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JOIN NOWIdeas to defend an over head pass?
My WD has worked hard on getting her placement so when the ball is feeding into the circle, she is keeping her WA away and to the side, generally the WA is fed an overhead ball heading towards the the back corner. The WD knows what pass is coming, and it's placement, she feels confident she could challenge more, so need some drills to practise holding her player, but then moving round her opponent at the last moment to try and go for the ball as well as holding.
Susan DonaldCoach, England
ANSWERS
Lee-annes NetballCoach, Australia
this is always a tough pass due to limited space. its also a tough pass to actually intercept, rather than deflect (normally off court) but if you have a definite pass that you want to intercept, then keep setting that pass up, until she finds the right foot work to keep her player confined and yet ready to intercept a pass. im assuming her stance is already side on, one foot behind her player with her back to the majority of the court. you can try and stop her movement backwards by immedicately that she spots the pass get behind her player to stop her from going back to where the pass is being sent to, and then contest the pass from behind. the australian diamonds are very good and getting the ball intercepted from behind, but it takes a lot of practise to jump up higher than your player (who is normally flat footed expecting to just catch the ball above their head), and reach over them to take the ball before they catch it. the downside, is that unless she are VERY skilled, she will probably contact her player on the way down. but it is doerable if she practises practises practises. the other is that if the pass to the WA is more like a lob, getting in behind her player to block her movement would allow her to get the pass or at least a contact call so therefore the ball. the third option is all a matter of timing. if she is in the corner of the circle, she can always try and either leap across the corner of the circle landing behind the baseline, and while mid air either batting the ball out, or be able to bat or pass the ball to one of her on court players. very risky, but can be done.
just remember once she has intercepted a couple of times, they will probably stop doing it, and come up with another plan.
if i were her (and im still guessing what the pass is to this WA), id be going for the move to the behind position defend the WA and then take the lob. you can practise this with all your team, particularly your players who play in both ends of the circle.
hope that helps.
Susan DonaldCoach, England
Thank you, will try these options at training. The player is nearly there with the positioning, and going for contact, but feels she has a good chance that with practise she could get the pass. Will see how it goes.
