Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

AIBU?

Netball any coaches out there?

19 replies

netballcrazy · 23/09/2014 16:12

Will try to be brief.

Daughter (aged 10) loves netball but small for her age (fits in size 7-8 clothing). She is quick and very fast over both short and long distances, good at jumping in to get the ball, etc . Coach has put her as goal defence. Played centre or wing attack last year. No explanation of why change just told to play GD (GA and GS both well advanced and TALL (5'3")).

Apart from being quite comical (GS rests her chin on my DD's head) I just don't understand this? She loves the game but has been put in a position where she just stands there and has no hope of getting her hands on the ball. Little chance to get in the game and apart from being demoralising

There may be a side issue with her coach in effect "punishing" DD2 as DD1 had major issues which meant that she had to leave the club as she was so unhappy/marginalised out. Coach known to have her favourites to the disadvantage of the other club members.

Any advice from coaches out there.

OP posts:

Report

Nelly7890 · 23/09/2014 16:18

Does she play netball or high 5?

Report

moxon · 23/09/2014 16:22

Ooh netball!
Sounds as if she is better suited to C/WD/WA but perhaps the coach sees potential in GD? It's a tough position so maybe telhe coach is trying to familiarise her early? Is she likely to shoot up fast (ie is the family generally taller?) or will she probably stay compact? If the latter, then I would ask for her to be moved back? Otherwise it will just be demoralising.
(IMO GD and WD are the toughest and least appreciated positions in court. I play neither or those BTW!)

Report

Elisheva · 23/09/2014 16:23

GD is a brilliant position and requires a whole range of skills. She shouldn't ever be just standing there, and height isn't the be all for successful defence, maybe slightly more for GK, but not GD. You need to help her explore the potential of the position and how key it is.

Report

Almostfifty · 23/09/2014 16:27

GD go into two parts of the court, rather than GK which do just one.

It's usually a position where faster runners do very well, they have to be able to get back to the circle very quickly.

Height isn't everything.

Report

MaidOfStars · 23/09/2014 16:32

GD will work more frequently as a positional blocker than as a height barrier to goals. She can try to focus on getting behind her GA (so she'll need to be quick and nippy) and keeping her out of the circle or as far away from the net as possible (so she needs to get in her way; again, it requires speed and good footwork).

GD will also usually be the go-to person in the centre third during an attack phase, both to drive the ball forward and to present opportunities for a reverse pass if the attack gets bogged down.

It is a really strong position to play, the equivalent of a John Terry directing everything that goes on ahead of play. Height is less crucial than you might think.

Report

Ladytron · 23/09/2014 16:34

Advise her to use her speed and agility to block the GA and keep her out of the circle.

Report

Ladytron · 23/09/2014 16:35

Xpost with Maid !

Report

moxon · 23/09/2014 16:38

I agree with everything that the pps said about speed and blocking. But she is only ten and a lot of play at that age is 'about shooting goals' and 'defending goals' (depending on the coach's attitude of course). It would be awful if she feels she can't do the job of 'preventing the GA from getting it into the goal' properly if that is what is being deemed important at her level/school, and gets demoralised! :(

Report

Ihatemytoes · 23/09/2014 16:39

I'm not a coach but I play a lot of netball. Our GD is 5' 0". She gets loads of interceptions because she's so quick, she's also excellent at supporting the attack when needed. Height is irrelevant if you're good enough.

Report

netballcrazy · 23/09/2014 16:41

gosh thanks for the quick responses

height is not something we are blessed with as a family. she will be lucky to reach the dizzy heights of 5'2" (based on her exceeding me!)

sorry got my positions mixed up she is GK (only in the back third and goal half circle). can't go into the middle third.

will tell her to keep it up and see how it goes over the next few weeks. may get DH to query it in his "ohh I don't really understand netball" way rather than me going in as an interfering mother!

OP posts:

Report

moxon · 23/09/2014 16:42

BTW, at higher levels GD, like GA, are more often than not very average in height.

Report

Enb76 · 23/09/2014 16:42

You don't need height to be a GD. A good GD can read the game so she knows where the ball will be coming into the GA. It's also her job to keep the GA out of the shooting circle and most GA's are quick which means a GD needs to be quick too and be able to work co-operatively in the circle with the GK. Not only that but she's also a link between defence and centre court. Games are lost and won at the defensive end of the court. I am possibly biased.

Report

MaidOfStars · 23/09/2014 16:46

Ah, GK is possibly the wrong position for her then. Along with GS, they are usually the tallest on the team. And it's a position that doesn't rely as much on speed as the other positions do.

Do you go to practice?

Report

whois · 23/09/2014 16:48

Height is not everything for GD. Being fast, good at blocking and holding space is useful. And being good at jumping up for rebounds etc means shorter girls aren't at such a big disadvantage. Work on her 'lean' as well when the GA is shooting.

Report

whois · 23/09/2014 16:49

Oh I've just seen that you've said she's GK. That's not as suitable really, shame.

Report

Enb76 · 23/09/2014 16:51

If she's GK then height is more of an issue. Is she quite vocal? I'm GK so I can see what's happening during the game and tell other people where it's likely that the ball will go, keep the GD informed as to where I am, etc... I'm also the one who takes back line passes and intercepts balls coming into the GS. I am tall but not massively. I rely more on stopping the GS from ever being in a position where other players feel comfortable passing to her. I can also jump like a cricket.

Report

Enb76 · 23/09/2014 16:53

Is this an out of school activity? If so, I'd probably move her to another club.

Report

moxon · 23/09/2014 16:58

GK doesn't sound right then, especially if she is unlikely to get tall as a teenager. Oh dear. Good luck with talking to the coach! (in lieu of a netball ball)

Report

netballcrazy · 23/09/2014 17:38

thanks everyone.

she is and will always be challenged on the height side (ie she is blessed with my short genes but as i say good things come in small packages)

GK just didn't seem right to me. I have watched enough netball now to just about follow what everyone is supposed to be doing but I'm no expert.

i try to let her get on with it and don't watch the whole session (just the last 10 mins). not actively encouraged or discouraged to watch. will try to get to this week's session.

my feeling is that club has got too big in the last year, they are victims of their own success and have started to believe their own PR a little too much. The session coach is only in her early 20s and the head coach can't be there every session to monitor what is going on. it's a shame as the club had a lovely feel to it originally.

Will speak to her PE teacher at school as see what she says but at the end of the day I do object to paying good money for her to get little meaningful playing time and not develop her skills.