How to create a roster to fairly rotate a team of 10 players?

Netball CoachCoach

some points -  I have an under 11 team - I forgot how complicated this game is and sooo many rules for young girls.   I used to think it was fair to shuffle them all around so they got a turn at each different spot but they were so easily confused with just the end change that I found it was better to shuffle them around between games and at least for each half try to have them in the same position to learn it.

It is hard to work out which girl goes off as we as coaches are always tempted to play the best team.  Our decision (and there are 2 of us which helps when we have to communicate the decision as we back each other up strongly) is based on - if they turn up on time for pre-match warm up, thier behaviour on the day and their behaviour at training.

If a girl is turning up a bit late have a chat with her and her parents - do it togehter otherwise each blames the other.  Simultaneously tell the parents and child that if she is late again next week it will result in a half game only.  Also too if they are just not focussed in training - speak to parent and child at the end.

When doing that kind of talk I try to include what she does well and how much we appreciate that thing and what it brings to the team.  And next week when they show up on time tell them how proud (for U11 anyway).

With rotation I try to think about a core of strong players and then rotating other newer players so they have someone to follow eg GA very experience GS a newer girl.  When I rotate the newer girl off I coach her for where she is going back to next quarter so she can get her mind around where to be next time.

Just a few ideas - hope they help.
F

Netball CoachCoach

Hi Nadia,

My opinion is to avoid making changes where possible. If you make too many, the team loses the flow of the game and it can actually work against you. Use the 3 bench players to keep legs 'fresh'. If there is a player who is running out of puff or who is having an off game, then substitute with one of the bench players. I would aim to have 1 x defender, 1 x centre court and 1 x shooter on the bench so they all have a purpose. It might mean that for that weak, they may get 1/4, they may get more, depending on what is happening in the game. It might also mean they don't play at all, again, depending on the flow of the match. Keep swapping the bench players each week with the view to still keep the 1 x shooter, 1 x defender, 1 x centre court balance.

If it is young kids playing, then I would come up with a system that is fair and maybe have 1 or 2 players have a week off each week. The aim should be about having fun and getting time to develop skills rather than competitiveness. In this case, there are 7 players on a court, each playing 4 quarters... in total this is 28 quarters... use this number to break up court time (eg, 9 players can play 3/4 and one player each week plays a full game = 10 players). This would keep everyone involved happy. %3A)

Netball CoachCoach

I have had 10 players and if it is required to rotate the players in all different positions roate your middle WA,WD,C keep the G's in place and just swap them from one end to the other at half time. If you have a team that has set positions then i am unsure as I am int hat position with 9 players trying to keep a strong team on court is hard.

Netball CoachCoach

Hi I currently have 10 players in an Under 13 Division. Some are actually Under 12 age with 1 Under 11 and some Under 13's!! Oh and 4 players who have never played netball before!!! So they all need time on that court in order to build their skills and in 4 cases to simply learn the game!! What I have done is I have drawn up a grid and I sit at home the morning of each game and I plan out who is off and who is on the court and when. This lets me make sure that it is evenly spaced out - and that I try my hardest to keep an even balanced team on the court as best I can at all times. I also keep the plans from week to week - my thoughts were if a parent ever got upset if they felt their daughter was off more than another player than I could show them that in fact I am very fair with the amount of court time each and every girl gets. I do try and swap elements of a defence section off - so I don't take a whole defence end off just one player - and then slot another defence player in. The same in the middle section and the goal section if I can. This way I have several players in each section who have been on for a quarter and who can continue to play. But it's tricky. I cannot do it without a planner!!! Hats off to you if you can do it on the fly beside the court!! I am sure I would overlook someone!!

Netball CoachCoach

I am in the same situation and I worked out that each week two players will have to sit off two quarters. So, I am rotating the two girls that have to sit off for a half game, ensuring that I never have two strong players off at one time. I start the game with a strong team in the first quarter, sub on my weak players in second and third quarters and finish with a strong team in the last quarter. My team of under 11's range in age from 8 to 11 so I definitely do have weaker players that I have to place in my team. Even when those weaker players play a 3/4 game I will probably always finish with my strongest team. You just have to work around the skills of your girls

Netball CoachCoach

Hi

I have 10 girls and do the 1 girl has full game each week on a rotation system so everyone over the season will have a full game and everyone else has 3/4 of a game each week.This works well but you need to remember not to take 2 players off in the same area.

Gemma BlandfordCoach, Australia

Hi

I have 11 girls 6 of which played netball together last year so I have put together a roster that for the next 5 games two girls will be off and the 6th game one. What I have also done is worked out how many games for the season we have 14 multiplied that by 4 1/4's = 56 player quarters for the season 56 x 1/4 x 7 on the court = 392 on court 1/4's. 392 on court 1/4's divided by 11 team members = 36 1/4's per player 36 1/4's = 9 games per player to play so each girl will have 5 games off for the whole season so I keep a record of who played 1/2 game the week before and try to have them play 3 1/4s or a full game on and if any parent asks I can show them the distribution list of 1/4's - I have found the girls are happy with what they get to play and unfortunately it can be the parents that give you a hard time. Hope this helps.

Netball CoachCoach

Hi all, after having this same situation for the last 2 years I have found that rostering 1 player off each week works best as it leaves you with 9 players with which to rotate during the game - 2 off each quarter. The following week that player who was off plays a full game and is captain for the day - the players love this! Their parents also do the scoring for the match. Parents and players are all happy with this as each player is off only once in 10 weeks and duties are shared by the whole team! Try it!

Sharon CameronCoach, Australia

I draw a diagram like the one attached. Start each player at one of the spots they then rotate clockwise. If this week they finish at centre, next week they have the first OFF. Try to balance out the team when starting this ie stronger with weaker to help all the children improve. The advantage of this diagram is that if someone is away you just take out One OFF and continue

This drill has no description.

This drill has no description.

Netball CoachCoach

I have worked with 11 players and have 2 players have a game off each week and 2 players to interchange at half time.  It is an "older" team that takes time to settle so I find for stability and to get the "flow" on down the court that it is best for us to only change 2 players (generally one at each end or a C court) that way there is less interruption to the game. Our team struggles with playing a quarter, coming off, and then having to go back on again after a quarter off.  We are old.

Netball CoachCoach

this may or may not  be of help, there is an app for iphone called soccerdad, it allows you to arrange the subs you need by timed amounts. I know that you can only swap at each 1/4 time break, It can  allow you to place your stronger players on for more than 1 quarter or even fo the whole game. Also a manager can watch this and you as coach can actually coach.

cheers ian koch

Netball CoachCoach

I coach a team of 10 Under 17s, so they are pretty set in the poistions they play. Which means little freedom to place them in other positions. To make my job easier, I roster one off each week. To make it fair, I just go aphabetically down the team list, (or if a girl is sick/can't play, they are the rostered off player).

I also plan out the positions of the match and keep a record of who had the least amount of game time so that the next week, they are given more. It's alot to keep track of and record, but I find that with 17y/o girls, they get focused on how much court time they get, rather than the team work involved in playing a cohesive match.  

Netball CoachCoach

I have 3 teams of adults and we have our own facebook page. One of the teams has 12 players as its a weeknight comp and frequently child care or work commitments make them unavailable. The game times are always posted in advance and it actually sorts itself out. All I have to do is keep an eye on the page to make sure we have 8 coming on the night.

Its great, gone are the days where I get last minute texts with people pulling out - or the other end where all 12 turn up and everyone's crabby because they only play half a game.

Lee-annes NetballCoach, Australia

hi

i had this issue with my 14yr olds last year and after just trying to rotate on a fair basis, i found that the kids become confused about this positions, and the team became weaker on each rotation, so my solution was this.

i picked my 3 strongest shooters, and they only shot, and they would rotate each quarter.  i picked my 3 strongest defence players and did the same as the shooters.  then i picked my 4 strongest center players and they would rotate off as well.  basically everyone had 2 positions they could play and that is all they played.

in doing this out of the next 8 games we only lost 1.  and that was the grandfinal.  it isnt completely fair, but it was the fairest i could make it.  i also chose the games in which the strongest shooters or defence came off for half a game.  it worked for us.

Netball CoachCoach

ok so i have read ppl saying they have 10 players and have 1 play a full and the rest 3/4 i can not work out how that can happen as you need 3 off each 1/4 how can u do that evenly?

Netball CoachCoach

bonny - I think that example may actually be for 9 players.  I have 10 and the fairest way to split it is 8 have 3/4 and 2 have 1/2 a game.

Netball CoachCoach

Hi, I have a team of 9 year 8s (u13). I have them grouped as goalies, middies and defence, however the 3rd goalie is a very strong WA, and my preferred centre is a quite capable GD, if a little on the short side!  Our first competition round is 3/5 complete, and our winning margin has been in excess of 32 each time with 2 bottom of table teams to go!

I intend on playing very competitively in the next 2 rounds (rest of season), and forming 2 'teams'.  I will play a half game with each of these 'teams' with subbing options from the bench should I choose. Yes, it will mean up to 4 girls will be getting half games on a regular basis, but I have been working on a team culture from Day 1, and have lately been telling them this is the way it will be in the next round.  Until now, I have been rotating them fairly, 3/4 games each, 1 gets full game, and trying hard that the ones getting full games now are the ones who will be getting half games later!  I am lucky in that most of the half games girls are entirely capable players, with only one who has much to work on with footwork and running onto ball/getting in front.  

There was a comment on ANZ netball tonight (Pulse v Tactix) on how Pulse seldom uses its bench players, and it was justified by saying how the bench players learn much by training with the team and its professionals.  While schoolgirl netball is not the same as Pro, we need to instill a similar culture of Team, and that being part of the team, being a sub if needed, and training with that team and coach, HAS value for that player.  I'll be working very hard with my footwork girl, and giving her personal drills to practice, and it will be up to her to show me the improvement.  It will have her scheduled for a half game each time in R2 and 3, but WILL sub her out if she doesn't perform in the court.  Why sit stronger players on the bench if she is letting the team down, it's tough, but I OWE it to the others.

i too, have been taught to put strongest combinations on court first, weaker Q2 and 3, and finishing with strongest combination at end.  So far so good!

Michelle ThomasCoach, Australia

I have also struggled with 10 girls 3 very strong 2 that a new to the game and the rest are all good we lost our first game last week being the semi final I blame my self as I was trying to be fair to all girls and had far to many changes which unbalanced the team.The stronger girls became very frustrated I have a second chance this week but what do I do I didn't think coaching u/13 would b that hard.

Netball CoachCoach

I understand that frustration Michelle, it's hard to be fair AND competitive.  I thought I had all the answers in educating my team my thought processes, however had anarchy from a MOTHER which causes me to prompt everyone - Communicate your plan with everyone, including parents!  Enjoy up Your final games!

John BrennanCoach, Australia

Groom your players so that you have 3 shooters, 4 mid-court players, and 3 defenders.

Bench one player from each group each week but let that player play for a half in that week.

Each week rotate your bench players.

With the mid-court, you may choose that each player plays three quarters.

Eleanor DurrPlayer, England

Hi,

We have now created a roster for 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 players. You can find this on the netball home page under the extras section.

Hope this helps.

Andrew ExleyCoach, Australia

I found a great app to use that will help auto generate your rosters and also keep track of performance of each roster and how it does in the quarter. You can change inputs as far as rotating players through each position or locking in or out players from certain positions. Check out [link will be reviewed]