NETBALL BALL SKILLS: All beginners want to improve their ability to control and handle the ball.
Your game will progress after practicing some pass and receive skill drills.
What do netball coaching skills for handling the ball focus on? They centre on a combination of passing and receiving training techniques.
Ball Handling in Netball
Group Practice
Try these group netball drills focusing on ball handling skills. The drill is usually more testing if you have at least two people or a group.
- Position the team or group to split up into equal lines, standing behind each other. Each line should face each other and around two meters apart.
- The person at the front of the line starts the drill by throwing the ball to the person opposite to them. The thrower will then immediately run towards the person they threw the ball to. The same player then runs ‘quickly‘ to the end of their group line.
- The person with the ball now has a turn to throw it back to the person who is opposite them. Continue with this drill for throwing and catching in netball. You can speed up these netball ball drills when each line has had a turn at throwing.
Training Alone
Sometimes training with a partner is not always possible. These netball handling drills show how to exercise your ball skills alone. If you are training alone by yourself, you need to perform the drill against a solid wall (outdoors).
- Stand a fair distance from the panel and shuffle to the side after you throw the ball at the wall. The test is to and catch it as it bounces back before the ball hits the ground.
- Take a step closer after performing the drill a few times. You will soon realize the exercise becomes more difficult. That is because there is a shorter time for you to reach and catch the ball in time.
Training Tips: Throwing and Catching Drills
How to Throw a Netball Ball
Take a firm hold of the netball ball with both hands and with your fingers open. Push the ball away from your chest (torso). Use enough force to propel the ball towards your intended target.
How to Catch a Ball in Netball
Catch the ball with your fingers spread wide open. Doing so gives you a better grip when you receive it. The catching techniques end by bringing the ball back in and snug towards your chest. The better players find this gives them extra control.
Catching the High Netball Ball
Catching the ball when it is high in the air is not as difficult as you may expect. Reach your hands towards the ball as it moves through the air and towards you.
Grab it with both hands and – much like a normal catch. Keep your fingers spread open to get a better grip of the ball and bring down towards your chest for extra control.