The Ultimate Netball Drills Training Guide

The off-season is a great time for netball clubs to improve players' fitness and skills without interrupting competitions. Building and maintaining this athleticism is important for the stamina and vitality you need during a netball match.  

Netball has two major skill-types: coordination and acceleration. Tailoring your off-season training to develop these skills will help improve player performance and ultimately heighten team morale. At KPI Sports we recommend building a program which follows ‘The 5S’s Of Sport’.  

• Skill  
• Speed 
• Suppleness 
• Strength  
• Stamina  

We have developed a Netball Drills Training Guide aiming to develop the two aforementioned netball skills. Include these netball drills in your off-season program to build skill progression amongst your players.  

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1. Skill (Coordination)

Technical - Passing / Catching 

• Pairs passing and catching drills for hand-eye coordination and concentration 
• TIP: Ensure your have an adequate supply of Training Netballs for each player to have multiple practices. 

Tactical - Attacking & Defending 

• 'Drive and catch' drills cover the basis for attacking movements
• 'Shadow and intercept' training will promote defenders to work in union
• TIP: Order a set of Training Bibs to practice in playing positions

2. Speed (Acceleration)

Straight - Sprinting 

• Quick accelerations down the court 
• TIP: Add Cones & Markers to trail new set-plays

Agility - 'Fake' Stepping / Pivoting 

• Changing direction should be quick and definite
• TIP: Keep players on their toes with an Agility (Speed) Ladder or Agility Poles

3. Suppleness 

Flexibility - Injury Prevention 

• Stretching post-training is essential for the prevention of serious injury

Mobility - Injury Management 

• Dynamic ankle, knee, hip and shoulder joint mobility must be included in each warm-up 

4. Strength

Power - Weighted Strength 

• Practice passing / catching with a weighted medicine ball to focus on the upper-body muscles

Endurance - Plyometric Resistance

• Body weight 'jumping' exercises including walking lunges, standing squats and single-leg box drops
• Don't neglect the core muscles! Netballers require good core stability when defending, going for a rebound or shooting a goal

5. Sustained Activity - Aerobic (Cardio) Fitness

• Interval or circuit training improves cardiovascular fitness for netball games

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Teaching players the importance of coordination and acceleration is essential for netball off-season. Integrating netball drills to support the development of these skills will ensure your players are progressing throughout their time at your club.  

At KPI Sports we supply quality netball training equipment for your off-season sessions. Check out the full range of Netball Training Equipment to receive in time for pre-season.