HOME Netball Answers Netball COACHING Q&A

Teaching players who have never played

I am about to start coaching a team of 8 yr olds who have never played. Any tips or books on how to start teaching them the rules and skills of the game ?

Netball CoachCoach

1 answer

ANSWERS

Sportplan TeamAdministrator, United Kingdom

Hello Amanda,

Looking through previously answered questions I found this one which is fairly similar to your situation:

I have just started coaching a team of 9 year olds, most of whom have never played before. How can I teach them the rules of the game without mass confusion?

Fiona, who answered this question, suggested playing games that involve players running to different positions on the court when you call them out. This will help them to learn the positions and areas of the court.

Here's a selection of drills which might help and are related to positions. You can search for other drills using the search bar (top right).

Hope this helps and good luck!
The Sportplan Team

PS. The warm up drills section of the site has lots of fun games for players - great if you need some extra game ideas for your 8 year olds.

JOIN SPORTPLAN FOR FREE

search our library of 700+ netball drills
create your own professional coaching plans
or access our tried and tested plans

Netball

STAY CONNECTED

in more ways than one

sportplan_netball

LATEST COACHING TRENDS

Split Circle Defence: Zoning the Goal Circle to Trap Attacks

Split circle defence is the system the top three NSL teams have built their identity around in 2026. The Goal Keeper and Goal Defence divide the circle into zones, switch in synchrony, and make every passing option look risky. Here is how to coach it.

June 2026

Sportplan Coaching

The 10-Minute Pre-Game Mental Routine for Shooters

Most netball shooters know how to shoot. The difference at the top is who can shoot when it counts. A structured 10-minute pre-game mental routine is the most under-used performance tool in club netball - and it is the simplest to teach.

June 2026

Sportplan Coaching

Goal Defence Intercepting: Driving Into the Ball, Not Chasing the Player

The best Goal Defences in the 2026 NSL season are intercepting more than ever. The reason is not raw athleticism. It is a deliberate shift from chasing the attacker to driving into the flight path of the ball. Here is how to coach it.

May 2026

Sportplan Coaching

VIEW ALL COACHING TRENDS