Is this closed marking or open marking the player?

Lee-annes NetballCoach, Australia

i would consider this closed marking as the defender is hard up on the attacking player, where as, open marking, is when you give them space to think they arent being marked, and the defender reads the play and takes the intercept.

i would either use this drill for someone more experienced or skilled at the defence position, as it means that they have more confident footwork skills, and can move around their player easily. a new defender is clumsy, slow and unsure, and this may just confuse or trip them. there is a drill on here that has the attacking moving side to side (about 1m apart) and the feeder is in front. the attacker moves in a predictable manner and the pass is always in the same place. the defender is in front sticking close and taking the intercept. once the footwork, and timing is confident, then you can make the pass or the movement not predictable, make the area bigger, and then move onto a drill like this.

hope that helps.

Janet Coach, Australia

This is a drill for practising closed marking. It is a useful drill for demonstrating/practising defensive stance & dance i.e. body angled towards player, hips & knees bent, outside arm bent & slightly raised ready for intercept, inside arm also ready for closing the catch, footwork is small steps in front of attacker always facing the ball with eyes up at all times. Defender to reposition by open movement facing the ball rather than turning back to ball. Practice movement without ball first, introduce ball, then passes into to passive attacker then ramp it up to active attacker and full circle movement of ball. Practising this drill in/around the goal circle introduces relevance to the game situation and also the additional task of protecting the goal ring area. Its never too early to teach the basics of defensive stance and footwork and like any new skill try small steps with small successes and then build up from there.