Netball Center Pass Rules Explained

23 February 2026

rulescenter passscoring tips

If you’ve ever scored a netball game, you’ve probably experienced that moment of panic: “Wait… whose center pass is it?”

Center pass allocation is one of the most confusing aspects of netball scoring, and getting it wrong can disrupt the entire game. Let’s break down the rules once and for all - in plain English, with examples.

The Two Simple Rules

There are only two situations where you need to know center pass allocation:

After a goal is scored
At the end of each quarter

That’s it! Let’s look at each scenario.

Rule 1: Center Passes Alternate

This one’s easy:

Center passes alternate between teams throughout the match, regardless of which team scores.

The first center pass is decided by coin toss. After that, they simply alternate: Team A, Team B, Team A, Team B, and so on.

Examples:

Wildcats take center pass 1 → Thunderbirds take center pass 2
Wildcats take center pass 3 → Thunderbirds take center pass 4

It doesn’t matter who scored each goal. The alternation is fixed from the start of the match.

What About Technical Free Shots?

Same rule applies. If a team scores from a technical free shot (awarded for a foul in the circle), the center pass still goes to whichever team’s turn it is in the alternation.

Rule 2: Between Quarters (The Odd/Even Rule)

This is where it gets interesting - and where most scorers get confused.

At the end of each quarter, use this simple process:

Step 1: Add up BOTH teams’ total scores Step 2: Check if the total is ODD or EVEN Step 3: Apply the rule:

EVEN total = SAME team keeps center pass ODD total = CENTER PASS SWITCHES to other team

Example Game Walkthrough

Let’s score a real game between the Phoenix and the Comets:

Starting the Game:

Coin toss decides first center pass
Phoenix win toss and choose to take it
Score: 0-0 (total = 0, which is EVEN)
Phoenix have first center pass ✓

End of Quarter 1:

Score: Phoenix 12 - Comets 9
Total: 12 + 9 = 21 (ODD)
Rule: Odd = switch
Comets get center pass for Q2 ✓

End of Quarter 2 (Halftime):

Score: Phoenix 22 - Comets 24
Total: 22 + 24 = 46 (EVEN)
Rule: Even = same team
Comets keep center pass for Q3 ✓

End of Quarter 3:

Score: Phoenix 35 - Comets 37
Total: 35 + 37 = 72 (EVEN)
Rule: Even = same team
Comets keep center pass for Q4 ✓

End of Quarter 4:

Final Score: Phoenix 48 - Comets 50
Game over - Comets win!

Why This Rule?

You might wonder - why odd/even? Why not just alternate every quarter?

The odd/even rule ensures center pass allocation stays consistent with the alternating pattern established at the start of the match. The combined score directly maps to the center pass number, so checking odd/even is a quick way to verify the correct team’s turn without counting every pass.

The Quick Mental Trick

Don’t want to add up the full scores? Here’s a scorer’s shortcut:

Just look at the last digit of each team’s score:

Phoenix: 12 - Comets: 9
Last digits: 2 + 9 = 11 (odd)
Center pass switches!

Or even simpler:

Even + Even = Even (same team)
Odd + Odd = Even (same team)
Even + Odd = Odd (switch teams)
Odd + Even = Odd (switch teams)

Common Mistakes Scorers Make

Mistake 1: Forgetting the Quarter Break Rule

Wrong: “Quarter ended, so we alternate center pass.” Right: Always check odd/even total, don’t just alternate.

Mistake 2: Using Only One Team’s Score

Wrong: “Phoenix scored 15 (odd), so center pass switches.” Right: Add BOTH teams’ scores together.

Mistake 3: Losing Track of the Alternation

Wrong: “I think it was their turn last time…” Right: Use the odds and evens system to cross-check. If you know the pass number and which team is odds/evens, you can always verify. See our odds and evens guide for details.

Mistake 4: Overthinking It

The rules are actually quite simple! Center passes alternate. At quarter breaks, check odd/even. That’s all there is to it.

What Happens If You Get It Wrong?

If an incorrect center pass is taken:

Before the ball is played: Scorer can signal to umpire - game stops, correct team takes center pass
After play starts: Too late - play continues with incorrect center pass, correct it for the next one
Umpire notices: Umpire will stop play and correct it

This is why it’s so important to call out the center pass clearly: “Phoenix center!” or “Comets center!”

How Netball Scorer Pro Handles This

Here’s the beautiful thing about using Netball Scorer Pro:

You don’t need to remember any of this!

The app automatically:

Tracks which team’s turn it is for each center pass
Calculates odd/even totals at quarter breaks
Displays clearly which team has next center pass
Updates the possession indicator in real-time

You can focus on watching the game, not doing mental arithmetic.

Practice Scenarios

Want to test yourself? Try these:

Scenario 1:

End of Q1: Storm 14 - Lightning 11
Who gets center pass for Q2?

Click for answer

14 + 11 = 25 (ODD) → Switch teams If Storm had Q1 center, Lightning get Q2 center

Scenario 2:

End of Q2: Vipers 28 - Cobras 22
Who gets center pass for Q3?

Click for answer

28 + 22 = 50 (EVEN) → Same team Whoever had Q2 center keeps it for Q3

Scenario 3:

Mid-game: You know the next center pass is number 7. Team A is the “odds” team.
Who takes it?

Click for answer

7 is odd → Team A takes it. Center passes alternate, and odd-numbered passes always belong to the odds team.

The Official Rule Reference

For the rule lawyers out there, here’s the official wording from the INF Rules of Netball:

“At the start of each quarter (except the first), if the sum of both teams’ scores is even, the team that started the previous quarter with the centre pass retains it. If the sum is odd, the centre pass alternates to the opposing team.”

See? Even the official rules are pretty straightforward!

Quick Reference Card

Save or print this:

CENTER PASS RULES - QUICK REFERENCE

During the match: → Center passes alternate between teams, regardless of who scores

Between quarters: → Add both team’s total scores → EVEN total = SAME team keeps center pass → ODD total = SWITCH to other team

First center pass: → Decided by coin toss before game

Final Thoughts

The center pass rules might seem complicated at first, but they’re actually quite logical. After you’ve scored a few games, the odd/even calculation becomes second nature.

And if you’re using Netball Scorer Pro? You never have to think about it at all. The app handles all the calculations, so you can focus on what matters - accurately recording the game and enjoying the match.

No more confusion. No more mistakes. Just score and go!

Ready to let technology handle the tricky bits? Try Netball Scorer Pro - the free, offline-capable scoring app that does the math for you. Start scoring →