampton Uni Spartans and Basingstoke Bulls. The league started in 1999 and in those early days Abingdon and Oxford City dominated.
How to play korfball
The rules of korfball are complicated (just like in any sport), but 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.
- If you hit, hold, shove, kick, punch, spit at, or otherwise abuse your opponent (even a little bit) then the referee gets very angry, blows their whistle a lot, and gives you a stern talking to. And then gives a penalty.
Competitions
Oxfordshire Korfball League
The Oxfordshire Korfball League has been running since 1999, and currently has 22 teams from 11 clubs, who play in two divisions. The 2nd division is further split into north and south regions.
Most Division 2 (North) and Northern Division 1 team home matches take place at St. Gregory the Great School, Cowley, Oxford, and are generally held on a Sunday between 3pm and 8pm. Southern club matches are held at the clubs home locations.
The Chris Carter Memorial OKA Cup
The OKA Cup is a knockout competition for all the teams in the OKA (and sometimes teams from further away) which runs during the spring. Since its inception in 2001, the competition has been won by many teams. The draw for the cup is not seeded, so predicting the finalists is not easy!
The Oxfordshire Korfball League has been running since 1999, and currently has 22 teams from 11 clubs, who play in two divisions. The 2nd division is further split into north and south regions.
Most Division 2 (North) and Northern Division 1 team home matches take place at St. Gregory the Great School, Cowley, Oxford, and are generally held on a Sunday between 3pm and 8pm. Southern club matches are held at the clubs home locations.
The Chris Carter Memorial OKA Cup
The OKA Cup is a knockout competition for all the teams in the OKA (and sometimes teams from further away) which runs during the spring. Since its inception in 2001, the competition has been won by many teams. The draw for the cup is not seeded, so predicting the finalists is not easy!
Get Involved!
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Abingdon Atoms
Training: Thursday 2030-2200 @ Abingdon School (winter), Tuesday 1830-2000 @ Larkmead School (summer) Contact: enquiries@abingdonkorfball.co.uk |
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Basingstoke Bulls
Training: Wednesday 2000-2130 @ Everest College (winter), Wednesday 1930-2100 @ Everest College (summer) Contact: info@basingstokekorfball.co.uk |
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Didcot Dragons
Training: Tuesday 2000-2200 @ Willowbrook Leisure Centre (winter), Tuesday 1900-2100 @ Ladygrove Park (summer) Contact: didcotkorfball@hotmail.co.uk |
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Farnborough Jets
Training: Wednesday 1930-2100 @ Farnborough Sixth Form Collage (all year) Contact: secretary@farnboroughkorfball.co.uk |
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Guildford Thunder
Training: Thursday 1930-2100 @ The Charterhouse Club, Duke's Dr, Godalming, Surrey GU7 2RS Contact: http://www.guildfordkorfball.co.uk/ |
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Oxford City
Training: Thursday 1830-2000 @ Oxford Spires Academy (all year) Contact: info@oxfordcitykorfball.co.uk |
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Oxford Isis
Training: Monday 1830-2030 @ Rye St Antony School (winter), Monday 1900-2100 @ St Gregory the Great School (summer) Contact: info@oxfordisis.co.uk |
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Oxford University
Training: Sunday 1100-1230 @ Iffley Road Sports Centre (term time) & Wednesday 2100-2230 @ Iffley Road Sports Centre (term time) Contact: oxfordunikorfball@gmail.com |
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Reading University Knights
Training: Friday 1745-1945 @ Sports Park, University of Reading, Shinfield Rd, RG6 6AH(term time) Contact: readingkorfball@gmail.com |
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Southampton City Spartans
Training: Thursday 2000-2200 @ Oasis Academy, Lordshill (Sep-May) Contact: sotonkorfball@hotmail.co.uk , search for Southampton Spartans Korfball Club on Facebook or follow @SpartansKorf on Twitter. |
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Southampton University Spartans
Training: Thursday 2020-2200 @ Southampton University Old Sports Hall (term time) Contact: korfball@soton.ac.uk |