Getting the core basics right with new netballers?

Lee-annes NetballCoach, Australia

Tania it sounds like you have the right plan if you are coaching all newbies.  the basics are under rated.  keep doing what you're doing until you think they are ready for the next step.  if you try and teach something new too quickly it will just confuse them and they will lose interest.  so check out this site for interesting basic drills.

Netball CoachCoach

Thanks heaps.  Yes I think I have been concentrating on the the things that will make these girls strong in the future - gets diffiuclt when parents see fancy drills and kids running in circles and squares all over neighbouring courts and warmu-ups to die for like the firebirds and then I have my girls just passing, pivoting, practising footwork, shooting practice and doing throw-ins and making spaces up the court, sometimes I think they don't get the difference in skills and experience.  Funny thing though, I have watched them all start from the beginning with very even skills (or none) as only one or two had been on a netball court previously - now mid way through the season there are a couple of girls showing some natural skills now that they have learned some of the game - the others will get there but it is such an interesting thing to witness when the raw natural stuff comes to the surface so clearly for some - and the rest of us have to work at it!!!  thanks again.

Janet Coach, Australia

Tania, it certainly does sound like you are on the right track and the level of drills that are used must be in tune with the skill level of your team.  Drills must be done correctly to be of any value and if the complexity is beyond the skill of your team they will not run smoothly and safely.  I have a few players that are capable of carrying out complex drills very well and others that are not due to their lower level of basic skills so, although frustrating for some, we have to stick to more basic drills for them to run smoothly at training.  I try to spend a fair bit of time on small basic skill drills such as footwork patterns, single preliminary move patterns and mix groups up with skilled & less skilled grouped together to keep them on the right track.  We are slowly working towards some more complex drills which involve timing and decision making with a little success but if I push it too far it falls apart and everyone is disappointed or frustrated.