Defensive drills
Enhance defensive skills in netball players through a comprehensive lesson plan focusing on strategies, techniques, and drills to improve interception, shot-blocking, and overall defensive play in a 1-hour session.
Lesson Overview
Welcome to today's lesson where we will be diving into the world of defensive drills in the exciting realm of netball. Our aim is to enhance the defensive skills of our players through a series of engaging activities and strategies. Throughout this 1-hour session, we will be focusing on various defensive techniques to improve players' abilities to intercept passes, block shots, and defend against opponents effectively. By incorporating warm-up exercises, skill-building activities, and game-like scenarios, we aim to provide a comprehensive training experience that caters to players of different skill levels. Through this session, we will emphasize the importance of teamwork, communication, and quick decision-making to elevate our defensive game in the realm of netball.
Key Objectives
- Focus on teaching fundamental defensive strategies and techniques
- Emphasize the importance of safety during drills and game-like scenarios
- Prepare different skill-building activities to cater to players of varying skill levels
- Encourage teamwork, communication, and quick decision-making among players
- Incorporate a thorough warm-up routine to prevent injuries and prepare players for the session
- Provide feedback and positive reinforcement throughout the lesson to motivate players
Equipment required:
- Netball court with goal posts
- Netballs
- Cones or markers for drills and game setups
- Bibs or jerseys to differentiate teams
- Whistle for the instructor
- First aid kit for any potential injuries
Warm-up Exercises
Defensive Techniques Overview
Defensive Techniques Overview
In this part of the lesson, we will introduce and demonstrate key defensive techniques essential for effective defense in netball. These techniques include marking, shadowing, and intercepting passes, which are fundamental skills that all players need to master to excel in defensive play.
Drill: Intercepting Passes
During this drill, players will focus on improving their ability to intercept passes from opponents. Intercepting passes is a crucial defensive skill that requires good timing, positioning, and anticipation of the game.
Set up a practice scenario where players work on reading the game, positioning themselves effectively to intercept passes, and timing their movements to disrupt the opponent's play.
Emphasize the importance of quick decision-making and communication among players to coordinate their defensive efforts and create turnovers.
Provide feedback and guidance to help players enhance their interception skills and understand the strategic aspects of defensive play.
Drill: Blocking Shots
Engage players in a drill that simulates blocking shots on goal, emphasizing footwork, timing, and hand-eye coordination to prevent opponents from scoring.
- Problem: The goal shooter is attempting a shot from close range. The defender is standing a few feet away. How can the defender effectively block the shot without fouling?
Answer: The defender should stay on their toes, maintain a proper distance, and raise their arms straight up to block the shot without making contact. - Problem: The opposition's goal attack is a strong long-range shooter. How can the defending team adjust their tactics to block these shots effectively?
Answer: The defending team can apply more pressure on the goal attack by closing the distance quickly, moving sideways to block the shooting line, and contesting the shot by jumping up when the ball is released. - Problem: During a fast break, the opposing team's goal shooter is sprinting towards the goal post for a shot. How should the defender position themselves to block the shot effectively?
Answer: The defender should anticipate the shooter's movement, position themselves between the shooter and the goal post, and use quick footwork to stay in front and challenge the shot. - Problem: The goal shooter is consistently faking shots to throw off the defender. How can the defender maintain focus and effectively block the shot?
Answer: The defender should focus on the shooter's body movements rather than the ball, stay balanced to react quickly to changes in direction, and only contest the shot when they are sure it's being taken. - Problem: The opposition's goal shooter has a height advantage over the defender. How can the defender compensate for this difference and still block shots effectively?
Answer: The defender can use their agility and speed to outmaneuver the taller shooter, focus on disrupting the shooter's shooting rhythm, and aim to block shots by jumping at the right moment. - Problem: The goal shooter is known for their accurate mid-range shots. How can the defender anticipate and block these shots effectively?
Answer: The defender should study the shooter's shooting patterns, position themselves to cut off passing lanes, and apply pressure to force the shooter into taking rushed or off-balance shots. - Problem: The opposition's goal shooter is adept at drawing fouls from defenders. How can the defender maintain discipline while still effectively blocking shots?
Answer: The defender should focus on maintaining a legal defensive position, avoid unnecessary physical contact, and rely on quick reflexes and positioning to block shots without resorting to fouling. - Problem: The goal shooter is using quick feints and changes of direction to confuse the defender. How can the defender stay ahead of these movements to block shots effectively?
Answer: The defender should stay patient, watch the shooter's hips for cues on their next move, and react decisively to the actual shot attempt rather than the feints. - Problem: The opposition's goal shooter is taking advantage of rebounds to score points. How can the defender position themselves to prevent easy put-backs?
Answer: The defender should box out the shooter to limit their access to rebounds, anticipate the flight of the ball off the rim, and be ready to jump for the ball to secure possession and prevent follow-up shots. - Problem: The goal shooter is using screens set by teammates to create open shooting opportunities. How can the defender navigate these screens to block shots effectively?
Answer: The defender should communicate with teammates to switch or hedge on screens, position themselves to go around or under screens, and close out on the shooter quickly to contest shots even after navigating the screen.
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Game 1: Block and Go
Players work in pairs, one as the shooter and the other as the defender.
The shooter attempts to score while the defender tries to block the shot.
After each block, the roles switch.
Rotate pairs after a set time limit.
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Game 2: Block Relay
Divide players into two teams and set up two shooting lines and two defending lines.
The shooter from each team takes turns shooting while the defenders try to block the shots.
Once a block is made, the defender passes the ball to the next shooter in line.
The team with the most successful blocks wins.
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Game 3: Block and Score
Create a shooting zone and a defending zone.
Players pair up, with one as the shooter and the other as the defender.
The shooter attempts to score while the defender tries to block the shot.
If the defender successfully blocks the shot, they get a point.
If the shooter scores, they get a point.
Rotate roles after each attempt and keep score to determine the winner.
Game-Like Scenarios
Create game-like scenarios where players apply defensive strategies and techniques in a realistic setting, encouraging them to communicate, collaborate, and make quick decisions under pressure.