File photo credit: Chris McGrath/SportSG
MASTER YOUR NETBALL TECHNIQUE (1): PASSING, SHIELDING, SHOOTING
By Yeo Han Hwee
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." – Aristotle
If you want to get better at netball, you have to practice and do a lot of drills. We have compiled some useful tips on shooting, shielding, and passing to help you improve, and take your game to the next level.
1. Shooting
In netball, only the Goal Shooter and Goal Attack are allowed to shoot, and this may only be done from the inside of the semicircle.
- You need accuracy since there is no backboard like in basketball. A proper stance is the key. Stand with your hips and feet about shoulder width apart, for balance and stability.
- Keep your dominant hand behind and under the ball, with your fingers bent, and cradle it with your fingertips. Your other hand should be on the side to keep it stable. This way, you will give the ball extra boost and spin.
- Your arms and hands control the direction of the ball, but real power comes from your legs. When you shoot, bend your knees, keep your back straight and your head high. Spring up, follow through with your arms and release the ball. Test how far you need to bend for the best results.
- As you are about to make your shot, focus on the back of the ring. As you release the ball, flick your wrist and use your fingers to spin the ball backwards. That way, even if it misses, it will bounce back towards you.
2. Shielding and defending
Shielding, or defending, is a very underrated skill but it is essential. Good defence prevents your opponents from scoring, and it also gives you the opportunity to gain possession of the ball!
- Think of defence as keeping the opponents from easily getting to where they want to go. For example, if a Wing Attack wants to get to the semicircle’s edge, you (as defence) will want be in the way legally. Position your body to block and delay the Wing Attack. So do lots of cardio and practice changing directions as much as possible.
- Raise your hands up and try to defend. Don’t keep them by your side. When you stop, stay on the balls of your feet, (i.e. don’t stay flat footed). This will give you additional spring and explosiveness.
- If you are a Goal Keeper or Goal Defence, you need to defend. Bend at the hips but keep your back straight. Lean in over the shot. As your opponent goes for the shot, jump (maintaining this form) and this will greatly increase your chances of tipping the ball away or intercepting it.
The 7 different netball positions:
- Goal Keeper (GK)
- Goal Defence (GD)
- Wing Defence (WD)
- Centre (C)
- Wing Attack (WA)
- Goal Attack (GA)
- Goal Shooter (GS)
3. Passing
There are 5 different types of passes – the chest pass, bounce pass, lob, overhead pass and shoulder pass. Practice drilling (both two handed and single hand) as you will definitely be using all these passes in a game.
- For a two handed chest and bounce pass, your palms and thumbs should make a “W” behind the ball. Remember to keep your elbows tucked.
- Keep your body weight distributed on both feet, with one foot slightly in front of the other. As you pass the ball, push forward with your arms but also move your body weight forward onto your front foot. This will give it extra force and momentum.
- Most of us are have a stronger, dominant part of the body. For netball, it is important to have equal strength in both halves. Do drill and exercises to strengthen yourself. That way, you will be able to pass (and catch) more accurately the ball from all angles, whether it is with one hand or two.
- You don’t require a partner to practice passing. Mark several spots on the wall with tape. Make sure they are of different heights. Stand slightly further away from the wall at different intervals and practice your one handed and two handed passes.
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FAQs
Shielding, or defending, is a very underrated skill but it is essential. Good defence prevents your opponents from scoring, and it also gives you the opportunity to gain possession of the ball! Think of defence as keeping the opponents from easily getting to where they want to go.
Which passing techniques is most commonly used in netball? ›
As the most basic and accurate pass, the chest pass is frequently used on the court and a fundamental skill for all netball positions and skill levels. This two-handed pass is primarily used for fast, short passing but is also capable of longer distances.
What are the three types of netball passes? ›
It includes reminders of 3 ways to pass the ball and 3 activities using chest pass, bounce pass and shoulder pass skills.
What are the 4 basic passes in netball? ›
Q-Chat
- Chest pass. Chest pass is when throwing a ball by gripping the ball on the sides with the thumbs directly behind the ball. ...
- Bounce Pass. A bounce pass is a short pass that enables the player to find a teammate in a crowded area. ...
- Overhead Pass. A two-handed pass that is taken from above the head. ...
- Shoulder Pass.
What is Shielding? Shielding is the process of preventing both the input and output of radiofrequency interference (RFI), electrostatic interference (ESD), or electromagnetic interference (EMI) from impacting the proper functioning of electronics.
How is shielding done? ›
This is achieved by using a metallic screen to absorb the electromagnetic interference that is being transmitted through the air. The shield effect is based on a principle used in a Faraday cage – the metallic screen completely surrounds either the sensitive electronics or the transmitting electronics.
How does shielding work? ›
Summary. Electron shielding refers to the blocking of valence shell electron attraction by the nucleus, due to the presence of inner-shell electrons. Electrons in an s orbital can shield p electrons at the same energy level because of the spherical shape of the s orbital.
What is a shooting in netball? ›
Shooting is how your team score goals in netball, by feeding the circle, getting the ball to your attackers for them to shoot and score. The more goals your team scores the better their chance of winning.
What is the quickest pass in netball? ›
A netball shoulder pass is a very dynamic pass that travels over a longer distance than other netball passes. It's also a very fast pass, and requires a strong and steady arm.
Can you jump and shoot in netball? ›
you can jump and shoot provided you release the ball prior to making contact with the ground. if you did not, this would be called a step (or travel in basketball lingo). If while jumping, and you jump and make contact with the ball or your body with the defender then it will be your contact (foul).
The ball can be passed using one hand or both hands. The methods namely the shoulder pass, high-shoulder pass, bounce pass and under arm pass can be used to pass the ball with one hand. The methods namely the chest pass, overhead pass, side pass and bounce pass can be used to pass the ball using both hands.
What is technique in passing in handball? ›
A handball pass is done by holding the ball in one hand. Right-handed players should move the left foot forward, twisting of the trunk to the right. Initially, the right arm loads backwards for the shot, then it flexes forward keeping the elbow in line with right ear.
What is passing technique in volleyball? ›
Passing in volleyball means you hit the ball at the upper body level. This is usually done to direct the ball to another teammate. This teammate for the majority of the time is the setter. You can use this move when receiving a serve from the opposing team. It can also be a dig.
What is the technique for shoulder pass in netball? ›
Place one foot in front of the other, shoulder-width apart. Remove your supporting hand and use your whole arm to propel the ball in a straight line towards your target. Use your fingers to direct the path of the ball, following through with your whole arm – all the way down to your fingertips.
