BENCH DUTIES

Your team is responsible for supplying one person to complete bench duties during your game.

Bench Duties include:

  • Timekeeper / Electronic Scorer
  • Scorer (Paper form or Live Scoring)

Who can be a Bench Official

✔ Reserve / Team player on the bench
✔ Team Official (Manager etc)
✔ Spectator from your team

Who cannot be a Bench Official

  • Children under the age of 16
  • Team Coach

Failure to supply a bench official may result in your team being required play with six players.

Consistent failure to meet this requirement may result in a fine being issued to the team or club

Bench officials must be independent of on-court play. A reserve player may only act as a bench official if their team does not have another suitable individual present on the team bench. Where a team has no other personnel available, a reserve player may act as a bench official while their team is playing. However, if there is an on-court injury, and the 8th player is undertaking bench duty, the player cannot be substituted during the quarter and must find another person to fulfil the bench duty at the quarter break before taking the court themselves.

No mobile phones allowed on the bench during the game.

FAQs

WHY CAN’T MY CHILD (UNDER 16 YEARS OLD) DO BENCH DUTY?

Netball Upper Clutha recognises that bench duties carry a level of responsibility and can be stressful, particularly if something goes wrong during a game. These roles require confidence, decision-making, and accountability, which may place unnecessary pressure on younger players.

OUR TEAM ONLY HAS 8 PLAYERS – CAN OUR RESERVE DO BENCH DUTY?
Yes.

CAN WE SWAP BENCH OFFICIALS DURING THE GAME SO OUR RESERVE CAN PLAY?
Yes, but ONLY at quarter breaks. However, please be aware that if an on-court injury occurs, your team will be required to continue with only six players for the remainder of that quarter. Your team must find someone to cover your bench duty to have the 7th player take the court.

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