11/12YRS SEASON GUIDE
What skills should this age group be learning over the season?
Below is a CORE skill list this age group will need to perform well, at speed, under fatigue and under pressure and in match situations.
Before you move on to more challenging skills, (core development skills) your whole team needs to be able to perform these core foundation skills as first priority.
To check if your team can perform the foundation core skills under all the elements, create an skill checker session for one of your training sessions where you simply move through these activities quite quick and make note on the players technique ect.
Core foundation Footwork
- Body angle – hips
- How to catch – stationary without stepping
- How to catch running to the ball, under pressure, under fatigue, at speed, at different heights using the 1/2 movement to catch without stepping
- Pivots – well, under pressure, under fatigue, at speed
- Change of direction – strong push off focus on
Core development footwork skills
- Advanced pivots (turning in air to face down court)
- Inside pivots
- Quick decision making on which pivot to use depending on what is happening on court.
CORE foundation Passing
Chest pass – technique, ball speed, quick decision making
Shoulder pass – technique, ball speed, quick decision making
Overhead pass – technique, ball speed, quick decision making
Pass on extension – STARTER LEVEL, technique, ball speed, quick decision making
Core development passing skills
- Pass on extension ALL angles, well, at speed, under fatigue, under pressure and during match play.
- Lob passes (used for ball entry into the circle)
- Bounce passes (used for goal circle)
Core foundation space on court and attack
- Creating space – run in and clear out
Creating space – channels
- Positioning as the ball comes down court – who should stand where
- Coming forward – light prelims
- Linking up down court
Core development space on court and attack
- Prelims – working on zero phase.
- Leads – lead and drop, split,
- Front and back cut
- Change of direction using front or back cuts
- Using channels in centre pass, 1st and second phase
- Clear and drive
- 2 leads to the ball
Core foundation Defence
- Tracking
- Ball pressure
- Intercepts – through the space, reading play.
- Efficient 3 feet recovery, ball pressure.
Core development defence
- Deny space
- Defence centre pass – hold high
- Defend your oppositions pass, deny the lead forward and hold the player up.
- Intercepts – outside and 2 hands
- Open and closed in the goal circle and through the court.
Core foundation shooting
- Technique – above head
- Rebounds
- Circle leads – in and out simple movements
Core development shooting
- Circle rotations
- Leads/pop
- Back line throw in positioning,
- 2 on one defence positioning
- Refeed
- Body positioning – hold
- Rolls – half roll, roll and cut back, roll off a defence
Core foundation circle defence
- Tracking – staying with the shooter
- Rebounds
Core development defence
- Box out
- Back line throw
- Open / closed
- Defend a tall shooter
- Lean over the shot
- Body position on shooters
- Deny space, circle entry
- Deny space transition from front to back.
Communication with 11/12 years
Training
Starting the session
- Talk about the previous game and what you are proud they did.
- Ask – does anyone think we could do anything a little better?
- OR Relate what you are going to teach that day to something on the previous game or game situations so they can link the skills to the game.
Teaching a skill
- Keep coach points, short and sweet and not complicated.
- Make a connection between the skill and the game.
For example – Coming forward and clearing is the skill you are teaching.
Ask;
- What happens if we all run forward for the ball? Answer is bunching
- Can the passer see a free person to pass to?? Answer is no
- What would happen if you run in to get a pass, count to one and don’t get the ball, then run back out to a free space? Do you think that would make it easy for the passer to see someone who is free to throw to? Answer yes.
These questions create links between skills learnt and match play.
Match day
Pregame
- Set goals as a team or individual
- Remind the players of what skills you want to see on court (only give them 2/3 max)
Half time
- Check in re goals
- Address any major issues but don’t address to many – choose a big one ect
- Talk about the positives more than any negatives
- Remind them of the certain things they are doing well.
End game
- Tell them what you are proud of (no matter the score) either individually or as a team
- Don’t talk about the negatives – address these at training
Communication with parents
- Explain how you will work game rotations for the season
- Explain your coach style
- Discuss what your expectations are for both game day and training
- Set up a process of communication – set up a group chat ect , issues process
- What your goals are for the team by the end of the season – pivots, ect
Training session engagement
Knowing how to get this age groups attention will be important and it will be even more important to KEEP it for the entire session.
Calling for attention
- You NEED a Whistle – if you blow it, tell everyone they must freeze.
- If you are talking, no one else is otherwise the group does laps around the court.
Training skills
Create small group activities to keep everyone moving and getting the maxim movements and ball touches.
For example: If there is a passer, an attack and defence in an activities and you have 9 players at training set up 3 groups of 3.
Create challenges
Creating challenges provides engagement for players.
For example;
- How many passes can you do in 2 min
- How many intercepts can you get in 2 min
Set goals for the players to work towards
Create activities that stretch players and push them out of their comfort zone.
For example;
- Intercepts – stretch the distance they have to move to attempt the intercept.
Lastly – The coach should NEVER pass.
If the coach is passing and has a long line of players waiting to have a turn – their is no engagement and players does not focus on the skill.
FINAL THOUGHTS
10’s / 11’s
The truth….
This is the age their starts to be some skill difference. Some players start to develop their skill set quicker than others and it can be a tough age to coach because if this. This means these players may get bored with the training content and will be required to be stretched.
- Setting challenge’s will help players stay engaged and stretch players.
- Create goals within the activity for certain players to reach
General behaviour rules
- Talk when you are talking – 4 shuttle runs
- When you blow the whistle – every freezes
- Encouragement only for fellow team members both at training and match day
12/13’s
The truth……
Players are now making rep team, players are now missing out on rep teams, players are showing signs of elevated development over other players and there can be rifts (spoken or unspoken) within the team because of the different stages of development and maturity.
Identify where these rifts or different skills levels may be within the team and build a plan that will ensure EACH player is always learning, being challenged and stretched at each training.
General behaviour rule
- NO talking when you are talking – 50 otherwise laps around the court
- When you blow the whistle – every freezes
- Encouragement only for fellow team members both at training and match day
Article written by Kat Dahl
Elevate CEO
Community netball expert
