help!!!!!!

Lee-annes NetballCoach, Australia

welcome to the world of coaching!  there are a number of tactics you could take.  some coaches prefer the softer line, me i prefer a hardline and make them run everytime they talk. (i do warn them of this rule)...they learn to shut up real quick.  but start off with a stern talk at your next session and tell them you arent here to waste your time with a bunch of kids who dont appreciate the time and effort you are putting into coaching them.  and then explain the changes you intend to impliment.  they could be each time they dont put effort in they run, each time they talk during an exercise that isnt about netball, they run.  they will not like you at first, but at least they will be too tired to talk.  and eventually they will stop talking and start working, as running and not playing isnt so much fun as doing stuff with a ball.  this may not make you popular, at first, and it will be tough, but they will like it when they start to play better because they are putting in effort.  sometimes it just takes a lot of effort from you to shock them into doing it.

as for their skill, this is something you will have to be on at them constantly.  make sure you are talking to them throughout the game, but at training you could play games that they score points for defending a pass correctly, and lose if they dont.  gain points for getting the ball down the court with no footwork errors, games where you arent allowed to pass unless the player is in front.  you can turn everything into a game in the end.  

good luck.

Netball CoachCoach

oh i understand how you feel. its very hard. i coach an under 15's side and gosh it must be the age group.

i know that with my lot of girls, i need to be tougher and more strict. 

ive banned mobile phones from training they go in our drink holder or my pocket and i give them back after training is over.

runners most be worn

training gear must be worn...ie tracky pants etc....would not believe what some showed up in lol

tell them if they wanna chat do it at school and not at training

i asked my parents what they thought may work....

good luck

coach Coach, Australia

thanx again for ur understanding.. it should work.  and ur lovely feed back

Netball CoachCoach

If you are too hard on the girls they won't enjoy your company or the training session and nothing is harder than motivating girls who don't want to be there!

When my girls go for a drink I have them walk the length of the court and back.  While they are walking they are free to chat but when they get back to the base line they need to switch back into training mode. I have found that a little give goes a long way.  After all, most of the girls enjoy the social side of the game as much as the game itself.

I have introduced recently that whenever they walk/jog/side step etc down the court they must all go at the same pace and form a relatively straight line accross the court.  This encourages them all to work together and when they drink it is no diffrent so the drink break doesn't go on all night.

Good luck