Netball: Follow Ball - Part 1

WA starts wide drawing the WD with her. GA also starts wide. The GA drives should time their run in court to receive the ball. The WA drives in court to receive the pass from the C who then runs up court to receive the return pass. The C then catches the ball and plays to the GA who has made the run to the other side to lose their marker and then passes to the GS to complete the move. C - WA - C - GA - GS

WA and GA line up in the middle slightly off-line behind each other On the whistle both players split to receive the ball. WA drives one way, GA drives the other way to create a second option C - WA - C - GS

Create a diamond shape with 4 cones  Two players will work and will set up one on the back cone and one on the front cone  The two players will work together and read off each other to balance the diamond  As RED drives back (1), BLUE drives forward (1) If RED moves latterally (2) BLUE may drive up (2)  The drill is continous and the players should work for a set time 

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Set up: half court space, 1 ladder, 6 cones, 2 ball, 2+ players. Player A starts in the shooting circle, the other player, B, on half way.  Player B, on halfway runs little feet through the ladder.  At the end of the ladder, 3 cones are set up in an L formation.  Player B runs in the L formation twice then drives to top of the circle. Player A, inside the circle feeds the ball to player B at the top of the circle and drives out.  Running player drives towards the base of the post then on an angle out towards the feeding player who delivers the ball back into the player who puts up a shot.   

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* 8+ players in 2 lines facing opposite eachother at diagonal points of a rectangle. One player at the start of one line with the ball.  Player at the front of the other line drives to the space opposite the player with the ball and recieves the long pass.  They then pass back to the line they came from with the short pass and join the back of that line. Same thing happens from the opposite line. As the coach calls "short" or "long" the rectangle to get larger or smaller.

Set up: One ball, 5+ players. Set up two lines of players facing each other with one passer in the middle. Ball starts with front player in line.  Player delivers a pass to the stationary passer, receives it back in the middle and passes in front to opposing line. Player then joins back of the line.  Progression 1: Add in change of movement Keep the same set up. Instead of driving straight through. Players now drive out (away from stationary passer) and then change direction to drive towards passer and receive a straight pass. Ball then gets passed to opposing line, as before and player joins that line.  Progression 2: Add light defence Keep set up the same with the change indirection. Add in a defensive player to disrupt the area.  Progression 3: Increase defence Add in another defender of get the original defender to become more ‘active’.

Set up: 1 ball, 4 cones, 1 third area, 6+ players. Three cones are set up in an arrow formation with 2 at the base. A player stands on each of the cones. Remainder of players are in two lines at the bottom of the arrow behind the two cones.  Ball starts at Player A (left line). Player A passes to feeder 1 (first cone on the left). Feeder 1 passers to player B while Player A runs around feeder 1.  Player B passes to feeder 2 then runs around the feeder.  Feeder 2 passes to player A who receives the ball in the middle of the diamond.  Player A passes to feeder 3 then runs around the feeder. Feeder 3 passes to Player B who has driven from feeder 2 and receives the ball in the middle.

Split players into pairs with 1 ball between them and set up as diagram (half a third each if available). Black C is the feeder and has the ball. The white C is the worker and will be working for 2 minutes and will then swap roles with the black C. The worker starts in the corner - side steps the horizontal lines then changes pace and direction, while sprinting the vertical lines. The worker then heads towards the feeder to receive a pass when the feeder wishes to put the ball in. The worker then sprints back to the corner changes pace and direction back to a side step then repeats around the whole grid creating a star shape. The worker works for 2 minutes trying to complete as many circuits of the star as possible in the 2 minutes. The feeder can only pass the ball to the worker when they are driving forwards to start with.

Example GD clears and runs in a crest WD moves to receives ball from GK and passes the ball to GD GD then passes the ball to C The Centre should take up a position just over the transverse line in the centre third. This will prevent congestion in the goal third and give the WD and GD space to bring the ball through and consequently the ball carrier has an option of a team-mate ready to receive ball further up the court. The WD and GD are set up as shown. One of these players will cut across the other (taking her opponent with her). This creates space for the other player to drive into with the opponents chasing. The player who drives across (this is called clearing out) continues to run in a crest shape and offers for the next pass. The subsequent pass may well go to the Centre and by now the ball should be 2/3rd up the court in 3 passes. If the timing is correct the ball should travel up the court in a straight line. The team has successfully converted good defence work into an exciting attack.

Set up a triangle (or square) with players as the corners about 3m apart. Inside this area there are 2 attackers and 2 defenders. The attackers' aim is to tag the defender using the ball. They can also use the players on the corners, who are fixed in position but can pass and tag. When an attacker has the ball they are not allowed to move and so they need to get into position close to a defender before they are passed the ball. The defenders are aiming to run into spaces and avoid being tagged for as long as possible. Once one defender has been tagged they can then intercept passes between the attackers who continue to try and tag the other defender.

Position cones 8-10m apart. A starts at one cone, F stands with the ball at the other cone. 2 defenders stagger themselves between the two cones as shown. A sprints towards the first defender in the attempt to convince the defender she is driving a certain way. A should be driving hard enought that D moves to close her down. As D moves to mark A, A changes direction quickly and drives towards the other D, who moves to shut her down. A should change direction again quickly and drive towards F. F passes the ball to A once she is free. A resets and repeats.

The GK has a back line pass. The Centre takes up her position just in middle of transverse line giving the impression she is not going to be involved in this immediate passage of play... but SHE IS! The WD and GD roll away to opposite directions (taking their chasing opponents with them) leaving huge space for the centre to drive into receiving the ball at the top of the circle. The centre, remembering to use the 3rs (receive, rotate and release) passes to the WD, who passes to the GD. Again the ball has progressed from defence to attack over 2/3rds of the court in 3 "simple" passes.

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Set up: Five cones set up as a square with one cone in the center, 1 ball, 4-6 players. Two feeding players are set up in between cones in line with the center cone. Two attacking players start on the centre cone and choose a corner cone to drive out to, each driving to opposite cones. Attackers time their drive so they receive their pass on the centre cone. Attackers are to create a ‘bow’ shape by driving to the outer cones one at a time and receiving a pass on the middle cone between each drive.

The aim of this drill is to get the players to think about passing and moving in variety of directions at speed. The ball must always travel around the edge of the rectangle/flag. You can change this direction from clockwise to anticlockwise as an when you feel they are ready (or to try and catch them off-guard). After making a pass players must swap positions with their opposite player. You can add in as many players as you like along the edges but always leave one pair at either end.

This practice encourages concentration and awareness. 3 players (A, B and C) stand on the cones making the top three points of a star (they are static during the practice), the fourth point in made up of a queue of players in pairs. The first pair start. Players 1 passes the ball out to player A and follows their pass, running around them. Player 2 runs staright forward and receives the pass from player A in the centre of the star. Player 2 then passes out to player B and follows their pass running around them. Meanwhile player 1 has run back into the centre to recieve from player B. Player 1 then passes it out to player C and follows their pass around them. Player 2 runs in to receive the pass from player C in the centre Player 2 then passes the ball out to player 1 and player 1 passes it to the next pair. They both then join the back of the line. Rotate the static players as and when.

Set up: 6+ players, full court space, 1-4 balls, 8 cones Three cones are set up across the width of the court about a meter in from the sideline. In groups of three players line up across from each other behind the cones.  Cones may be placed along the sideline so player understand they are to stay on the outside of theses cones but still in court.  The ball starts with the middle person. Player on the left cone drives out straight and receives a pass from the middle. Middle person then runs to the person they passed the ball to. Player on left who received the pass, deliveries the ball to the third player who has driven out on the right. When players pass they the follow it to the player they have passed to take their position. Players continue this ‘weave’ down the court.   

3 players, 1 ball, half court space.  2 feeders set up with one near baseline and one near half way. Worker starts near feeder on baseline.  Feeder starts with the ball and gives a short pass. Worker returns pass and drives down the court to receive a long pass. Worker passess the ball to the opposite feeder on half way. Worker runs around feeder. Worker receives a pass on the go and passes back to the original feeder on the baseline to then get a short pop pass to finish.  

The Player with the ball passes to player in space on the left. The player receiving the ball jumps into the air, prior to pass and turns in the air to receive ball, finishing up facing backwards to return ball to player in the same queue. This player then passes diagonally to the right.

Coach starts the drill by passing the first ball. First 2 players drive in opposite angles and the coach passes ball to player 1. Player 2 then changes direction and drives onto the second ball The second players now passes the ball to one of the 2 players driving from opposite direction.

Have two groups of players (blues and whites) split themselves into two lines. Each line stands facing the other coloured group. The first 2 players drive in opposite angles, with player 1 (blue) receiving the first pass from the coach. Player 2 (white) must then change direction to receive the pass from the other player. After this the player with the ball passes to one of the two players from the other side and the drill continues.