A brief introduction

Korfball offers many qualities that will not only benefit children in any classroom, camp, afterschool program, during recess or other recreational settings. Adults are able to join in just as easily, together as a couple, with family, friends or coworkers…
As a truly mixed gender sport with any one team always including both genders, it not only enables, but even requires boys and girls / men and women to interact on equal footing. Aside from the general physical workout experience, korfball’s rules also nourish many social aspects: no dribbling and no running with ball in hand make solo play impossible. Instead, communication and teamwork are key. With no classic positions assigned to individuals and players taking turns with defense / offense after every two goals, every player has an equal opportunity to help their team win.

Korfball, a European cousin of basketball, was invented in 1902 by Nicolaas Broekhuijsen, a Dutch school teacher. Inspired by the Swedish ball game ring ringboll, he came up with simple rules that children could easily follow, thus creating a game that due to its mixed gender approach could be played in every classroom and quickly gained popularity.
Each team consists of 8 players: four women and four men.
It’s a fast paced game that requires logical thinking and cooperation between players. The free standing hoop with no back board allows shots from all sides, giving the game a unique spin!

The IKF, the international governing body of Korfball, has its headquarters in the Netherlands and is officially recognized by the IOC (International Olympic Committee).

In the US, Korfball is governed by the USKF (United States Korfball Federation).

PNW Beach Korfball is the first Beach Korfball club in the United States.

Korfball Lessons on Youtube

The IKF (International Korfball Federation) offers a curated list of videos teaching the fundamentals of Korfball. Why don’t you dive right in and watch a few to see how it’s played and what makes it different?