Netball Skills

Children bouncing ball to each other

Netball is a team sport played on a court with each player assigned a specific position, which limits where they can move on the court. Introduce chest passing, bounce passing, shoulder passing, overheard passing and shooting in Years 1 - 3. Then progress to modified game play and introduce the different netball positions. 

Teaching cues

Passing 

Chest Pass 

  1. Stance: Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
  2. Ball position: Hold the ball in front, fingers spread in a "W."
  3. Step: Step forward with your dominant leg, transferring weight.
  4. Release: Push the ball from your chest.
  5. Chest to Chest: Aim for your targets chest. 
  6. Follow through: Extend arms, palms outward, thumbs down.

Bounce Pass

  1. Hold: Hold the ball at waist height. 
  2. Step & Push: step forward and push the ball down towards the ground. 
  3. Aim: Aim to bounce the ball to your targets waist height. 
  4. Follow through: Hands towards the target.

Shoulder Pass

  • Stance: Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent and toes pointed toward the target.
  • Ball position: Hold the ball at head height with dominant hand. Elbow bent at a 90° angle and fingers spread behind the ball.
  • Step: Step forward with the opposite foot to your throwing arm, transferring your body weight from your back foot to your front foot.
  • Pass: Use your whole arm to propel the ball in a straight line towards your target.
  • Shoulder to Shoulder: Aim to pass the ball to the targets preferred shoulder. 
  • Follow through: Extend your arm and wrist fully, and point fingers in direction of the target.

Overheard Pass

  1. Hands Up: Hold the ball with both hands above your head.
  2. Step & Throw: Step forward and push the ball forward.
  3. Follow Through: Extend arms and flick wrists toward the target.
  4. Aim High: Use this pass to throw the ball over defenders hands.

Lob Pass

  • Holding the ball high with spread fingers
  • Extend arms fully and flick the wrist to create a looping motion
  • Aim for the ball to travel in a high, arched trajectory

Shooting 

  • Stance: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and point them towards the goal post. 
  • Ball position: Hold the ball comfortably above your head with your dominant hand underneath it. Use your other hand to support the ball. 
  • Arm position: Keep your shooting arm straight and close to your ear. Bend your elbow slightly. 
  • Bend & Flick: Bend your knees and flick your wrist and fingertips as you release the ball. 
  • Aim: Aim for a point above the ring, creating an upside-down J or 'candy cane' trajectory. 
  • Follow through: Follow through with your wrist and aim for the ball to swish through the net. 
Teaching strategies

  • Encourage "W" hands when catching. Extend the arms with fingers spread and thumbs positioned behind the ball to create a W-formation with the hands.
  • Practice passing and catching with larger, softer balls and then progress to using netballs when ready. 
  • Start with chest passing and bounce passing, then progress to shoulder, overhead and lob passes. 
Skill criteria

Chest Pass:

  • Holds the ball at chest height with both hands.
  • Keeps elbows bent and arms close to the body.
  • Pushes the ball forward, extending the arms and flicking the wrists to pass.
  • Follows through with arms, aiming the ball to the teammate’s chest.

Bounce Pass

  • Holds the ball at waist height. 
  • Steps forward on opposite foot to pushing arm, and pushes the ball down towards the ground. 
  • Ball to bounces up to the targets waist level. 
  • Hands follow through towards the target. 

Shoulder Pass:

  • Holds the ball beside the shoulder with elbows bent.
  • Rotates the body and steps forward with the opposite foot.
  • Pushes the ball outwards, using the shoulder and arm for power.
  • Follows through with arms, aiming the ball to the teammate.

Shooting:

  • Stands with feet shoulder-width apart, facing the goal post.
  • Holds the ball above the head, with the dominant hand underneath and the non-dominant hand supporting the ball.
  • Shooting arm starts straight and close to the ear, with a slight bend in the elbow.
  • Bends the knees and flicks the wrist and fingertips on release.
  • Ball loops and travels in an upside-down J trajectory.
  • Follows through with the wrist. 

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