‘Back to’ social competition part two (for players 15 years and older)
Registrations for our Monday night social competition are now open. To register your team click here.
If you are a player looking for a team, we will try to help you find one. Just complete the form here.
Our COVID Safety Plan can be found here.
Other post lockdown netball activities run by WDNA:
Social competitions Saturday and Thursday night, 176 teams
Come and Try – 123 participants
Court Ready Program – 198 participants
Netball Victoria Resources
Netball Victoria has provided us with some very useful information as we prepare to get back on the netball counts (hopefully after the Cup weekend). To see the full document, click here.
Return to Training and Competition – Associations and Clubs
Below is an outline of different phases that will help guide you and your players through a physical return to competition. These are just suggested phases, there is no need to complete one before moving on to the next. This information is a general guide that will help you to plan a gradual return for your players and ensure they have an enjoyable and safe return to training and competition.
Phases of Training
- Participation
Focus on getting back into sport. This does not have to be netball specific, include fun drills and games aimed at getting players and their bodies back into the swing of things. Relays, obstacle courses, circuits, and team challenges are some ideas. As these last several months have affected people in different ways, it is important not to put any pressure on players to perform. The participation phase is all about having fun, reconnecting with teammates and getting active again. - Non-contested drills and games
Drills and games that do not have the complexity of active defenders or require uncertain or unexpected movements (e.g. change of direction to evade defender). Drills can introduce floating or passive defenders to get players to refine their decision making in a safer, less demanding environment. - Contested drills and games
Progress drills or games by adding a degree of complexity. This can include active defenders to simulate more game-like situations or increasing the intensity of drills. - Matchplay
Simulated match play putting all aspects of training into play. Start in short time periods and work on tactics and set plays. Teams can start with shorter matches (i.e. 5-10mins at the end of training) and work their way up to longer matches, possibly against other teams. Note this is still a training phase. - Return to competition
Full contact and contested competition.
Guiding Principles – Advanced
Recommencing sport will require a period of adjustment for players, coaches and officials. There is an increased risk of injury after a period of reduced or no activity, as well the reloading period moving back into full training and competition.
Below are some general training principles that are important to consider when returning to training and competition after this prolonged isolation period. It is important to continue to use common sense and your instinct when applying them to your individual situations.
Training Principles
- Individual player consideration
Not all players will be returning to training having completed the same amount of activity over the break. Players will have different levels of fitness and skill. Coaches will need to accommodate this and tailor different components of training sessions to meet the needs of individual players. Check in with your players and ask them how they are coping with the training. - Increase one variable of training at a time
Frequency, duration, and intensity are all important variables for netball training. To see a steady increase in performance and reduce the risk of injury, increase only one variable at time (i.e. increase the number of sessions, or increase the session duration, or increase the intensity of a session).
Example: Avoid going from a 45min basic, low intensity skills session one week to a 60min, high intensity, fitness and skills session the next. Instead, increase the session intensity over a few weeks by beginning to incorporate fitness components into the 45mins, before increasing the total session duration to 60mins. - You cannot make up for lost time
Unfortunately, you cannot squeeze 6-months of lost training into two weeks. Increase your player’s load and be mindful of the time you have available.
Example: Plan a training block before competition resumes. Be flexible with your players and avoid playing catch up by jumping straight into match play. Be mindful that the first few weeks of training will require players to get back into the swing of things, building their fitness, regaining skills and rebuilding their confidence. - Revisit the basics for physical performance and injury prevention
Components such as jump and land, change of direction and balance are all very important. Players may not have practiced these skills for some time and focusing on these early in the training phase is vital to prevent injury.
Example: Apply components of the Netball – Knee program throughout each training session. Go back to basic movement and footwork patterns, and progress from there. https://knee.netball.com.au/junior/ - Non-contested before contested training
Exposing players to simpler, lower intensity drills and training situations early will allow for better skill development, performance, and reduce the risk of injury. Players should then be exposed to appropriate amounts of contested training in the later sessions. Example: Progress drills by include defenders, adding complexity and game-like simulation. Progress your training sessions in a similar manner. Once players have exposed their bodies to the movements of netball, contested drills can be reintroduced.
At-Home Training Guides
There are things we can do at home to keep active, ensuring we are ready to hit the court when training can recommence. Prior to the first session back, we suggest you provide your players with some optional at home sessions.
At-home training guides are available for associations and clubs to pass onto their members. Players can complete these alone or in pairs at home, in their own time. Sessions include footwork and agility, ball work, and goaling sessions. Below is the list (and links) of training guides.
- Ball Handling Skills
- Ball Work (Pairs)
- Ball Work (Pairs) #2
- Footwork & Agility
- Footwork & Agility (Advanced)
- Goaling Sessions
- Stationary Ball Work & Reaction Drills (Pairs)
Remember…
The return to training and competition should always be at the individual’s discretion. Some individuals may not be ready to return to community sport, or they be experiencing new barriers or hurdles that did not exist a couple of months ago.
Hey Sport, R U OK? is a resource designed to support the grassroots sporting community. Resources and tips will help coaches spot the signs that someone might be struggling and provide tips to guide them through what to say and do in the event one of their players is not OK. https://www.ruok.org.au/sport
