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Developing netball-specific speed zones for quantifying on-court locomotor demands: Implementation of a mathematical model using Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.

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Main Author: Rodgers, Aneesha
Other Authors: Venter, Ranel
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2026
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access_status_str Open Access
author Rodgers, Aneesha
author2 Venter, Ranel
author_browse Rodgers, Aneesha
Venter, Ranel
author_facet Venter, Ranel
Rodgers, Aneesha
author_sort Rodgers, Aneesha
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135892
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:41:36.774Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2026
publishDateRange 2026
publishDateSort 2026
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135892 Developing netball-specific speed zones for quantifying on-court locomotor demands: Implementation of a mathematical model using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Rodgers, Aneesha Venter, Ranel Kraak, Wilbur Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Exercis, Sport and Lifestyle Medicine. Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Rodgers, A. 2026. Developing netball-specific speed zones for quantifying on-court locomotor demands: Implementation of a mathematical model using Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/213ae036-8c93-400e-9195-13d6b39a8fbe Netball is an intermittent team sport, which pertains to the frequent fluctuations in intensity with inevitable periods of high-intensity activity interlaced with brief periods of inactivity. Considering the inability of the players to travel with the ball and the movement restrictions imposed per playing position, it is imperative that players demonstrate a unique combination of performance capabilities, including the ability to effectively accelerate and decelerate during a match. Notably, in quantifying acceleration and deceleration demands within netball, there is a distinct need for a netball-specific velocity zones as conventional speed zones do not provide a representative model on the velocities achieved by netball players and lack the consideration of individual sprinting capacities and differences in the maximal acceleration capabilities of the players based on their position. The first aim of the study was to develop and compare a self-designed, custom Global Positioning System (GPS)-based mathematical model for netball-specific velocity zones to the speed zones generated by the default GPS settings. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine and compare the proportion of time spent within each zone between the model-based velocity zones and the GPS-derived speed zones, the total number of accelerations performed per velocity zone and per match phase by the seven playing positions and the two positional groups. To determine the position-specific velocity zones and acceleration metrics, GPS data of 34 university level netball players (21,44 ± 2,29 years) was collected over a seven-day University Sport South Africa (USSA) tournament. The raw GPS data was independently processed through the mathematical model within Python and utilised to determine specific acceleration and deceleration metrics, in particular, the development of netball-specific velocity zone for each of the playing positions in netball. The results of the mixed model analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher’s Least Significant Difference (LSD) post-hoc analysis revealed significant differences in playing positions, match phase, and zones between the model-based velocity zones and GPS-derived speed zones (p = < 0,01), in addition to differences in the number of accelerations per velocity zone across playing positions and the positional groups (p = < 0,01). Notably, no statistical disparities were reported in the accelerations performed between the first and second halves on a position- and group-specific level (p = 0,07 - 0,39), although variations were found in the accelerations performed within different zones between the first and second half (p = < 0,01). Moreover, there was a significant moderate to very high, positive correlation for the total proportion of time spent within the zone between the model-based velocity zones and the GPS-derived Zones 2, 4, and 5, and a moderate to high, negatively correlated relationship for Zones 1 and 3. In summary, the mathematical model was able to create position-specific zones to assess acceleration-based metrics. These zones revealed differences between playing positions and match phases. The comparison of GPS-derived and model-based zones showed a significant positive relationship, suggesting their interchangeability for analysing time spent in zones and accelerations, contingent on the analysis objectives. The proportion of time spent in each zone demonstrated a significant positive relationship in Zones 2, 4, and 5 and a negative relationship in Zones 1 and 3 between the model-based and GPS-derived zones. The C consistently spent the most time in Zones 2, 4, and 5, while the GK, GS, and GA spent the least proportion of time in these zones within the model-based and GA in the GPS-derived zones. Regarding the number of accelerations, the C and GD had the most in Zones 2, 4, and 5, but the fewest in Zone 3. In contrast, the GA and GS had consistently fewer accelerations in all zones except for Zone 3, where they had the most. The GK had the second-highest number of accelerations in Zones 1, 3, and 4, but fewer in Zones 3 and 5, compared to the C. No significant differences were found in the number of accelerations between the first and second halves for playing positions and positional groups. However, significant disparities in accelerations within each zone were observed between match phases. In the second half, all positions had more accelerations in each zone, except for the C in Zone 3, which reported more in the first half. Similar trends were noted in the positional groups, aligning with one of the positional pairings. Doctoral 2026-04-14T10:19:35Z 2026-04-14T10:19:35Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135892 en Stellenbosch University 219 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Rodgers, Aneesha
Developing netball-specific speed zones for quantifying on-court locomotor demands: Implementation of a mathematical model using Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
title Developing netball-specific speed zones for quantifying on-court locomotor demands: Implementation of a mathematical model using Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
title_full Developing netball-specific speed zones for quantifying on-court locomotor demands: Implementation of a mathematical model using Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
title_fullStr Developing netball-specific speed zones for quantifying on-court locomotor demands: Implementation of a mathematical model using Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
title_full_unstemmed Developing netball-specific speed zones for quantifying on-court locomotor demands: Implementation of a mathematical model using Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
title_short Developing netball-specific speed zones for quantifying on-court locomotor demands: Implementation of a mathematical model using Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
title_sort developing netball specific speed zones for quantifying on court locomotor demands implementation of a mathematical model using global positioning systems gps
url https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135892
work_keys_str_mv AT rodgersaneesha developingnetballspecificspeedzonesforquantifyingoncourtlocomotordemandsimplementationofamathematicalmodelusingglobalpositioningsystemsgps

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