13/15YRS SEASON STARTER 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. The players should have already learnt these skills in the earlier years of training.
Before you move on to more challenging and advanced 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 – court use
- Bounce passes
- Outlet passes
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
- Rolls – half, roll and cut back
- Attack – finding the defence body
- Rolls – roll off defence
- Court structures
- Reseting
- Playing down the clock
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.
- Dictating
- Square defence
- Zone defence
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.
- Split circle defence
- Square defence
Communication with 13/15yrs
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
FINAL TIPS
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
14/15’s
The truth…….
This is the age where there can be a big skill difference. At this age players may either be playing for rep purposes or socially and enjoyment. Identify what type of a team you have and build your plan from there.
Soically – players are not overly eager for development, they are their to enjoy their time with their friends in a sport they love, so may not respond well to a program that is tough and regimented.
Competitive – they are there to compete and are looking for challenges and goals to reach.
ARTICLE WRITTEN BY KAT DAHL
ELEVATE CEO
COMMUNITY NETBALL EXPERT
