goal keeper

Netball CoachCoach

Mark side on, shoulder blade and side of arm facing their opponent, this way they can watch the ball and their opponent more closely.

Netball CoachCoach

Encourage them to get thweir feet moving as until this happens intercepting the ball will be difficult for them. Have them coming around stationary player and timing the release of the ball from passer and go hard into the pass with out side arm deflecting the ball away if necessary. Increase tempo by making stationary player move and then increase until defender and attacker are working at full pace.

Lee-annes NetballCoach, Australia

there are 3 types of basic defence.  front on (ie GK stands in front of their opponent facing the ball), side on (as explained above) and from behind.  each have their strengths and weakness.  for me, the very basics of learning defence is from the front on stance.  less chance of them contacting the player as they go for the ball.  so you basically play shadow games where the person behind (use one of the mums if you want) to just move side to side and have that person follow them.  very predictable but good at teaching them to get moving.  the next start to introduce a pass.  even tell them where you are going to pass it to.  make it predictable so they can feel what its like to follow their player and see a pass coming.  there are numerous drills in teaching perifferal vision strengthening too on the net.  but as said about its all about getting their feet moving.  dont forget to teach them what to do if they dont get the intercept and how they now have to get their feet around to the front and defend the shot. (funny thing is, this is exactly what i was teaching one of my girls tonight, and she is just starting to learn about GK). 

Netball CoachCoach

I agree with Lee-anne. I teach front defence as the primary defence style and side and back defence comes second to these.

To teach front defence you can do lots of shadow style defence drills, as adviced can be found on the net or ask you coaching convenor to provide you with some. My favourite circle defence drill for front defence - I call it Beat the Ball. Have feeders around the edge of the circle, use up to 5. Have a shooter and defender inside the circle. The defender is to stand infront of the shooter. I tell the girls the their belly buttons must be in line with the ball, this insures that they are square on to the ball. The feeders pass the ball around the circle, in any order, but they cannot pass to the person next to them. The defender must decide where the ball is going and move their feet and have front position to the person that is catching the ball. I have found this works very well as new circle defenders tend to watch the ball move around the edge of the circle, but dont move until the ball has been caught by the reciever!

BUT most importantly you need to work on their footwork. This is the key! You can make up some footwork drills with cones/markers or again get them off the net/coaching convenyor. Make sure they are using small feet and are not 'reaching' with their feet to get to the cones. Have them work really hard to get of the mark, working around the cones, too the cones and have cones that are close together and also far apart. Ladder drills are also really good to get their feet moving.

Footwork drills are extremely important for all players and I work them into EVERY training session I have with my teams.

good luck %3A)