Week 3 - Netball

Activity 1 - Interceptor

Equipment: 1 netball per group

How to play: Two players pass a ball to one another. An opponent between the two players attempts to intercept the ball. Players change roles frequently.

• Divide the players into groups of 3.

• Each group chooses an interceptor – the other 2 are passers. The interceptor must stay on the line.

• The 2 passers try to keep possession of the ball.

• The interceptor tries to touch or catch the ball.

• Rotate roles – after an agreed number of games, one of the passers becomes the interceptor. Alternatively, every time the interceptor touches or catches the ball, a point is scored.

• The player with the ball cannot move.

• Players must use a different type of pass each time, eg. overhead, lob, shoulder, bounce.

Activity 2 - Leading defender 

Equipment: 1 netball per team, markers or tape to identify a starting line, midway line and turning point. 

How to play: Players attempt to move the distance of 1.2 metres in a defensive position. The player who does this the quickest becomes the leading defender. 

• Players line up along a line. 

• Face the group — the first person on your right is the leading defender. 

• Tell the group who is the leading defender. 

• Explain the action you want to see (defending a wide pass, high pass, bounce pass, shot). 

• When you call ‘Defend the pass!’, players must get back 1.2 metres and put their hands up to defend. 

• If a player is slower than the person on their right (your left), they move down one spot. 

• The aim is to be the quickest and become the leading defender. 

Activity 3 - Pass and run

Equipment: 1 netball per pair, 8 cones to designate interceptors’ narrow zones

How to play: Runners run in parallel down opposite sides of the court passing the ball to each other. Interceptors try to intercept the ball but are restricted in their movements. Interceptors can only run up and down their designated line as shown. 8 or more players per group.

• Start - arrange players as shown. Runners start...

• Play for a set period (e.g. 2 minutes) or a set number of points (e.g. 8) before rotating roles.

• Runners pass, catch and run with the ball as they try to get to the other end of the court.

• Runners then jog around the outside of the court back to the start. Start the second pair of runners as the first pair approaches the end of the court.

• Interceptors (defenders) try to intercept the ball (no contact or tagging) and can only move sideways along their line as shown.

• Return ball to the nearest runner after intercepting.

It's time for competition!

Teams compete against each other in the game outlined below. You can use the 'Netball draw' as a guide to organise the competition, across the 4 sessions try to ensure each team has a fair number of games. 

Allocate 3 points for a win, 2 points for a drawer and 1 point for a loss for each game played. Record results and points in the School sport program results spreadsheet.

Remember, to give students an update of the leader board each week.

Game 1 - End to end

Equipment: 1 netball per game, bibs or sashes to identify teams

How to play: Players from 2 opposing teams are paired off and spread the length of the court. On a signal, the player with the ball at one end passes the ball to a team-mate in the next zone. This continues until a goal is scored at the other end.

• Form 2 even teams, one with bibs.

• Players pair up with a member of the opposing team.

• Players distribute themselves in pairs – one pair in each goal area and the other pairs evenly distributed across the zones.

• The goal defender of the attacking team starts with the ball.

• The ball must be passed to a team member in each zone.

• Defenders try to intercept the ball.

• The goal scorer (attacking player) is the only player who can shoot for a goal. Rotate this position after each goal is scored.

• No running with the ball.