MOMENTUM IN NETBALL SHOOTING

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate if momentum occurs in netball shooting and if momentum affects a shooting performance. The study consisted of twenty pre-recorded netball matches from 2005-2007 seasons, involving nine different Super League teams. A quantitative notation system was produced through Microsoft Excel with fourteen specific performance indicators, allowing data to be entered for each attempted netball shot. A momentum hypothesis was then tested using a chi-square test on variables that were nominal to one another, followed by the SPSS package to break down the results. Results indicated that there was one team showing a significant result and there were three individual’s presenting a significant result, but all having an opposite effect to momentum, by where if a shot was missed they were more likely to score the next than miss. One individual did show some expectation of momentum, but did not have the frequency to prove that it was momentum. This supports previous research by Gilovich, et al. 1985: O’Donoghue, 2009: Clark, 2005: Albright, 1993. Factors that did have a significant effect on the shooting performance was the area in the shooting circle from which the shot was attempted, also having a defender(s) marking the netball shot and lastly if contact or obstruction was made by the defence suggested that there was a significant difference.