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Chest pass or shoulder pass

I coach 10 and 11 year olds that need quite a bit of work. They still need to build their upper body strength and passing accuracy. I am teaching them to use chest passes as the pass that they should use the majority of the time and use shoulder passes for longer range passes. I find that their shoulder passes are weak and not accurate, but something we are working on progressively. We have an umpire that constantly yells at the kids and demands that they use shoulder passes all of the time and has told me that I am coaching them wrong and that I don't know what I am doing. What are your thoughts on this? I do the best I can as a volunteer coach.

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2 answers

ANSWERS

Janet Coach, Australia

Umpire yelling at the players and interfering with your coaching??? Umpires are not allowed to coach players during a game in any way shape or form - completely out of order and against the rules. If you are not too sure of throwing techniques, you can buy or borrow coaching books to help you learn or get help from other coaches in your club. It is great that you are volunteering your time and we coaches should be open to receiving feedback from the right people at an appropriate time but this does seem to be completely out of order. Get your control back by asking her to stick to the umpiring and refrain from "oaching".

Lee-annes NetballCoach, Australia

very out of line for an umpire to be saying that to you. good on you for stepping up and giving it a go. regardless of of what or how you are coaching them, it is still a lot better than no one doing it. i got a bunch of books out and read and that helped a lot, and i am someone who has played most of my life. there is always things to learn when it comes to coaching. my advise is to think about the things you do know how to coach, and make sure they are doing those things perfectly, and you work on getting your head around the things you are not clear on by reading, getting another coach to help mentor you, watch ANZ games, or sit in on with another coach you admire to get tips and ideas. youre doing great.