maDe in hEartlaNnd

Monday, March 08, 2004

//Its all about defending.

Defenders need..

Good footwork
A lot of defense work is reliant on good foot work. It's important that your feet can move quickly and effectively to get you into a good defensive position or to block off an attacking player or to get to that high ball.

To 'read the play'
It is also important to be able to 'read the play' and to be able to anticipate where the ball is going and the timing of the pass and your opposition's moves.

Variety
A defender also needs to be able to vary their style of defense so that they don't become too predictable. You are really trying to get into the attacker's mind so that they start thinking about what you might do and not just their own play.

Perseverance
Above all, the one attribute that a defender needs most is perseverance. Often you don't reap the benefits of your hard work until late in the quarter or even late in the game. When an attacker starts to make mistakes or miss shots it is often because of the work that a defender has put in throughout every quarter finally coming to fruition

1. Understanding 0 - 3 phases of defence

- 0 Phase
This is the preparation phase, for example: A GK is in 0 phase when changing position on her GS in relation to the ball movement through court. Lack of concentration in 0 phase will result in defenders being caught 'out of position'.

- 1st Phase
When a defending player uses a variety of defensive styles to attempt to intercept or disrupt the pass to her opponent, she is working in 1st phase. But if the intercept is missed, the defender must recover quickly so that she can be effective in 2nd phase.

- 2nd Phase
This is when the defender can either mark the opposition player with the ball, to try to force an intercept for a team mate or drop quickly into a space to disrupt the attacking options or help out another defender. After the opponent has passed the ball, the defender moves into 3rd phase.

- 3rd Phase
After the pass has been released the defender must then move up on the attacker to direct her either into other players to crowd space or away from her team mates to stop her being available again. This then puts pressure on the attacking team to look for other passing options.

These phases are an important skill for every player regardless of position. Effective pressure by a defending team working these phases of defence will result in intercepts being forced and/or errors being made by the attacking team such as held ball.

so where are you at?

dawnstory Off the lights on 6:55 AM

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