Session Six...Includes: Team drill, Ball skills and Control, timing and concentration

WARM-UP: KNEE Program: Even out a long opposite side lines, split evenly facing each other, (adjust any of the warm-ups to how you would like and refer to the KNEE Program website it the Warm-up section in this blog!) Please ensure that you are teaching correct technique. There are manuals and videos on the KNEE Program site that will show you how to do the warm-up properly.

• Jog forward to opposite side line, then return backwards x2
• High knees to opposite side line & return x1
• High knee march, swinging opposite arm to opposite leg, to opposite sideline & return x1
• Heal flicks to opposite side line & return x1
• Side step x4 then squat to opposite side line & return (facing the same way) x1
• Forward and backward shuffle over the line, head up, eyes forward x10 leading with Left then sprint to opposite sideline
• Forward and backward shuffle over the line, head up, eyes forward x10 leading with Right then sprint to opposite sideline
• Lateral Shuffle, 2 steps forward, 1 step left, 1 step right, head up, eyes up, to opposite sideline & return doing backwards (2 steps backwards, 1 step right, 1 step left) x1
• Forward bound, all the way through to opposite sideline & return x1
• Walking lunge -dropping knee down with no step in between to halfway, Change to Walking lunge - straight leg (keep back leg straight) with no step in between and through to opposite sideline x1
• Walking forward, place foot flat on ground and bend back leg slightly, bend down and sweep arms back and forth, take two steps and repeat to halfway, continue doing same stretch but pointed the toe of straight leg up, take two steps and repeat through to opposite sideline x1
• Bring leg up onto knee and squat down, hold for 3 seconds and balance, take two steps and repeat to halfway, change to pulling your leg behind and to bottom and hold - while going up onto your toe and putting up your opposite arm, take two steps out and repeat to opposite sideline x1
• Stationary Squats, feet shoulder width apart, bend through hips and knees, make sure knees do not go over toes, sit backwards x12
• Jump & land single leg - Jump onto single leg with knee bent, straighten knee and then put leg down, step back & repeat x6 each leg
• Jump & land double leg - Jump onto double leg, step back & repeat x6
• Fast feet and accelerate, decelerate at half way and to the other line x2
• Fast feet and sprint to half way, change direction and back to line, when changing direction make sure hips are facing the way you want to go, turning quickly and taking off when body isn't straight can cause knee injuries. X2

• In your teams, split into even groups and line up behind transverse line
• This is a race and it's to work on getting players to work nice and close around the body and quick footwork and will incorporate a bit of sprinting (acceleration) and change of direction
• The back player is going to work really quickly and tight around the body of her team mates working in between (in and out) until they get to the front
• Once they reach the front player will sprint to the opposite transverse line and back again and stand at the front of the line. (team to shuffle back while player is sprinting)
• Next person at the back is to repeat until all players have been through
• Players should keep the gaps between them as small as possible to challenge their teammates to work closely around their bodies
• Once teams have been through a couple of rotations of working forwards turn them around so they are facing backwards.
• The player is now going to work backwards between team mates.
• On backwards movements players are to move as though they are doing a defensive slide, they should aim to keep eyes slightly forward while turning their shoulders slightly, in order to see their teammate behind them but also see back up the court
• When the player reaches the front they are to turn and sprint to the opposite transverse line and back and stand at the front of the line. (team to shuffle back while player is sprinting)
• Once teams have been through a couple of rotations of backwards, players are to face forward again and they are going to do both forwards and backwards
• Player is to do forward movements and then when they get to the front of the line they will go around their team mate then do the backwards movements
• When they reach the back of the line they are to sprint to opposite transverse line and back and stand at the back of the line and the next person will repeat and work forward around the front two players and back around the rest and finish in her spot, the next person will work forward around the front player and back around the rest and finish in her spot, the last person will work backwards first and then forward and finish back in front.

BALL SKILLS: Pair work, 1 ball: (adjust amount of passes to your age group - 50 is good for 15's and higher (also depending on skill level and you can increase this during the season)

• Chest passes - 50
• Shoulder passes - 25 (L&R) (keep the ball high)
• Bounce passes - 10 (L&R) (get the pass low, it is not to be hip height, open out, don't step across the body)
• Overhead pass - 20 aiming for above your partners head
• Lob - 5 on L, 5 on R 1 player to run in and touch the ball facing L/R and go back for a lob, don't run backward, run on the side and pull the ball in.

Partner work: Ball skill and finger control

• Players are to perform a quick sequence of passes as follows: High ball, waist-level ball, chest pass, around-the-back pass. It's all about having quick hands and improving their finger control, in order to be able to release the ball faster and more accurately on court.
• In pairs standing close together, one person working at a time
• The non-working partner needs to give the ball back nice and quickly (like its rebounding off of a wall)
• With the right hand: One handed high ball, one handed medium (shoulder level), chest pass and around the back pass - do this sequence 3 times
• With the left hand: One handed high ball, one handed medium (shoulder level), chest pass and around the back pass - do this sequence 3 times
• The ball is to be caught with two hands
• Now going to work right, left, right doing the same sequence 6 times (3 on each side)
• Take one step back and work the right side 3 times, left side three time then alternate 6 times
• For the around-the-back pass, challenge your players to find the best technique to complete it successfully. Should they stand still? Is it better to step forward? Should they turn their hips? Either way, they'll need a strong flick with the hand and fingers to get enough power to reach their partner. (do both sides) ask which is easiest and why
• Swap workers

PROGRESSION

• Group of three and two balls and 3m away from work in a triangle
• The worker will remain still while receiving a higher ball (still within reach) from the passer to their right followed by a mid-level ball from the same player. Both of these passes need to be caught, controlled and passed back quickly and accurately. The final ball is a straight pass from the player to the worker's left, which is caught and then passed back with the same "around-the-back" pass from the earlier drill.
• Work to do the sequence 3 times on the right and then three times on left
• Now receive and control each catch with one hand, rather than two, aiming good control on their fingers and an accurate flick back to the passer 3x L&R
• Now alternate passes R side, L side etc 6 times (3 on each side)
• Worker to take a step or two closer to the passers. Now the balls will be coming quicker, but it also requires even an softer and more controlled touch on each ball, so they're not flung back too hard at the passers. Alternating passes R,L,R etc 6 times (3 on each side)
• Swap over and repeat until all three have done it

Passing under fatigue - pairs, 1 ball

This drill is to work on passing accuracy when the player is fatigue. A lot of times in a game passing suffers when players get tired. This drill will help with settling the pass and making sure that it gets to the other player. Encouragement from your partner helps ( encouragement on court from teammates also on court)

• Pairs set up down the middle of the court and numbered 1 & 2
• 5 passes between the players
• After 5 passes player 1 will run to the sideline and back receiving a pass on the drive
• Repeat another 5 passes and player 2 repeats above
• Drill to continue until coach stops it
• Concentrate on technique as you start getting fatigued

Timing and Concentration - group of 4, 2 balls

Focusing on timing, communication and concentration. Ball needs to be returned with the correct technique

• Players are to be in a square and given A,B,C,D
• A & B start with the balls
• C & D swap sides by driving to each other's starting position where they will receive a pass and pass back
• C & D will then drive forward and receive a quick pass and pass back then drop back for a lob
• A & B will then repeat the passes C & D did
• Continue drill until coach stops it

Singpore drill - groups of 7, 1 ball

Focusing on strong communication skills between workers and post players, spatial awareness and quicker positioning for next play.

• Set up 5 players in a semi-circle (works well around the goal ring)
• 2 lines of workers on the transverse line (near the goal post)
• The two workers need to collectively pass to the 5 players before finishing their drill
• Once the workers pass to 1 of the post players (in semi-circle), they must drive around them, clearing the space and working together with the other worker
• If the ball is dropped or the ball is passed to the same player twice, the drill starts again
• PROGRESSION: Speed the drill up and add defenders

GAME

Work for a 15 minute quarter, if you have more time you can do two 15 minute quarters.

I like my players to work for 15 minutes as it replicates a Netball quarter.

When doing game play, make sure the players are focusing on the skills just worked on, stop the game and correct technique and set plays etc.