Netball is an exciting and fast-paced sport that requires a combination of skill, strategy, and athleticism. As a defender, your role is critical to the success of your team. You need to be able to stop the opposition from scoring while also helping your team transition from defence to attack. One way to improve your skills as a defender is by incorporating netball defence drills into your training routine. In this blog post, we’ll cover some of the best netball defence drills to help you improve your game.
1. One-on-One Defence Drill
The one-on-one defence drill is a fundamental drill that helps you work on your man-to-man marking skills. To perform this drill, you’ll need a partner and a ball. Here’s how to do it:
- Start in a defensive stance with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Your partner should stand a few feet in front of you with the ball.
- Your partner will attempt to move past you while you use your body to block their path and prevent them from getting past you.
- If your partner manages to get past you, they should take a shot at the goal.
- Repeat the drill, alternating roles with your partner.
This drill helps you work on your footwork, body positioning, and timing. It’s important to stay on your toes and anticipate your opponent’s movements to be successful.
2. Three-on-Two Defence Drill
The three-on-two defence drill is a great drill to work on your defensive transitions. To perform this drill, you’ll need two attackers and three defenders. Here’s how to do it:
- The attackers start with the ball and attempt to score a goal.
- The three defenders must work together to prevent the attackers from scoring.
- If the defenders manage to win the ball, they should quickly transition to attack and attempt to score a goal.
- If the attackers manage to score, the defenders should quickly transition back to defence and start again.
- Repeat the drill, alternating roles between attackers and defenders.
This drill helps you work on your communication, teamwork, and defensive transitions. It’s important to stay organized and communicate effectively to prevent the attackers from scoring.
3. Shadowing Drill
The shadowing drill is a great drill to work on your man-to-man marking skills. To perform this drill, you’ll need a partner and a ball. Here’s how to do it:
- Start in a defensive stance with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Your partner should stand a few feet in front of you with the ball.
- Your partner will move in different directions, and your goal is to stay close and shadow their movements.
- Your partner should try to lose you by changing direction and using their body to shield the ball.
- If your partner manages to get past you, they should take a shot at the goal.
- Repeat the drill, alternating roles with your partner.
This drill helps you work on your footwork, body positioning, and anticipation. It’s important to stay on your toes and anticipate your opponent’s movements to be successful.
4. One-on-Two Defence Drill
The one-on-two defence drill is a challenging drill that helps you work on your defensive skills in a pressured situation. To perform this drill, you’ll need two partners and a ball. Here’s how to do it:
- Start in a defensive stance with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Your two partners should stand a few feet in front of you with the ball.
- Your partners will attempt to move past you while you use your body to block their path and prevent them from getting past you.
- If your partners manage to get past you, they should take a shot at the goal.
- Repeat the drill, alternating roles with your partners.
This drill helps you work on your body positioning, communication, and teamwork. It’s important to stay focused and communicate effectively with your partner to prevent the opposition from scoring.
5. Circle Defence Drill
The circle defence drill is a great drill to work on your defensive skills in the shooting circle. To perform this drill, you’ll need a shooter, a feeder, and a defender. Here’s how to do it:
- The shooter and feeder start outside the shooting circle with the ball.
- The defender starts inside the shooting circle and must work to prevent the shooter from scoring.
- The feeder will pass the ball to the shooter, and the defender must try to intercept or deflect the pass.
- If the shooter manages to receive the ball, the defender must work to prevent them from scoring.
- Repeat the drill, alternating roles between shooter, feeder, and defender.
This drill helps you work on your intercepting, deflecting, and blocking skills in the shooting circle. It’s important to stay focused and communicate effectively with your teammates to prevent the opposition from scoring.
6. Zone Defence Drill
The zone defence drill is a great drill to work on your defensive skills as a team. To perform this drill, you’ll need two teams of seven players each. Here’s how to do it:
- One team starts with the ball and attempts to score a goal.
- The other team must work together to prevent the attackers from scoring.
- The defending team can use a zone defence, where each player is responsible for a specific area of the court.
- If the defending team manages to win the ball, they should quickly transition to attack and attempt to score a goal.
- If the attacking team manages to score, the defending team should quickly transition back to defence and start again.
- Repeat the drill, alternating roles between attacking and defending teams.
This drill helps you work on your communication, teamwork, and defensive strategies as a team. It’s important to stay organized and communicate effectively to prevent the attackers from scoring.
Tips for Successful Netball Defence
In addition to incorporating these drills into your training routine, there are some other tips and techniques that can help you become a successful netball defender. Here are some of our top tips:
- Stay on your toes and be ready to move quickly.
- Keep your eyes on the ball and your opponent.
- Use your body to block your opponent’s path.
- Communicate effectively with your teammates.
- Anticipate your opponent’s movements and be ready to intercept or deflect the ball.
- Stay focused and don’t get discouraged if your opponent manages to score.
- Practice different defensive strategies, such as man-to-man marking and zone defence.
Conclusion
Netball defence is a critical component of a successful team. By incorporating these netball defence drills into your training routine and following our tips and techniques, you can improve your skills as a defender and help your team win more games. Remember to stay focused, communicate effectively, and practice different defensive strategies to become the best defender you can be.